Farmers Market Preview

Farmers market season is right around the corner and my new commitment to working fresh veg and fruit will likely flourish or falter on the strength of the local markets. Thankfully the growing season is off to a splendid start. I did a little piece on the Spoonriver event for the Mill City Market and the outlook is simply delicious. Brief report here.

Epic Sandwich: France 44

France 44 is not only a great place to grab wine and beer, it's also a killer spot to grab some premo cheese and an awesome sandwich. In fact, I see myself eating several sandwiches there in the very near future. It's a jewel of a place in the heart of my 'hood and is loaded with top-notch sandwich ingredients. Full review of their killer chorizo sandwich here.

Epic Sandwich: Convention Grill

That's right. I'm eating meat again. What a great/rewarding experiment! I'l; have a full recap later, but City pages ran my post early this week. It's on Convention Grill in edina. If you love old-school burgers and throw-back joints then you need to check it out! Full review here.

Epic Sandwich: Be'Wiched Deli

Egg salad is boring, right? Nope, not at Be'Wiched deli. Take something typical and put it in the hands of folks who take the time to make it from scratch and anything can be awesome. Full review here.

Epic Sandwich: Chatterbox Pub

I was hoping to find a fun way to wrap up a great Sunday so I decided to head over to Chatterbox Pub for some drinks, food and a little cheap entertainment. I had a great time, but was the food any good? Find out here.

Il Gatto and the killer salad

I didn't have high hopes for Il Gatto, though I admit that it wasn't exactly fair. I had become totally bored with Figlio and was excited that a new concept was coming into the space, but for whatever reason I couldn't get too excited for it. I was however, excited to meet a few friends for dinner a few Fridays ago, though we were in the heart of Lent, and none of us could eat meat. We decided a pasta/seafood joint would offer enough variety to get us through, and figured it would be a good time to try Il Gatto.

The one thing I was willing to admit right off the bat, is that I like the ambiance and layout much better at Il Gatto. Thank God they did something about the bar. We perused the wine list and ordered a few glasses before jumping on the main menu. I decided I'd get a simple margherita pizza since I had heard their pizza was good and wanted to start the meal off with their isalata rucola. The salad, was quite simply, one of the best I'd had all year (The winter caprese at Broders' still take the cake). The greens were spot on, the dressing strong, yet not overpowering and the portion perfectly arranged. The cherry tomatoes and diced peppers provided a sweetness that helped offset the powerful, but pleasant citrus vinaigrette and the peppery arugula proved a bitter foil for the sweetness and tatartness of the lemon. Lastly, the grana padano rounded out this sweet, bitter, tart and salty plate. All of the flavors were loud, yet balanced by the power of their companions -- good company indeed.

I have to say that the fall off from there was fast. The pizza I ordered had a great crust with plenty of crackle, char and pull. The sauce, However, was about as entertaining as a Jennifer Aniston flick. The mozzarella, though homemade, was pretty pedestrian and the basil alone couldn't overcome the other short comings. A margherita pizza can be a thing of beauty built on simplicity, but this execution just fell short. A sample of Jessi's three cheese ravioli proved rich, strong and all-together overwhelming, wearing the senses out as quickly as an overly-hopped IPA.

So the experience was mixed, but I'll give Il Gatto another shot when I can go back and explore the menu a little more, but again, my hopes won't be too high, though I'd love to be proven wrong.

Happy Eating,

-Teddy

Pizza Time!

I was reading through the SW Journal and almost jumped out of my pants when I read a short describing that one of my beloved corners is going to be adding a pizzeria! Never mind the increase in house value, I'm psyched for another potentially stellar SW eatery. Did I mention that I'm pumped!?

Anyways, a pizzeria called Lola's is going into the old Xerxes Market space and is literally stumbling distance from my place. It's also adjacent to Cave Vin, which is another stellar spot. This could be the next hot food corner! I'm so blessed to be so close to Broders', Cafe Maude and Cave Vin and now there's going to be a brand new spot to frequent. I can't get too excited considering I haven't tried a single slice yet, but if they live up to their "Cafe Maude meets Punch" Punch projections I could have a real winner across the street. Looks like the opening won't be until Aug/Sept --Vegas odds on that getting pushed? I for one can't wait!

I will also say that I hope there is room for this new joint and that Michelangelo's and Lake Harriet Pizza will continue to flourish - there's nor reason we can't support all these great local businesses!

Happy Eating,

-Teddy