Eating for the Masses

oooh. are we back yet?

2011-04-07T11:49:00.001-07:00

given that we haven't updated this blog in QUITE a long time...

we're coming back! posts may not be as frequent as you or i would hope... but let's face it. adulthood has reared its ugly head and forced the both of us to submit to its commands.

we're fighting it.

but we'll be back soon with some more good eats around the cities, so be on the lookout :)

seriuosly.

2009-11-21T13:26:00.000-08:00

alright, seriously. i know. we have failed at updating this blog. but as soon as i get pictures from The Barn event that we went to last night, a new update will be up!

COMING BACK!

2009-09-21T12:06:00.001-07:00

we have some great places to tell you about :)
the next two posts will be Greek themed (not really on purpose)

so keep watching!

Community - Official Store - TOMS Shoes - A Pair of New Shoes is Given to a Child in Need With Every Pair Purchased - One for One - TOMSshoes.com

2009-07-13T14:13:00.001-07:00

Community - Official Store - TOMS Shoes - A Pair of New Shoes is Given to a Child in Need With Every Pair Purchased - One for One - TOMSshoes.com

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We're BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-05-14T12:19:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Sorry that it has taken us so long to blog again. We've both been busy, me with finals and internship hunts and Jen with her teaching gig. But we are back and ready to update you on some good cheap fun eats!

La Casita - Roseville

Jen and I met up with our friend Karen, at one of Jen's favorite happy hour places in Roseville, La Casita. It's a fun, relaxed family restaurant that hosts a chips and salsa bar (which is why it's one of Jen's favorite places) and a great happy hour menu.

Unfortunately, we did not go for Happy Hour. We went for dinner which is still good.

Chips and Salsa!

La Casita has a "serve yourself" chips and salsa bar. It's pretty awesome, especially if you are just chillin waiting for more people or waiting for your drinks. They have several types of salsa. There is a traditional mild salsa, a smoky chipotle salsa, and a green verde. My fave is the traditional combined with green verde salsa and Jen's favorite is the traditional salsa combined with salt and margaritas. Check out the pic below of the three types of salsa :)

One thing you should know about Jen, is that she has a tendency to (a) order salads and then (b) ask for half of everything ON the salad to be taken off and substituted for other things like cukes and more lettuce. That being said, after looking through the extensive menu of enchiladas, burritos, sopas, chimichangas, Jen gets the Southwestern Chicken salad.

Southwest Chicken Salad with avocados, pico de gallo, and chicken (there was cheese... WAS.)

I got the dos enchiladas combo with Cheese (as this was during my lent "no meat" stage of the year). They come with frijoles and arroz, but i dont like beans, so I got two servings of arroz.

Cheese enchiladas.

I can't remember what karen got... We had a good time, and the staff was very gracious when we asked to be seated at a different table (ours was picking up the draft everytime the door opened). Our waitress was very attentive, however did not inform Jen that her glass of soda water with lime would cost her $2.00. We were a little shocked that she was charged for soda water, but we made good and got three cups of diet pepsi after that to make up for it! SUCKAS!!!! :P The food came out hot and was yummy and filling. They also didn't rush us after we were done.

We ended up sitting there for a while talking, laughing and drinking diet pepsi.

We like this place already, so even though there are a few things we weren't too happy about, we would still recommend it :D They also have a large bowl of mints as you run out the door ... you know what i'm talkin about!

Yummy

chips and salsa!!!!!!! and all the refills you want on those :D
fun, relaxed atmosphere, good for casual date or group of friends!
good happy hour deals (especially on their house margaritas)

Crummy

They charge for soda water! WHAT???
They sometimes over-charr the grilled chicken (can you tell we are trying to come up with crummies?)

the DEETS.

Three Locations: Roseville (651-287-4055), Columbia Heights, and Waite Park

They have Happy Hour every day from 3-6pm in the bar and restaurant with 1/2 off apps, $1 off margaritas, and $.50 off tap beers.

THey also have late night happy hour that starts at 8pm and goes til closing in the bar. Late night HH offers $3 tall taps, 1/2 off apps, and bucket beer specials!

They also have take out and catering available! Awesome right

Here's their site AGAIN in case you need it!

We love going there and hope you give it a try too :)

totally TOTES!

Phyllie and Jen

Updates Soon!

2009-04-19T13:55:00.000-07:00

Sorry people! We've been pretty busy and have been unable to update the blog. This will change very soon.

But while you are waiting, this is what most of my effort was going into:

One Day Without Shoes

Bar Abeline

2009-03-14T12:07:00.000-07:00

One of the more "hip" places in Minneapolis is Uptown.

There are a variety of restaurants, little shops, and random places to muse (including a well known tattoo parlor) that keep the artsy residents in that area entertained. At night, this area of town is filled with young professionals, dressed to impress, roaming from bar to bar. Mostly enjoying other people's company, maybe a little dancing here and there, and amazing happy hour specials :)

One of our favorite places to grab Happy Hour is Bar Abeline. It's on the corner of lagoon and boasts some of the best margaritas in town. Jen and I found an amazing parking spot right on the corner of the street, up from Bar Abeline. After about 10 oclock, street parking is nearly impossible, since the meters stop running at 10pm. We got there before the parking frenzy and walked over to the bar.

Bar Abeline doesn't check your ID at the door if you come in before 10pm. Obviously if you want a drink, you have to show it then. But Jen and I made it in and found a seat in the bar area. while it may have taken our server a moment or two to realize we had sat down, we weren't in too much of a hurry. Our waiter brought us the menus, a food menu (all tapas half off) and then a drink menu. We bypassed the food, since we get free chips and salsa (but you have to ask!) and moved on to choosing a margarita.

Margarita Menu

Bar Abeline has over a dozen original margaritas. THey have the original kind, a pomegranate, your typical berry margs, and then fancier ones like the mojitorita and the Green Iguana(sauza blanco, fresh basil leaves, and limoncello). So many to choose from! We're both pretty basic, so I got the raspberry margarita, blended, and Jen got the Original on the rocks. They came pretty quickly, along with our chips and salsa and we happily munched on those and people watched.

Original Margarita and Raspberry Margarita

A downside to the bar area at Bar Abeline is the close proximity with EVERYONE ELSE in the bar area. You are almost uncomfortably close to those at the tables next to you, and as it happened, one of the tables kept peeking around Jen to see our chips and salsa, which was probably more awkward for him then us, but pretty close! There was also this woman who had the loudest talking voice that I have ever heard (and i'm a law student, so i've heard some loud talkers).... It was really really obnoxious, so when the first booth along the wall opened up, we dove for it.

Our waiter didn't mind and just came over to fill up our chips and salsa. We were not quite ready to leave yet so we decided to order Dos Equis. They're a dollar. amazing? FOR SURE. So we munched on our chips, drank our beer, and watched as the bar got more crowded as the night went on.

On a side note, I have had the table side guac and spicy queso dip at Bar Abeline. The table side guac is amazing. they bring the bowl to you and then mix it right in front of you, mashing the avacados, adding some lemon/lime juice, and then salting it. It's pretty cool. The queso dip (the type will change from time to time) was amazing. such good deals.

Dos Equis we Enjoyed

Bar Abeline also has a dance floor, which I wisely chose to avoid, although I did see Jen longingly staring there in hopes that I would join her for a dance or two... But from where we were sitting we got some fun music to jam to in our booth. It's always a lot of fun, whether your'e there with a friend, a date or a large group of people. They have enough specials going on to keep it interesting!

Yummy:

Free Chips and Salsa
Margaritas and happy hours specials (amazing!)
People Watching

Crummy:

the crowds of people that hit the bar after 10pm
the service is kind of slow and sometimes it's hard to find seating
parking. uptown on a friday night... 'nuff said

Bar Abeline is located in Uptown off of Hennepin on Lagoon.

it's open Monday-Friday: 4pm - 2am; Saturday from noon - 2am; Sunday 10am - Close.

There's a champagne brunch on Sundays from 10am - 2pm for $16. Amazing breakfast like omelettes and waffles and much more!

happy hour is 9pm-11pm, with $1 taps starting at 9pm.

they even have CRAZY HOUR which is from 4-6pm, where everything is 1/2 off. crazy right?

you can make reservations online or call them to ensure a table.

totally totes,

Phyllie and Jen

Willow Gate

2009-03-08T11:47:00.000-07:00

On a cold blustery day...

Upon arriving at Willow Gate in Roseville, Phyllie and I joined Sean and Jordan at our table. We were there with the Taste of Twin Cities group, so there were quite a few people there already... TTC's leader Bill Svoboda had been talking up the Sesame Chicken here at Willow Gate and was adamant that we try it. After being given the go-ahead, Phyllie ordered some sesame chicken, kung pao chicken, and eggplant with vegetables in a garlic sauce. Each were great prices, the dinner meals mostly under $8.00 each. We warmed up with the hot and sour soup that came with the meal. And even though there were four of us and only three dinners ordered, the waitress was kind enough to bring us a fourth one, no charge.

Hot and Sour Soup ala Jen

The soup was okay. It could have been a little spicier, but the flavor was good. But we weren't complaining for the price we were getting. We spent the time waiting for the food chatting with our other table mates, and watching Jordan try to figure out how to use his chopsticks. It was funny.

Jordan and I figuring out the chopsticks...

The food came reasonably quickly, considering there were 70+ people in our group. PROPS to Willow Gate... The sesame chicken was good. Phyllie thought it was amazing. The concensus between the four of us was that the sesame chicken did live up to Bill's rave reviews. We chowed down on that, along with our cream cheese wontons that arrived hot and crispy. The only problem with the wontons was that the cream cheese was literally like a dab, which I didn't mind. But Phyllie thought they could use more cream cheese.

Sesame Chicken and Cream Cheese Wontons

The Eggplant dish was also good. (The kung pao chicken was okay, but not amazing like our other dishes). We were given the option of choosing the spice-factor for our foods, and we chose the medium/normal spice level. The eggplant was hot but not soggy. It had a good amount of veggies and enough flavor that Phyllie was mixing it in with her rice and eating it like a stir-fry. I loved the veggies, but apparently did not realize that there was eggplant in there. And alas, did not try the eggplant.

the eggplant in garlic sauce

The owner of Willow Gate was with our group almost the whole time, making sure that everyone's orders were taken and people got their food. We were able to snag him for a photo op! He was awesome and even joked around with us as we tried his famous sesame chicken. Although you may mistake his Blue Steel look for Derek Zoolander, his name is actually Dan. He's pretty great.

Dan the man!

Overall, we really enjoyed the experience. I had a good time hanging out with people and talking over good food. Phyllie really liked the sesame chicken and being able to hang out with Sean (don't worry, they're dating). Jordan and Sean both liked the food, the prices, and mostly... the ladies that accompanied them :P We'd recommend it!

Yummy:

sesame chicken (the spicier the better!!!!!!)
the hospitable staff (very accommodating for such a large party!)
the decor. there were some fun Chinese art pieces on the wall...

Jordan and the Horse...

Crummy:

wontons that were almost cream cheese-less (at least in phyllie's opinion)
... not much else was bad about it...

Willow Gate is located on 1885 Perimeter Drive in Roseville... That's the road that goes behind the applebees and bakers square.

THe hours are a little confusing, but here we go:

Monday: 11am - 3pm for lunch only

Tuesday - Thursday: 11am - 9pm (lunch from 11am - 4pm)

Friday and Saturday: 11am - 10pm (lunch from 11am - 4pm)

Sunday: 12pm - 8pm (lunch from 12pm - 4pm)

They have carryout options, that you can call ahead and order. They have separate lunch and dinner menus (like most chinese restaurants do). In addition to the typical Chinese food fare, they also have a few Thai specialities, with some curry dishes as well. So there is a lot of variety if you want to try something new.

It's a cute little spot and is great for a get together with friends!!!! try it :)

Totally Totes,

Jen and Phyllie

p.s. they have a fun little fake "wall of china" and clay army men outside.

jordan and I make a new friend :)

VIVA CUBA!!!

2009-02-16T15:49:00.001-08:00

The only thing worse than the cold weather here in Minnesota is when you voluntarily stand outside in it. When Abby, Jen and I met up at Victor's Cafe in SE Minneapolis, we didn't realize how small the establishment was, and that we would end up standing outside for a while. It's a small building, most likely a house before it was turned into the restaurant it is now, with a small parking lot (though lots of street parking)

Me, Jen and Abby outside Victor's (yay for self-portraits)

We actually debated, due to the cold wind, about going somewhere else, but ended up waiting outside to go to Victors. The great part is that we KNEW the food had to be good because of the abundance of people braving the frigid tundra alongside us. Jen had gone in to give the lady our name. Now, I'm not sure what all goes on during Sunday morning breakfast (we were there around 1pm), but the lady was cranky! And she wouldn't really tell us how many people were ahead of us, just that we were "second to the last" on the list.

So with really no idea of how long we could be waiting, we sat outside. Victor's 1959 Cafe opened in 1999 and has since been serving authentic Cuban food. Wed each heard about it from different friends and were excited to try it. While we've never had authentic Cuban food, we were going to have to take their word for it! The owner is actually Greek, but don't let that fool you, because her authentic recipes come from her former husband Victor, who is from Cuba.

Lovin the outside of the building

After about an hour wait, we were escorted inside. THe decor inside is pretty great! There is memorabilia, posters, stickers, all sorts of things that commemorate Cuba (and all it's political ideations!). People have written on the walls and ceiling anything from "Jen was here!" to "viva cuba!". It's small, and seats 50 at the most. We were seated in a small wooden booth. It is definitely a cozy casual atmosphere, with the relaxed pace that is usually associated with countries that are NOT the United States...

The menu? amazing. I could not decide. In fact, we were all having problems trying to figure out what to order! They had their breakfast and lunch menu and both were lookin delicioso! Everything from Eggs Havana to the Mango Waffle and then the lunch menu's traditional cuban sandwich and yuca frita were taunting me with the descriptions.

When our waitress came to take our order, I asked her what she suggested and she immediately said to try the cuban sandwich. It's their most popular item and she said it lived up to its reputation. So I tried that, Abby ordered the mango waffle, and Jen ordered the Cuban Pork BBQ sandwich.

Our food came relatively quickly. and it looked good. I wish I had remembered to take some pictures of our food. THe cuban sandwich had ham and pork in generous portions. It had just the right amount of bread, meat, and mustard that made each bite taste better and better! The sandwich was so big that I could only eat half of it! Abby's mango waffle was SOOO good. It's definitely something that you would want a lot of in the summer. It just reminds you of spring and sunny days. Jen's BBQ pork sandwich was just as big as my Cuban sandwich. the pork was tender and well marinated and the sauce was sweet and zesty! The accompanying fried plantain cakes were the perfect complement to the sandwich. (and we loved how the receipt so perfectly captured the feelings that Jen had toward the sandwich!) We all left full and happy with plans to return to Victor's sometime soon!

Our total bill... apparently Jen's sandwich is an order of LOVE :)

Yummy:

the food. so so many fantastic choices. it got thumbs up from all of us
the price. not too expensive and great for the amount of food you get!
overall, it was a great experience with quick service and friendly servers.

Crummy:

the wait! We would suggest if you don't want a long wait to go at off-peak times (or they do take reservations as well)
the attitude of the hostess... she was kind of snippy with us...
too many good choices! (?)

Cool artsy mural in the parking lot

It's a cute, fun place that would be even better in the summer. They have a patio right outside...

Victor's 1959 Cafe is located on 3756 Grand Ave. S. in Minneapolis, just off of 35W South. It's open for breakfast and lunch, 7 days a week.

Sun - Mon 8am-2pm; Tues - Sat. 7am-2:30

It's open for dinner on Tuesday - Sat from 4:30-9pm...

Happy Hour on Tues - Sat from 4:30-6:30pm

And since their seating is so limited, they highly recommend reservations.

We'd recommend it :)

totally totes,

Phyllie and Jen

a Punch in the Tastebuds!

2009-02-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

In the Mood for some pizza?

Jen picked Phyllie up from school and we booked it to the Taste of Twin Cities (TTC) event at Punch Neapolitan Pizza on Hennepin. parking this time was much easier, and we got there as the rest of the TTC people were arriving. We went in immediately and found a table (but normally there aren't THAT many people there) and got in line.

The Punch on Hennepin is small and cozy, with seating for about 100 in a small open room. We got in the line to order and while we were waiting looked through the menu. The line moved quickly because once you order, you can sit down and they bring you the pizza in less than 5 minutes usually. Amazingly, the pizza only takes about a minute and a half to cook... if you want more info, go Wiki wood burning ovens yourself!

Jen and phyllie decided to get the Toscano (eh theh toh-scaaaah-no eh?), which has roasted red pepper, sausage, cracked red pepper, and basil leaves, that we substituted with oregAno, which they gladly did. Each pizza has fresh san marzano tomatoes and fresh mozzerella (if you are a fan of BUFFALO mozzerella, they will sub that for a small charge). Our friends Jordan and Brett arrived and joined us at our table after they ordered... A few minutes later, our pizza arrived. It was a bit chaotic, as there were about 70 of us in our group and the waiters attempting to deliver the right pizza to the right person. We got ours, hot from the oven.

THe pizza looked and smelled amazing. It was really flavorful and the crust was perfect. (or, SOOOOOO good as Jen likes to put it). BUONISSIMO! the one caveat we have is that because of all the fresh veggies that they use, there tends to be more liquid in the middle of the pizza from the veggies. But, it is STILL good.

Brett and Jordan got the basic margharita pizza with ham and pepperoni. It was good too! The pizzas are all one size, and we would suggest if you are really hungry, to get your own. Sharing is a possibility, but only if you are prepared to eat less. We finished our pizza quickly, with Phyllie wishing that she would have gotten some foccacia bread too. There were many side items like salads that you can add to your meal. They even have a bambini pizza for kids!

We had a lot of fun with friends and good food! We liked it.

Yummy

food! wood fire oven pizza definitely produces the most amazing crust!
the atmosphere was fun and friendly with a spice of Italian
the staff was very hospitable, especially since our group was so large

Crummy

the semi soggy mid part of the pizza
smaller seating area (if its crowded, then it'd be hard to enjoy a meal standing up)
not really any free parking anywhere, it's all metered

Punch has 6 locations around the twin cities, and the original restaurant in highland park has an extended menu with more appetizers and pizzas and even calzones.

They have a daily selection of wine and beers at each location.

Each Punch's hours are somewhat similar, but check their website to double check. The one in Northeast Minneapolis is open daily from 11am-10pm.

This is another great date place! It's fun and not too expensive. And after dinner, when it's nice out, you can walk a few blocks down to st. anthony main and the stone arch bridge!

Totally Totes,

Phyllie and Jen

Boulangerie de Prairie française

2009-02-07T12:15:00.000-08:00

Yes. That means French Meadow Bakery, in French.

Jen and Phyllie visited the French meadow bakery. Aside from the fact that it was bloody cold outside, and there was sparse parking right next to it (they have a "lot" that holds 6 cars), we both parked on the street and walked a block or two in the -52 degree weather.

We had made reservations earlier, which made it a little easier to be seated immediately. There were a few large parties on one side of the restaurant/bakery, producing random renditions of happy birthday every so often.

French Meadow Bakery is known for it's all organic menu, with many vegetarian and vegan options. They have an amazing breakfast menu, including amazing blueberry pancakes. Their lunch menu is also wonderful, with sandwich options and soups. In addition, they have a bakery with fruity tarts, chocolatey cakes, and other things likely to make you drool... You can top off your dessert or meal with a fresh made coffee or cappucino.

Now. to our experience. Phyllie had only been to French meadow for breakfast and Jen had only had the coffee. So we were excited to try the dinner menu. We were seated promptly, and our waitress was very friendly and helpful. We were given a menu and a basket of breads (which were good). After making several FRIENDS references to "squatternut bash", we both decided to go with the "sweet corn arepas".

Here is the description we read - corncakes with vegan sausage, sauteed peppers, organic spinach, and balsamic reduction. Sounds good, right? We've both had corncakes before, and loved them, so we figured we'd also like this.

But that's when things got ugly. When our food arrived, the waitress set the plates in front of us, and we looked down at it, then up at each other. Jen's nose twitched, and Phyllie wasn't quite sure what that smell was that began to sting her nostrils. We both gingerly picked up our forks and took a small bite.

As phyllie was still trying to determine what flavor was going on, Jen said "it tastes... like the smell... of poop."

and that's when we both realized that it was true. We decided to return our orders and see if we could get something else. Phyllie tried once more to taste it, hoping that maybe it was one of those foods that you had to get used to, like an acquired taste... but no luck.

Our waitress courteously took our plates and asked us what we would want to eat instead. We both chose the vegan butternut quash gnocci - housemade organic gnocci, with wild mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, garlic and organic arugula.

This was brought to us a bit later. After our first experience, we were a little hesitant, but tried it and found that it was much much better tasting. Our meal experience was much better when our food was something that we thought was good. We did notice that a girl at the table next to us had ordered the Poo-repas and was definitely not loving it either. Unfortunately, she probably didn't realize she could return it, and ended up picking at it and eating off of her friend's plates (sigh. if only she had read our post).

All in all, it was a fun experience, although we would suggest avoiding the Poo-repas.

Yummy

"squatternut bash" gnocci. it was warming and filling. yumms!
the restaurant did not give us any problems when we wanted to send the food back. props to them!
the decor is incredibly interesting and the white christmas lights on the tree branches give it a cozy romantic flair (great place for dates!)
half off bottles of wine on mondays and saturday nights with 20 dollar purchase!

Crummy

clearly, we did NOT like the arepas.
the large windows in the front, while great in the summer, are not as great when it's super cold outside
parking... but only because it was really cold.

Like we said, it would be a fantastic place for a sweet casual date! It's moderately priced (some of the food can be a little more expensive, but you can definitely find something for every price range)

it's open on Sunday - Thursday from 6:30am-9pm, then Friday and Saturday from 6:30am-11pm.

It is located on Lyndale and 25th in Minneapolis, and they take reservations online and over the phone!

totally totes,

Phyllie and Jen

Organic Bliss

2009-01-25T11:54:00.000-08:00

Trader Joes

Not to be confused with Sebastian Joe's.

We love it. 3 buck Chuck. Free Samples. Moderately priced (as compared to Whole Foods).

very friendly and helpful workers. very environmentally conscious.

wide variety of organic choices (although not as many choices as compared to a regular grocery store...)

did we say 3 buck chuck?...

the only downside is that there are only three in the metro area (definitely not enough in our opinion!)

Ice Creamopolis!

2009-01-25T11:04:00.000-08:00

Since these were technically before we began our blog, we'll just do a little blurbie about each!

It's Greek to Me

yummy:

the portions are big for the buck. Jen's salad was HUGE and Phyllie's single gyro filled her to the brim
the atmosphere was incredibly enjoyable: lots of conversations, clinking glasses, and joyous laughter
they have a super CUTE patio that you can dine out on (unfortunately, it was -15 degrees outside, so we'd suggest waiting until late april/early may)

Crummy:

the smell of saganaki... unless you like that...

overall, it was a really great experience. The waiters are attentive and pretty prompt, there is a great Greek wine list (Jen recommends the Notios wine - she loves it!)

Things to know: It's Greek to Me is NOT open on Mondays!

Regular Hours are: Tues-Fri 4:30-11pm, Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 11am-10pm

however, they offer carryout and dine in options, and accept reservations when they are open.

Located on Lyn-Lake in Uptown - it's a cute date place!

Sebastian Joe's Ice Cream

Jen's Fave --> Chocolate Cinnamon Pretzel

Phyllie's Fave --> Pavarotti (banana, cinnamon... other goodness)

yummy:

one of the workers is pretty dang cute!
24 yummy, in store made, ice cream flavors that change each day!
showcase local art (this set of local art features naked people... enjoy your ice cream!)
through February, they have this cool discount depending on how cold it is outside (it happened to be -20 the day we were there and we got 15% off!) - but this offer doesn't last long :)

Crummy:

sometimes when they are experimenting new flavors, not all the kinks are worked out and the flavors are... not so great
there's a slight divot in the floor that if you are not careful, you WILL trip over it
it's kind of pricy for ice cream, especially if you're one who loves your chocolate dipped waffle cone.

Things to Know: It's open every day from 7am-11pm for all your ice cream cravings!

there is only street parking, but usually it isn't a problem finding it!

It is located on Franklin and Hennepin on the border of Downtown and Uptown.

they also have free wi-fi

Totally totes!

Phyllie and Jen

Coming Soon

2009-01-22T14:15:00.000-08:00

it's greek to me

french meadow bakery

sebastian joe's

punch pizza

and PICTURES!

*to daniel: we will definitely incorporate reviews of any type of food venue that we explore :D thanks for the note!*

Pre-Blog Recap

2009-01-16T20:05:00.000-08:00

Rewind two weeks.

Jen was in the mood for Mexican. But then, she always is. In tune with her love for South and Latin America, she begged Phyllie to eat Mexican food for the 5th time in one week at Pancho Villas, claiming it would be TOTALLY worth it and that it's the best.

Not wanting to disparage her from her newly found New Year's Resolution to try a new restaurant each week, Phyllie met her on Eat Street in South Minneapolis. Located on Nicollet and 26th, it doesn't seem like much from the outside.

Phyllie's frustration grew as she could not find a parking spot. Thanks Minnesota for having ten inches of snow fall the day before!

We started off the meal with a great deal: 2-for-1 Dos Equis! We could have opted for the 2-for-1 house margaritas (all day, every day, mind you!), but we went for some nice cold cervezas!!! (that's beer.)

we were promptly served yummy salsa and chips. While waiting for our food, we could watch any of the four tvs in the dining area. The restaurant was bustling with lots of 20-somethings, enjoying good company and great alcohol deals.

After choosing from the extensive menu of authentic Mexican dishes (ranging from basic tacos and quesadillas to elaborate mariscos and fish dishes), we eagerly awaited the arrival of our food. Jen's tostada salad and Phyllie's dos enchiladas (one chicken, one cheese) and taco came, steaming. It smelled SO GOOD! We finished it all and then sat back and enjoyed the live mariachi band!

Aside from live mariachi bands, Pancho Villas is also known for their karaoke contests on Thursday and Sunday nights! ($1500.00 prize) They also have a roulette wheel where you can spin and win meals! And, if it's your birthday, bring six friends and the birthday peep eats for free! They're also open 10am-1am, 7 days a week, 365 days a year!

yummy:

food! it may not be THE BEST. but it was sure good.
drink specials! 2 beers for 4 bucks! que buena!
live mariachi band! loves it.

crummy:

parking. it's all street (unless you can get in one of the few parking spots in the tiny lot next to the restaurant)
mexican food + one seater bathroom = no bueno :(
the horchata is good, but a little diluted...

totally totes,

Phyllie and Jen

Chews Your Own Adventure!!!!!!!

2009-01-16T19:47:00.000-08:00

Hola culinary amigos!

Greetings from the Twin Cities! Even though we may SOUND like we know what we're talking about, we just love trying new restaurants.

We were sick of the hoity-toity, uppity restaurant reviewers, whose descriptions of food sound more like something you'd read in a philosophy textbook (seriuosly... what food is transcendent??)

We're also tired of trying to sift through the reviews on various websites. They all seem to disagree with each other and we never know whether the food is good or not! It makes picking a restaurant a little confusing.

This way, we can share our EGGsperiences (ha. get it?) from various restaurants around Minneapolis and St. Paul!

We're basically just two 20-something girls on a budget who know that there are fabulous restaurants out there (not necessarily all ridiculously expensive) and we're setting out to find them!

Take our comments with a grain of salt. Love us or leave us. But maybe we can make finding a restaurant a little bit easier... :P