Did you know that El Burrito Mercado in St Paul is open at 7am?? And that they serve the best Mexican breakfast around? I was in the area the other morning and stopped for a mid-morning brunch and I am so glad I did!

The omelet came stuffed with my choice of meat and fillings, and two sides.  I chose the birria (shredded beef in a red sauce), cheese and cilantro and had it topped with red chili and spicy salsa.  Muy delicioso, especially with hot tortillas to make mini breakfast tacos.  The two sides I chose were a papas con chorizo and zucchini with corn, tomato, onion and chiles.  This is one of my most favorite meals!!  The portion was huge, enough for two big meals

Mexican Omelet with Calabacitas and Papas at El Burrito Mercado ~ St Paul, MN

I enjoyed every bite and will be back for breakfast again soon!

Cuisine: American, Breakfast, Delicatessan, Healthy Eating, Ice Cream
Restaurant Features: Bar (beer & wine only), Catering, Counter Service (in addition to table service), Free Wi-Fi, Patio Dining
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Address: 3019 Minnehaha Ave So. Minneapolis, MN 55406 (Mosaic Building) 612-746-1504
Hours: Mon-Thurs 8am-9pm Fri-Sat  8am-10pm  Sun 8am-7pm
Links: Glaciers Cafe Website * Glaciers Cafe * Google Map

Atmosphere: Glaciers Cafe is conveniently located on Minnehaha Ave at East Lake St in the beautiful Mosaic Building, just a couple of blocks from the Light-Rail Line.  The inside of the cafe is somewhat small but modern and trendy with a variety of seating arrangements including wooden tables, an over-sized booth, and bar-height seating that looks outward along the wall of windows.  There is also small counter where guests can order or pick up coffee, food or frozen custard to-go.  The lighting at night is just right, not too dim and not too bright.

One thing that I think is really cool about Glaciers Cafe is that it is an eco-friendly restaurant.  All fruits and vegetables are organic, they serve fair trade organic coffee, meats are vegetarian fed and antibiotic free, and all to-go items are served in biodegradable disposables.  Save the Glaciers!

Menu: Breakfast is served all day and includes Fresh Fruit, Granola, Breakfast Burrito (eggs, meat, peppers, cheddar, salsa, and sour cream served with cumin dusted potatoes), Three Egg Omelet, Muffins and Scones.

Appetizers at Glaciers Cafe include Mini Burger Sliders, Buffalo or
Sesame Teriyaki Wings, Bruschetta, Mozzarella Sticks, House Salsa &
Chips, and French Fries.  There is also Homemade Chili and a Soup du Jour served every day.

Salads are served with breadsticks and include Greek, Buffalo Chicken, Albacore Tuna, or Classic Caesar.  Side green salad also available.  Add chicken to any salad for $1.75.

Glaciers Cafe also makes Flat Bread Pizzas.  Build your own starting with either the House Marinara or Roasted Garlic Olive Oil and then top with ingredients such as the standard pepperoni, sausage, or go with chicken, bacon, pepper mix, roasted veggies or kalamata olives.  The “Glacier Goodie” Flatbread is the house specialty with BBQ Chicken, Caramelized Red Onions, Cheese Blend, Chiffonade Basil, and Applewood Smoked Bacon.

There are a handful of really delicious sandwiches and burgers at Glaciers Cafe, all made with lean, hormone-free meats.  Sandwiches are served with pickle, and choice of kettle chips, roasted veggies or upgrade to french fries (trans fat free!) for just $.75 more.  Options include Marinated Char Broiled Chicken on Ciabatta served either: California Style (cheddar avocado, lettuce, tomato, roasted garlic mayo), Buffalo Style (buffalo sauce, lettuce, tomato, caramelized red onions and bleu cheese dressing), or the Glacier House Chicken (melted cheddar, smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, caramelized red onions and roasted garlic mayo).  Burgers are char grilled and served on a multigrain bun, either Buffalo style or the Glaciers House Burger (melted cheddar, smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, caramelized red onions and roasted garlic mayo).

Other sandwich options include All Beef Vienna Hot Dog (plain, Chicago-style, or chili-cheese), Turkey/BLT/Swiss, Roasted Vegetarian Wrap, Toasty Cheese (grilled cheese with cheddar, swiss and tomato), or the Mexi-Cali Burrito (jalapeno cheddar tortilla stuffed with beans, rice, cheeses, lettuce, tomato and avocado.  Chicken additional.  Served with choice of cumin dusted potatoes, roasted veggies or chips and salsa).

One of the best reasons to visit Glaciers Cafe is for the Frozen Custard.  You will always find chocolate, vanilla, and a Flavor of the Day or you can create a custom flavor by adding “mix ins”.  Frozen custard can be served in a cake cone or cup, or buy a quart or pint to-go.  Other options include Malts, Shakes, Floats, Smoothies and Sundaes.
Mix in and topping options include Gummy Worms, Heath Bar, Marshmallow, M&Ms, Oreos, Reeses, Snickers, Sprinkles, Butterfinger, Chocolate Chips, Whoppers, Butterscotch, Caramel, Chocolate Sauce, Hot Fudge, Hard-Shell, Marshmallow Sauce, Peanut Butter, Blueberries, Bananas, Pineapple, Strawberries, Raspberries, Pineapple, Almonds, Chopped Peanuts, Coconut, Pecans and Spanish Peanuts.

Glaciers Cafe is also a great stop for coffee and espresso.  Drinks include Dark & Light Roast Coffee, Latte, Cappuchino, Chai Tea, Iced Latte, Mocha or Caramel, and Coffee Coolers.

Price guide: Appetizers $2-6 Flatbread $9  Sandwiches/Burgers $6-8  Salads $7-8   Frozen Custard $2.75-4.75   Coffee Drinks $1.50-$3.50

What We Ordered: My companion and I started with an order of Buffalo Wings.  The order came with eight very large chicken wings and a generous coating of Buffalo sauce.  The sauce was thin and mildly spicy with just a hint of sweetness.  The portion size is just right for two people if you plan to have a meal as well.

For my dinner I ordered the Glaciers House Chicken sandwich served on a ciabatta roll. Great choice! The main star of this huge layered sandwich was a large breast of chicken marinated in a blend of fresh herbs and spices, then char broiled. The meat was wonderful- very tender and flavorful.  I enjoyed it even more knowing it was hormone and antibiotic free! The chicken sat atop lettuce and tomato and was then topped with melted cheddar, thick applewood smoked bacon, and caramelized red onions.  The sweet, soft caramelized onions provided a sweetness that perfectly complimented the smokey flavor of the applewood bacon and the zesty herbs of the chicken.  The roasted garlic mayo was delicious as well and added to the party of flavors.  I upgraded to the trans-fat free fries for $.75 more (what a deal!).  The golden fries were hot and crispy.

My companion ordered the Glaciers House Burger, the ground beef version of the chicken sandwich I had with melted cheddar, thick applewood smoked bacon, and caramelized red onions.  The burger was served on a multi-grain bun.  The patty was 1/3- 1/2 lb of lean, vegetarian-fed beef, that was still slightly juicy but not at all greasy.  The toppings on the burger were enjoyed every bit as much as on the chicken, as were the fries.

Frozen Custard is a specialty of Glaciers Cafe, so I made sure to save room for a Turtle Sundae.  This sundae was bigger than I expected, served parfait-style in a large glass.  The sweet, creamy vanilla custard was layered with caramel, hot fudge and pecans then topped with whipped cream and a cherry.  So heavenly!  Have I mentioned that ice cream/frozen custard is probably my favorite dessert?!

My companion ordered the Banana Supreme Sundae, a parfait of frozen vanilla custard, chocolate sauce, slices of banana, and Spanish peanuts, then topped with whipped cream and a cherry.  The custard is so creamy and smooth! Yummy.

Service: I had no problem whatsoever in finding a place to park during my dinner-time visit, but please note the only nearby parking is metered so bring your quarters!  A sign greeted us at the door to ” Please Seat Yourself” and since the restaurant had only a few other diners at that time of the night, my companion and I chose the large, over-sized booth.  Our server was very nice and admitted right away that she was a new employee, but she did great! Our drinks were filled in a timely manner and we were given plenty of time to look over the menu before ordering.

Overall Impression: Glaciers Cafe is a great place to stop at any time of the day, whether you want a  coffee, an appetizer, salad, sandwich or the delicious frozen custard.  The prices are extremely affordable for the portion sizes you get and the food is prepared with only quality ingredients.  Quick and friendly service.

Cuisine: American, Breakfast, Fish & Seafood, Steaks

Restaurant Features: Bar, Patio Dining, On-Site Parking

Location: Tofte, MN

Address: 7162 West Hwy 61 Tofte, MN 55615 218.663.6200

Hours: Sun-Thur 8am-9pm   Fri-Sat 8am-10pm

Links: Bluefin Bay Website Google Map

Atmosphere: The Bluefin Grille is part of the beautiful Bluefin Bay Resort, located on the shores of Lake Superior in Tofte, MN.  The Bluefin Grille is casual yet romantic with dim lighting, private booths and several windows looking out to the Lake.

There is a deck in the back that also overlooks the Lake, just feet from the beach.  You can see some spectacular waves on a windy day.

Menu: Breakfast is served  8am-11:30 daily and includes items such as Hot Oatmeal, Starboard (blend of oats, wild rice, cinnamon and dried fruits), Buttermilk Pancakes, Windermere (pancakes with blend of wild rice and oats), Mast (stuffed pancakes), Port (fruited French toast), Eggs with Potatoes O Brien, Eggs Benedict, Biscuits and Gravy, Eggs with diced peppers, onions and melted cheddar cheese, Poached Eggs, Broiled Walleye Fillet, Ham & Swiss Omelet, Veggie Omelet, Bacon and Cheddar Omelet, Turkey Wild Rice Sausage Omelet.

Appetizers at Blue Fin include Onion Rings, Fried Calamari, Chicken Wings, Seafood Martini, Smoked Fish Plate, and Alfredo Florentine Pizza.  Soups include a Soup du Jour and Roasted Duck Wild Rice Chowder.

Salads offered are the Entree Caesar, Chef, Field & Fowl.

Blue Fin Sandwiches are served from noon to close and include the Captain Peck (whitefish cakes with melted cheddar), Grilled Tuna, Roasted Turkey Breast, Cream Cheese and Veggie, Chicken Caesar, BBQ Pulled Pork, Philly Steak, Smokehouse Chicken with Cheddar and BBQ, and BLT.  Burgers include Mark’s Summit, Patty’s Portabella Cap, and Barb’s Breaker.

Dinner Entrees include Tomato Basil Linguini, Chicken or Shrimp Alfredo, Northwoods Scampi, Cheese Ravioli Primavera, King Crab Ravioli Siciliano, Walleye, Salmon a la Oscar, Lake Superior Trout, Jumbo Sea Scallops, Alaskan King Crab Legs, Bone-In New York Strip, London Broil, Filet Mignon, Porterhouse, Black & Bleu Sirloin, Hickory Smoked Bab Back Ribs, Smoke House Pork Tenderloin, Pan-Roasted Duck Breast

Price guide: Breakfast $7-10  Appetizers $7-15  Sandwiches/Burgers $9-13  Pastas $16-22  Entrees $22-35

What We ordered: We started with a Roasted Duck Wild Rice Chowder, which was excellent.  It had a rich, seasoned and creamy base, filled with tender pieces of the rich duck, wild rice, chunks of potato and mushroom.

We also had the calamari, which was a combination of both calamari rings and baby squids.  The portion size wasn’t too big but the calamari was cooked cooked perfectly, just crispy on the outside but still tender and not too chewy.  It is often hard to cook calamari just right but the Bluefin Grille did a nice job.  It was served with a side of Thai sweet and sour sauce.

I had the Filet, which came with green beans, choice of potato, and Guinness peppercorn cream sauce on the side.  I was also interested in the bleu cheese sauce, so I ordered a side of that as well (for an additional $3).  The steak was cooked to a perfect medium as I ordered it, and was tender and flavorful.  The peppercorn cream sauce had a nice flavor that complimented it well.  The bleu cheese sauce was also good served hot and melted, but It had a very strong flavor and almost got to be a bit overpowering for my taste.  I chose to go with the potato medallions which were fried to a perfect golden brown.

My companion ordered the Porterhouse with French fries and a side of sauteed portabella mushrooms (for an additional charge).  The porterhouse was delicious, tender and juicy.  The portabella mushrooms were sauteed and seasoned perfectly, a great addition to the steak.

Service: Our server was very nice and had good suggestions for us.  Food was paced perfectly between appetizers and entrees and drinks were replenished before requested.  The staff seemed very friendly in general.
Overall Impression: Overall I was very pleased with my meal and service at the Bluefin Grille and I would love to eat there again the next time I am in that area.  The Bluefin Resort looks like a great place to stay!

Cuisine: Authentic Mexican, Breakfast
Restaurant Features: On-Site Parking
Location: St Paul, MN (District del Sol)
Address: 194 Cesar Chavez St. St Paul, MN 55107 (651)291-0758
Hours: M-F 8am-10pm   Sat-Sun 8am-11pm
Links: Google Map

Atmosphere:
El Amanecer is located right in the heart of St Paul’s District del
Sol, at the intersection of Cesar Chavez St and State St.  The
restaurant is divided into two dining rooms, both with tables and
booths.  The main dining room has beautiful, brightly colored murals
painted all over it’s walls.  There is also a large, gorgeous handmade
Mexican Mosaic in the dining area when you first walk in.

Menu:
Breakfast items include Lomo de Res con Huevos, Cecina con Huevos,
Bistec de Puerco adobado con Huevos, Huevos con Carne de Puerco en
Salsa Verde or en Chile Guajillo, Huevos Rancheros, Huevos Divorciados,
Huevos a la Mexicana, Huevos con Jamon, Traditional Breakfast, Huevos
con Carne de Shebrada, Chilaquiles Verde or Rojo Bistec, Rancheros con
Cecina, Enchiladas Montadas. Omelettes include the Mexican, Carne
Asada, Ham & Cheese, Puerco & Queso Chihuahua.  There are also
Pncakes, Pancakes with Fruit, Molletes al Gusto con Chorizo, Jamon or
Tocino.

Appetizers include Quesadilla de Queso, Quesadilla al
Gusto (shrimp, steak, chicken or ham), Nachos al Gusto, Guacamole, and
Fried Calamari.

Soups offered are Caldo de Res con Vegetale, Menudo.

Combination
platters at El Amanecer are all served with beans & rice and
include the Aztec Combo (taco, enchilada & tostada), Mexican Combo
(quesadilla, tamale & enchilada), St Paul Combo (taco &
enchilada), Enchilada Combo, Tamales Estilo Suizo, Enchiladas Rancheras
de Pollo or Res (chicken or shredded beef), Enchiladas al Gusto de
Queso, Res o Pollo.

Burrito, Taco and Torta Plates include
Burrito al Gusto (choice of meat in flour tortilla), Chimichanga al
Gusto, Torta al Gusto (sandwich with choice of meat and served with
fries), Platillo de Tacos al Gusto (can mix & match 3 tacos).  All
plates except the Torta come with beans and rice.

Mexican Entrees
include Chiles Rellenos de Queso, Carne de Puerco en Chile Verde,
Bistec a la Mexicana (strips of beef simmered in tomatoes, onions,
jalapenos and ranchero sauce), Fajitas (steak, chicken, or shrimp),
Carne Asada, Lolo de Res a la Tampiquena, Milanesa de Res (breaded
steak with ranchero sauce), Cecina con Sopes, Arraxhera con Enchilada
Rojo de Queso.

Seafood Entrees include Coctel de Camaron, Seafood
Cocktail, Oysters on teh Shell, Shrimp Salad, Jumbo Breaded Shrimp,
Shrimp with Michoacana Sauce, Camarones a la Diabla (Spicy Shrimp), Red
Snapper in Diablo Sauce, and Tilapia in Diablo sauce.

El Amanecer has a variety of Bottled Softdrinks including Jarritos and Mexican Coke.

Price guide: Breakfast $6-8  Combo Plates $9  Entrees $9-13   Seafood $7-17
What I ordered:
I had the three-taco plate and I tried three different meat with the
tortillas prepared three different ways.  Pictured here in the left is
the Res (shredded beef) on fried corn tortilla.  This taco was packed
full of mildly flavored shredded beef.  The meat wasn’t too exciting
but the shell was nice and crispy.  Next taco was chicken
in a fried flour tortilla.  It had a ton of tender, shredded white meat
chicken that was only lightly
seasoned.  The tortilla was small and very thin and was not fried long
enough so it wasn’t very
crispy.  The last taco was asada served on the traditional double corn
tortillas.  The tiny bites of steak were very tasty and tender,  my
favorite of the three meats I tried.  The corn tortillas were pretty
good.  I had the homemade salsa on all three tacos, which gave the
tacos a little bit more flavor with the tomato and cilantro in it, but
it was still only slightly spicier than most mild salsas.

I
think I enjoyed the beans and rice more than I did the tacos!  The rice
was very flavorful, slightly dry but very soft.  The refried beans were
also very good and had a nice consistency- not too thick, not too thin.

Service: Very nice and friendly, happy to make substitutions on the menu.  My take-out order took about 10-15 minutes.
Overall Impression:
Glad I was finally able to try El Amanecer.  The tacos were decent, but
I would like to explore more of the menu on my next visit.  Wish they
had a bar with margaritas!

Cuisine: Authentic Mexican
Restaurant Features: Bar (Beer only)
Location: St Paul, MN
Address: 868 East 7th Street St Paul, MN 55106 (651) 774-7547

*This restaurant formerly went by the name of Cafe del Sol (same food and owners as far as I know)
Hours: 9am-10pm Daily
Links: Cafe Del Sol Website * Google Map

Atmosphere: La Cabaña is located on East 7th Street, less than one mile from Metropolitan State University.  The restaurant is on the smaller side, with room to seat around 24-30 people.  The wooden tables are all stained a deep brown and are each topped with a vase of silk roses.  The paintings on the wall depict life in Mexico.

Menu: Breakfast items include Huevos Rancheros, Huevos con Chorizo, Huevos con Bistek (eggs with steak), Huevos a la Mexicana, Huevos con Jamon (eggs with ham), Chilaquiles (red or green) Con Huevos.

Appetizers include Nachos, Super Nachos, Empanadas, Tacos Fritos, Sopes, Tostada.

Tacos include Soft Shell (corn) with cilantro and onions, American Taco with lettuce, tomato, sour cream and cheese, or Taco Frito hard-shell corn taco.  Meat choices are Asada (steak), Pastor (bbq pork), Pollo (chicken), Lengua (beef tongue), or Carnitas (pork).

Burritos include Super Burrito, Burrito Dinner (with rice and beans), Veggie Burrito, or Chimichanga.

Mariscos (Seafood) options are the Tostada de Ceviche, Aquacil, Ostiones (oysters), Fish Tacos, Pescado Empanisados, Shrimp Tacos, Shrimp Quesadilla, Shrimp Cocktail, Campechana 9octopus and shrimp or oysters and shrimp), Mojarra Frita (deep fried fish), Mojarra a la Veracruzana (fish with vegetables), Mojarra al Mojo de Ajo (fish with garlic), Mojarra ala Diabla (fish in spicy sauce), Fillete de Pescado (fish fillet).

Other entrees include Cecina, Puerco en Salsa (red or green), Chile Relleno, Steak or Chicken Americano, Flautas, Chicken in Mole sauce, Milanesa (breaded steak), Pollo Diabla (Spicy Chicken), Pollo Encebollado.

Fajitas include Shrimp, Chicken, beef, or Combo.

Desserts offed at La Cabaña are Flan, Cheese Cake and Ice Cream.

Price guide: $2 Tacos  Appetizers $4-7   Entrees $8-15
What I ordered: This was my first visit to La Cabaña, a solo trip over my lunch hour.  I ordered three different tacos ala carte, because I wanted to try each of the meats.  First I tried the Crispy Chicken (Taco al Frito) which is listed on the appetizer section of the menu.  The taco had an excellent crunch and seemed to be slightly thicker than ordinary hard shells and much more sturdy.  I was happy that the shell didn’t break or crumble on me (don’t you hate it when that happens?!)  The chicken was marinated white meat that had been cut into small pieces. Taco came with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and sour cream.  Even better with fresh homemade Salsa Verde.  Next I tried the authentic Carnitas (pork) Taco (pictured on left).  Unlike most carnitas, the pork was not shredded, but cut into small bites and had sauteed onions mixed in with meat.  As customary, the meat was nestled on top of two small corn tortillas.  The flavor was mild as most carnitas are, and the chopped onions and fresh cilantro on  gave it a traditional taste.  Last I tried the Tacos de Asada (steak), which turned out to be a disappointment.  The meat was tough, dry, and fatty, very unlike the chicken and pork.  After one bad bite, another followed; this pattern continued until I gave up on the Asada tacos at La Cabaña.

Service: I wanted my food to-go, so I ordered and paid for it at the hostess stand/counter.  The server was very nice and although she seemed to speak a limited amount of English, she did a great job of keeping my order straight.
Overall Impression: Cute atmosphere.  Large menu, with an impressive selection of Seafood items. Tacos are good but I’d skip the Asada.

Cuisine: American, Breakfast, Steak, Chops
Restaurant Features: Bar

Location: St Paul, MN
Address: 1305 West 7th Street St Paul, MN 55102 (651) 228-1408

Hours: Daily 8am
Links: Bennett’s Website * Bennett’s Facebook Page * Google Map

Atmosphere: The Dining room at Bennett’s is a large open space with several round and rectangular wooden tables adorned with white table cloths and a layer of white butcher paper in lieu of placemats.  A bar runs along one long wall with additional seating that provides  an excellent view of the TVs hung over head.  It was mellow at lunch time but looks like it could be a fun place to come before/after an event at the Xcel Energy Center or other downtown St Paul venue.

Menu: Bennett’s is open for breakfast and has a few classic breakfast combos with egg, hashbrowns, choice of meat, and toast, pancakes, or French toast.  They also have a selection of 3-Egg Omelets such as the Farmer’s, Italian, Ham & Cheese, Cheese and Mexican.  Signature breakfasts include Eggwich on English Muffin, West 7th Special (hashbrowns with veggies, eggs and cheese), Eggs Benedict, Little Charlie Benedict (eggs benedict served over tenderloin medallions with caramelized onions),  Italian Skillet, Veggie Skillet, and Yogurt with Fresh Fruit.

Bennett’s has a long list of appetizers including Smoked Salmon, Bruschetta, Stuffed Mushrooms, Grilled Scallops, Onion Rings, Walleye Strips, Chicken Drummies, Chicken Quesadilla, Chicken Wings, Tenderloin Tips, Crab Cakes, and Spinach Artichoke Dip.

Specialty salads offered are the Caesar, Chop Chef, Buffalo Chicken, Raspberry Pecan Chicken, Oriental, and the Rio Grande.

There are a pleasant number of sandwiches and burgers and all come with chips, including the BLT, Club House, Little Charlie’s Tenderloins, the Reuben, Veggie Delight (Grilled Asparagus), Meatloaf, Open-Faced Sandwich, Braised Short Ribs, French Dip, Shore Lunch Walleye, Dante’s Inferno, Spicy Italian, and Emma’s Original Turkey.  Substitute chips with fresh cut fries for an additional $1.  The selection of chicken sandwiches alone is impressive with the Teriyaki Chicken, Buffalo Chicken, Chicken Parmesan, Pesto Chicken, Swiss and Mushroom, Fort Road, and the Crispy Chicken.  Specialty 1/2 lb. burgers include the Juicy Lucy, Patty Melt and the Black N Blue.  Fresh cut fries included with burgers and chicken sandwiches.

Pasta is also a specialty of Bennett’s with dishes such as Cajun Chicken, Chicken Alfredo, Lemon Shrimp over Fettuccine , Spaghetti with Meatballs and Lobster Ravioli (dinner only).

Dinner entree items include Apple Bourbon Glaze Pork Chop, Creole Meatloaf, New York Strip, 16 oz Ribeye, Liver Steak with Bacon and Onions, Braised Short Ribs, Sirloin, Beef Tenderloin Kabobs, Petite Filet, Filet Mignon, BBQ Pork Ribs, Walleye Pike, Colossal Scampi,Grilled Salmon, Lobster Tail, Chicken Kiev, Chicken Osacar, and Chicken Pot Pie.

Bennett’s is known for their homemade carrot cake and fresh fruit pies.

Price guide: Breakfast $4-8 Appetizers $6-11 Sandwiches $ 7-9  Pasta $13-18 Dinner Entrees $14-30

Weekly Specials:

Monday 1/2 price bottles of wine and 1/2 price appetizers
Tuesday All you can eat Spaghetti – $12.95
Wednesday Birthday of the week night – Free Sirloin Dinner
Thursday Burger of the week night
Friday All you can eat Snow Crab Legs – $26.95
Saturday 14 oz. cut USDA Choice Prime Rib – $14.95
Sunday Family Night – Kids 10 and under eat free

What we ordered: To start, my companions and I shared the Tenderloin Tips.  These were melt-in-your-mouth tender and infused with flavor that had a pleasant kick.  The homemade bernaisse and horseradish sauces looked good but I loved the beef without it.  My only complaint is that the portion seemed like just a few bites, not much to go around if you’re sharing.

We also ordered the Stuffed Mushrooms, which came as an order of four giant mushroom caps filled with wild rice and Mornay sauce and loaded with mozzarella and cheddar baked on top.  These were delicious!

For my entree I was really debating between the Dante’s Inferno or the Reuben.  I am a Reuben girl and had to follow my heart, so Reuben it was. The corned beef was the real deal, sliced thin and then topped with melted Swiss and sauerkraut that had a touch of thousand island dressing mixed in.  It was on thick pumpernickel bread that was grilled to a crispy golden brown.  I up-graded and got the fresh cut French Fries for $1 extra.  It was worth it, as the portion was pretty big and the fries tasted just like the fresh French Fries you can get at the MN State Fair, with the insides still just slightly firm.

One of my companions had the BLT sandwich, served on ciabatta bread.  The bacon was crispy and the lettuce and tomato fresh.

Another companion ordered the Chicken Pecan Raspberry Salad, which looked so good!  It came with a large chicken breast grilled and sliced atop a bed of fresh spinach and other greens.  It was also loaded with bleu cheese crumbles, candied pecans and a sweet raspberry dressing.  It comes with one fresh warm breadstick but my companion asked for an extra.

Another companion had the Oriental Chicken Salad.  There were a few pieces of crispy white-meat chicken atop a bed of mixed greens with carrots, with crispy chow mein noodles and mandarin oranges and then tossed with an oriental sesame ginger dressing.

Service: Our visit was at lunch time on a Wednesday and fortunately for us it wasn’t too busy.  Our service was very good, with food and drinks served in a timely manner.  The server was good about answering questions and helping with food selections.  There was a slight mistake with one of the orders and it took awhile longer to be served than the rest of the food, but Bennett’s was gracious in correcting the slight mix-up.
Overall Impression: Lunch is served quickly and they have a lot to choose from on the menu.  Prices seemed a little high for what you got, but the food was quite good and so was the service.  I would like to go back and try the dinner sometime.

Cuisine: American, Breakfast,
Restaurant Features: Bar, On-Site Parking, Bowling, Banquet Rooms, Games

Location: Northeast Minneapolis, MN
Address: 729 Marshall St NE Minneapolis, MN 55413-1815

Restaurant Hours: Monday – Thursday from 6am – 11pm, Friday from 6am – 12am, Saturday from 8am – 12am, and Sunday from 8am – 11pm.

Links: Elsie’s Website *  Google Map

Atmosphere: Elsie’s is a large building that has three distinct areas: the dining room, the bar, and the bowling alley.  The dining room has a mix of booths and tables, nothing fancy in the way of decor.

The bar area is long and narrow, with seating along the bar and bistro tables along the wall to accommodate additional diners.  Flat screen TVs hang above the bar for the sports fans.

Here is the Bowling Alley, with several lanes and computerized scoring.

Menu: Breakfast items include the Sausage Wrap, Potato Wrap, Bacon Skillet, Country Hash, Hamburger Patty & Eggs, Country Fried Steak, Sirloin Steak & Eggs, Mr T Sandwich, Denver Sandwich, Country Skillet, Cajun Style Skillet, Biscuits & Gravy, Eggs Benedict, eight Specialty Omelettes, Buttermilk Pancakes, and Waffles.

Appetizers offered at Elsies are the Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Nachos Supreme, Quesadilla, Breaded Mushrooms, Mozzarella Sticks, Cheese Curds, Chicken Fingers, Breaded Shrimp Basket, Walleye Strips, Onion Rings, Mini Corn Dogs,  Mac & Cheese Wedges, Breaded Cauliflower, Buffalo Wings, Chicken Drummies, Tator Tots, French Fries and Waffle Fries.

Salads include Grilled Chicken, Chef, Grilled Chicken Caesar, Cajun Chicken, Cobb, Garden, Taco Bueno, Buffalo Chicken, and Oriental Chicken. Soups include Chili, French Onion, and a Soup of the Day.

Elsie’s Sandwiches are the Pork Tenderloin, Grilled Cheese, Grilled Ham & Cheese, Nord East Classic, Grilled Chicken Breast, Cajun Chicken, Italian Beef Hoagie, Tuna Melt, Turkey Club Wrap, Southwestern Chicken Wrap, Chicken Caesar Wrap, Chicken Ranch Melt, Turkey Hoagie, Broadway Clubhouse, Low Carb Meal, French Dip, Classic BLT, Buffalo Chicken, Pot Roast Melt, Reuben or Rachel, Canadian Walleye, Hot Sandwich with Mashed Potatoes, Steak Sandwich, and Prime Rib Sandwich.  There are also ten Specialty Burgers, or you can build-your-own burger.

Entrees include Stone Arch Chicken, Chicken Mushroom Monterey, Chicken Parmesan, Fried Chicken, Twin Pork Chops, Liver & Onions, Meatloaf, Sirloin Steak,  New York Strip, and Prime Rib.  Seafood entrees include Canadian Walleye, Bourbon Salmon, Orange Roughy, Jumbo Shrimp, and Lemon Pepper Walleye.  There are some entree combinations available.

Pastas offered are Beef Tips over Fettuccine, Fettuccine Alfredo, Spaghetti with Meatballs, and Chicken Pesto Alfredo.

Price guide: Breakfast $6-10 Appetizers $4-9 Sandwiches & Burgers $8-9 Entrees $11-19 Seafood  $14-18 Pasta $11-14
What I ordered: I love breakfast and I love spice, so the Cajun Skillet seemed to be calling my name.  The dish advertised pepperjack cheese, but I was not expecting the thick layer of barely-melted cheese that topped the entire skillet (I wasn’t too fond of all that cheese).  The peppers and onions were sauteed nicely, but the potatoes were still a little on the hard side and could have been cooked quite a bit longer.  There was a decent amount of cut-up breakfast sausage and the Cajun spice had a nice kick to it.  It came with salsa and sour cream which I asked to be put on the side.  The scrambled eggs were typical scrambled eggs, as was the wheat toast.

One of my companions ordered the Bacon Skillet with scrambled eggs.  Good flavor, lots of bacon, mushrooms and cheddar cheese but the potatoes were still slightly hard.

Another companion ordered the Northwoods Omelet, which came with wild rice, bacon, mushrooms, and Swiss cheese.  My companion ordered it with tomatoes also and thought it was good, but kind of boring since all the flavors were so mild.

Another companion ordered the Veggie Omelet with a side of fruit instead of hashbrowns (which Elsie’s charged extra for instead of just substituting.

Service: The service at Elsie’s was okay.  Despite the fact that Elsie’s does not take reservations, our party of four adults, one child and three infants was able to get a table in the dining room late on a snowy Sunday morning.  The wait staff was nice and accommodating, but almost a little too friendly toward all the babies.   At one point one of the older servers helped herself to the newborn baby in our group without asking for permission, which completely caught the baby’s mother off guard.  Also, our food did not all come out at once, but was a process that took almost 10 minutes because of missing items (such as toast!)
Overall Impression: The breakfast at Elsie’s was okay, but nothing to write home about. The overall menu is large and I would like to try a meal other than breakfast sometime.  Prices are reasonable, but the restaurant itself is in need of some redecorating.  Servers were nice but could use some lessons in etiquette.