Cuisine: American, Wings
Restaurant Features: Counter Service, Delivery, Flat Screen TV, On-Site Parking
Location: Maplewood, MN
Address: 705 Century Ave N Maplewood, MN 55119 (651) 730-7768
Hours: Mon-Thur 11am-10pm  Friday 11am-11pm Saturday 12pm-11pm  Sunday 11am-7pm
Links: D-Spot Website * D-Spot on Facebook * Google Map

Atmosphere: D-Spot is located in Maplewood (bordering Oakdale), in a strip mall at the corner of Century Ave and 10th Street.  When you first walk in, you will see the front counter where you order your food.  The dining room itself has a handful of tables for dining in, or there is a small waiting area near the front if you choose to take-out.

Menu: The plethora of Chicken Wings at D-Spot can be divided into 4 groups: Spicy, Savory, Comfort and Sweet.

Spicy Wings include Chipotle BBQ, Spicy BBQ, Asian BBQ, Ginger, Szechuan, Voo Doo, Jerk, Buffalo, Iron Man (sweet/spicy), Incredible Hulk (green coconut curry), Pachadi (mago yogurt curry), Volcano, Ochre (honey mustard), Vaporizer (horseradish, mustard, honey), El Loco (super HOT), Toxic Avenger (green coconut curry, italian salsa verde, and sriracha), Ben Grimm (red and green curry, pineapple and toasted coconut), Kamikazee (chili, horseradish buffalo and fried garlic), War Machine (jerk and iron man), Bathala’s Bliss (ginger, honey, thai chilis, coconut milk, peanut butter, lime juice and cilantro), Dragon’s Breath (sriracha, honey, horseradish aioli) and Desert Heat (harrisa, sriracha, honey and dry rub).

Savory Wings include Honey Butter, Italiano (mint, parsley, basil, garlic, capers, anchovy and red pepper), Salsa Verde, Moroccan (yellow curry, apple and orange juice, raisin, carrot, yogurt), Twist (lemon/lime zest, toasted cumin, coriander), Kitchen Sink (3 dry rubs, 3 sauces), Teriyaki (soy, pineapple and orange), M.P.G (fondue style potato and gravy), Muay Thai (coconut milk, peanut butter, chili), Tunisian (harrisa), Meatball (chili cranberry marmalade), Marsala (pancetta, mushroom, marsala), Cordon Bleu, Iberian (chorizo, smoked paprika), Black Widow (soy glaze, crackel fennel, jerk rub), Frenchy (caramelized onion and sweet balsamic), Widow Maker (iron man and black widow).

Comfort Wings include Peanut Butter and Jelly, Country Fried, Alfredo, Lalapalooza (lavender, peppercorn, mustard vinegar), Blue Moon (bleu cheese cream), Four Seasons, Ranch, El Rancho (ranch and buffalo), Buffalo Bill (bleu cheese and buffalo), Cacciatore (tomato, rosemary, garlic), Pesto, Johnny Apple Seed (apple pear, caramelized onion, bleu cheese), Kariboo (coffee, chocolate, acho chili), Sri Lanka (pineapple gastric dusted in cayenne), Traditional BBQ, Honey BBQ, Pineapple BBQ and Huckleberry Finn (blueberry, honey, barbeque).

Sweet Wing varieties include Mound of Joy (coconut milk, dark chocolate, crushed almonds), Snackers (peanut butter, caramel, crushed nuts, chocolate and sea salt), Reese’s (peanut butter, milk chocolate, sea salt), Chicken and Waffles (maple brown sugar, creme anglaise, cinnamon, powdered sugar), The Canadian (bourbon, brown sugar, maple syrup, sea salt), Caramel Delight (caramel, sea salt, drizzle of chocolate), Black & Blue (black and blueberries), Strawberry (strawberries and balsamic syrup), D’s Short Cake (strawberry, creme anglaise, almonds and cream), Naked Turtle (caramel with pecans), Fruity Pebbles (boisenberry, lemon, lime and honey) and French Toast (cinnamon, maple syrup).

In addition to wings, you can also order Burgers and Sandwiches such as Luciann (two 1/4lb patties), D-Burger (with coleslaw, fries and american cheese), Emma James (smoked pancetta, fried egg, and harissa aioli), Mushroom & Swiss, and Red Baron (caramelized shallots, red wine butter), Cheddar Cheese, Pulled Pork, Grilled Chicken, and Falafel.
Price guide: $6/6 wings or $10/dozen  Burgers/Sandwiches $5-8
Weekly Specials:  Monday Nights during football season:  $40 for 60 wings

What we ordered: We started with the Bathala’s Bliss, which was my personal favorite of the five flavors we tried.  These wings were lightly floured and then fried until golden, then bathed in a delicious and somewhat thick Thai-inspired sauce consisting of ginger, honey, peanut butter, coconut milk, lime juice and then topped with Thai chilis and cilantro.  Very flavorful; slightly sweet from the honey and peanut butter but also savory from the chili and cilantro. Yum.  I will crave these from now on whenever I think of wings, they were awesome.

Next we tried the Black Widow, which were wings rubbed with jerk seasoning and cracked fennel then tossed with a somewhat sweet soy glaze.  Very good, I liked the sweet/savory combo.

Next we tried the Ginger Wings, which were tossed in a sauce of honey, ginger, garlic and then topped with spicy Thai chilis.  These were also good; the honey flavor came through stronger than any of the others so they were slightly sweet.

Another of the Wing flavors that we tried was the Twist.  These were a dry wing seasoned with lemon/lime zest, toasted cumin, and coriander.  These were very good if you like a drier wing.  My companion loved them and preferred these over any of the others.

We also tried the Buffalo Bill, which were a step up from your basic buffalo wing.  The sauce was very tasty and had a decent amount of spice and the wings were coated nicely with it then topped with bleu cheese crumbles.  I love buffalo wings and I love bleu cheese so this was a winning combo for me.

We also ordered a side of seasoned fries, which were delicious! They seemed to be lightly battered and heavily seasoned, which I loved.  They came with seasoned mayo for dipping.  I had a couple of fries in between each new flavor of wing I tried.

Service: Our wings were prepared to-order, and the five different wings took approximately 15 minutes.

Overall Impression: I had heard about D-Spot a few months ago and had been wanting to try it ever since.  My actual experience exceeded expectations!  With 60+ flavors of wings, there is a wing for everyone.  My new favorite spot for wings is definitely D-Spot!

Cuisine: Barbeque
Restaurant Features: Counter-Service
Location: St Paul, MN
Address: 625 University Ave St Paul, MN (651) 222-2516
Hours: Mon-Tues: Closed  Wed-Thurs: 11am – 6pm, Fri-Sat: 11am – 9pm Sun: 11am – 6pm
Links: Big Daddy’s Website * Big Daddy’s on Facebook * Google Map

Atmosphere: Located on University just past Dale St, Big Daddy’s BBQ is a very small restaurant, snuggled between other businesses.  There is a small sign hanging above the door but blink and you might miss it!  Inside Big Daddy’s the predominant feature is the front counter where you order and pick up your food.

There is room to seat only eight people, so a majority of the customers take their food To-Go.  There are four seats along the window and four seats adjacent to the counter area.

Menu: Sandwiches include Pulled Pork and Pulled Chicken, 4oz or 6oz.

Barbeque items include Pork Ribs, Rib Tips, Southern-Style Beef Ribs and Chicken.

Side items include Potato Salad, Baked Beans, Coleslaw and Collared Greens.

Desserts include Lemon Cake and Chocolate Cake.

Price guide: Sandwiches $5-8    Barbeque $8-21

What we ordered: I ordered the 6oz Pulled Pork Sandwich with Potato Salad and Baked Beans.  The pork had been pre-heated and pre-portioned into a little container and was plopped onto the bun when I ordered it.  The meat was tender, very finely pulled pork tossed with a tangy barbeque sauce.  I got a side of the spicy barbeque and added extra sauce to make it more moist.  I especially liked both the beans and the potato salad.

A couple of my companions each ordered the Half-Rack of Ribs.  Served dry, these ribs looks both meaty and moist.

Another companion ordered the Rib Tips with coleslaw and beans.  There was a big pile of rib tips which looked and smelled delicious.

Service: I was surprised at just how quickly our food was ready for take out.  All of the food had been prepared ahead of time so as soon as I ordered, my food was ready less than a minute later.
Overall Impression: Big Daddy’s offers quick and friendly service with tasty, quality BBQ.

Cuisine: American, Pizza, Tacos
Restaurant Features: Catering, Counter Service, On-Site Parking
Location: Willernie, MN (Mahtomedi)
Address: 468 Stillwater Road Suite B Willernie, MN 55115 651-429-1141
Hours: M-F 3pm-10pm  Sat 12pm-10pm Sun 12pm-8pm
Links: Google Map

Atmosphere: Wildwood Pizza opened in a new location in March 2010, just a few blocks down Stillwater Ave from their original location in the former Wildwood Bowl (which is now home to The Hanger Room).  The new location is smaller and while the service is mostly take-out, there are a couple of tables set up for dining in.  The memorabilia on the walls is the same as what adorned the walls in the old location.

Menu: Appetizers include Nachos, Garlic Bread, French Fries, Cheesy Bread, MOzzarella Sticks, Onion Rings, Deef Fried Breaded Mushrooms, Buffalo Wings, Deep Fried Cauliflower, Cheddar Nuggets, Chicken Nuggets, Chicken Tenders, Chicken Drummies, Jalapeno Poppers, Tator Tots, Pizza Rolls, and Mini Corn Dogs.

Salads offered at Wildwood Pizza include Taco Salad and Chef’s Salad.

Sandwich options include Hot Dago, Philly Cheese Steak, Chicken Sandwich, Hamburger, Cheeseburger, California Burger, Fish Sandwich, Corn Dog, Hot Dog, Chili Cheese Dog, Coney Island Dog, Grilled Pulled Pork.

Wildwood Pizza also offers Fried Flour Tacos (seasoned ground beef and toppings), Spaghetti and Meatballs, and Beef Ravioli.

Dinner Entrees include Fried Chicken and Fried Pollock (come with coleslaw and fries).

The Pizzas are where its at!! Wildwood offers several Specialty Pizzas sized 10″, 12″, 14″ and 16″ including Brian’s Super Deli Specialty (Canadian Ham, onion, pepperoni, sausage, muchrooms and green peppers), Tiffany’s Gourmet Deluxe (provolone, olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, onion and sour cream, plus four toppings of your choice), Cheesy Willermedi Pie (5 cheeses), Boboli, Mushroom Special (pepperoni, mushrooms, green pepper, onion, green olives and bacon bits), Mexican Fiesta Special (jalapenos, refried beans, taco sauce, onion, taco chips, taco beef and tomatoes), Sauerkraut Special (pepperoni, onions, green pepper, green olives, bacon bits and sauerkraut) and Chicago Style (10″ classic deep dish).

Other Pizza Toppings include all of the classic ingredients as well as meatball, asparagus, banana peppers, spinach, jalapeno, shrimp, anchovies, chicken nuggets, grape jelly, peanut butter, black beans, dill pickle, sauerkraut and water chestnuts (just to name a few!
Price guide: Appetizers $2-8  Sandwiches $3-8  Pizzas $11+
What we ordered: For the past decade (or longer) the pizza that we always order from Wildwood is the Jumbo 16″ thin Crust with Pepperoni, Mushrooms, and Shrimp.  Shrimp on a pizza?! YES! These are teeny, tiny baby shrimp but they are wonderful.  The sauce at Wildwood is slightly sweet but it is delicious.

The Fried Flour Tacos are also a tasty treat.  The order comes with three fried flour tortillas filled with seasoned ground beef and lettuce, tomato and cheddar cheese on the side for you to build-your-own. $4.50/order

Service: Depending on how busy it is, Wildwood makes pizzas quickly and they are usually accurate about how long it will take when you order it.

Overall Impression: Wildwood Pizza has long been a family favorite and one that I crave on a regular basis.  The fried flour tacos are also awesome! Really wish they still offered their famous malts that were served at the original location…. I miss the strawberry malt.

Cuisine: American, Bakery, Breakfast,
Restaurant Features: Bakery, Counter Service
Locations: Bloomington, Little Canada and North Oaks
Addresses & Maps:
Bloomington- 401 West 98th Street  Bloomington, MN 55420 (952) 358-7490
Little Canada- 2900 Rice Street  Little Canada, MN 55113 (651) 482-8876
North Oaks- 845 Village Center Drive  North Oaks, MN 55127 (651) 482-8285
Hours: Mon-Sat 7am-8pm (LC until 7pm)  * Sun 7am-4pm
Links: Taste of Scandinavia Website * Taste of Scandinavia on Facebook

Atmosphere: Located at the end of a strip mall, the Little Canada location of Taste of Scandinavia offers counter service, so you will immediately see the bakery case and front counter upon entering.

The Little Canada location has a dining area tucked back in a windowless space with several wooden tables.

Menu: Cookies and Bars include Raspberry Lemonade, Scoop Cookies, Butter Pecan Sandwich, Ginger Heart Cookies, Lemon Zest Cookie, Norwegian Almond Kringler, Raspberry Sandwich Cookie, and Rugelach.

Pastries include Danish, Finnish Munkki, Pulla Roll, Cinnamon Pulla Roll, Ring Coffee Cake, and Blueberry Muffin.

Cheesecakes include Fresh Fruit, Lingonberry, Raspberry and Turtle.

Pies and Tarts include Caramel Apple Tart,  Apple Pie, Cherry Pie, and Pumpkin Pie.

Cakes and Tortes include Black Forest Torte, Carrot Cake, Celebrate Cake, Chocolate Heart Cake, Chocolate Raspberry Torte, Chocolate Symphony Torte, Creme de Menthe Torte, English Lemon Torte, Finlandia Torte, Italian Chocolate Almond, Kransekake, Mocha Toffee Torte, Princess Torte, Pumpkin Torte, Romanian Mocha Torte, Scandinavian Chocolate Torte, Soile’s Sinful Chocolate Cake, Tiramisu, Tri-Chocolate Torte, Turtle Torte, Austrian Walnut Torte, and Bailey’s Irish Cream Torte.

Rolls include Croissant, Norwegian Milk Dinner Rolls, and Spinach Parmesan Dinner Rolls.

Specialty breads include Apple Walnut, Asiago, Baguette, Cottage, Cranberry Nut Sour Dough, Finnish Sour Dough Rye, German Rye, Health Wheat, Honey Wheat, Multi-Grain, Onion Dill, Pumpernickel Rye, Sour Dough, Spinach Parmesan, Sun Dried Tomato Basil, Swedish Limpa, Swedish Rye, Vienna.

Breakfast items include a Norwegian Lefse with Ham & Eggs, Classic Breakfast, Breakfast Croissant, Finnish Breakfast Pasty, Three Egg Omelette, Swedish Farmer’s Omelette, Pulla French Toast, Sweet Scandinavian Lefse, Swedish Pancakes, Fresh Fruit Crepe, Swedish Pyttipanna, and Yogurt Parfait.

Salads offered include House Salad, Garden, Caesar, Chef and Greek Salad.

Sandwich options include Grilled Cheese and Deluxe Deli Sandwich (Choice of ham, turkey, roast beef or veggie).

Hot Meals include Finnish Pasties, Italian Pie, Taco Pie, Pot Roast, Grandma’s Meatloaf, Smothered Pot Roast or Meatloaf, Shepherd’s Pie, Reuben, Danish Salmon Sandwich, Hot Beef BBQ Sandwich, Open Face Swedish Roasted Pepper Chicken Sandwich, Lasagna, Crab Cakes, Swedish Meatballs, Spinach Pie, and Gyros.
Price guide: Breakfast $4-8  Salads $7-9  Sandwiches $5-7   Hot Entrees $7-9

What we ordered: I ordered the Open Face Swedish Roast Pepper Chicken Sandwich.  That is a mouthful to say and certainly more than a mouthful to eat.  As the name implies, this was a sandwich that was served open-faced atop two slices of tomato basil bread.  Diced grilled chicken, red onions,  spinach, lightly sauteed mushrooms, and shredded asiago cheese.  I thought this sandwich was pretty good; all of the flavors blended nicely but the asiago cheese with the roasted peppers are what really stand out.  The stronger flavor of the cheese makes up for the milder tastes of the chicken, spinach and mushrooms.  The peppers were very good, but the onions could have been more caramelized.

One of my companions ordered the Shepherd’s Pie, which is similar to a pot pie but has a mound of mashed potatoes on top instead of a crust and is then covered with gravy.  The pie crust was light and flaky and the beef, pea and carrot filling in savory beef gravy was very tasty.  I wasn’t as big of a fan of the mashed potato; it had a strange consistency that was sort of potato dumpling-like.   Quite possibly because it had been pre-made several hours before we ordered it? Either way, I enjoyed more than a couple bites.

Another companion ordered the Chef Salad, which was a large bed of mixed greens topped with hard boiled egg, red onion, tomato, cucumber, and rolled up slices of deli turkey and ham, ordered sans cheese.

I also bought a couple of cookies to take home. The chocolate chunk cookie was delicious; it was quite large yet it was still somewhat soft and had a generous amount of chocolate chunks.

I also tried the Hawaiian Cookie, with coconut and macademia nuts as well as a few white chocolate chips.  I loved it! The coconut was very finely shredded and there was a lot of it, giving the cookie a chewy texture, which I loved.  The macademia nuts were chopped into fine pieces but still gave it a nice crunch.

Service:  We perused the giant menu hanging on the wall behind the counter while we waited in line.  We efficiently placed our order and found a table.  The food was delivered about ten minutes after we ordered it.
Overall Impression:  Taste of Scandinavia has a wonderful selection of baked items but is also a good place to have lunch or an early dinner.

This is an original review of Taste of Scandinavia on Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

Cuisine: Pizza, Pasta, Sandwiches, Salads
Restaurant Features: Counter Service, On-Site Parking
Location: Roseville, MN
Address: 1607 County Road C  Roseville, MN 55113   (651)633-3131
Hours: Daily 11am-9pm
Links: ZPizza Website * ZPizza on Facebook * Google Map
Atmosphere: The Roseville location of ZPizza is just off Co. Rd C and Snelling Ave, in the strip mall right next door to Byerly’s.  The inside of the restaurant is bright, colorful and modern.

ZPizza offers counter service, with the counter conveniently located just inside the entrance.  There are menu boards hanging above, but I found the wording to be too small to read.  Like super tiny!! Luckily I was able to look-over one of the take-out menus that was sitting there.

Menu: Appetizers include Garlic Bread, Mediterranean Plate (hummus, feta, Greek olives, roasted peppers, cucumber slices, bread), and Parmesan Flatbread Sticks.

Salads include Arugula with Candied Walnuts, Chicken Caesar, California, Greek, Mixed Greens, Pear & Gorgonzola, Strawberry Goat Cheese, and ZBQ Chicken.

ZPizza also has many sandwiches like the Curry Chicken on Wheat, Meatball Sub, Pollo Latino (chicken with avocado and salsa), Sausage Calzone, Veggie Calzone, Super Sub, Tuna, Yuppie Veggie, and Turkey on Wheat.

Pastas offered are the Chicken Penne Pesto and Penne with Meatballs.

ZPizza Creations come in three sizes: small, large and extra large.  Options include the Berkley Vegan, California (organic tomato sauce, mozzarella, fresh rounds of tomatoes, red onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, black olives), Casablanca (roasted garlic sauce, mozzarella, ricotta, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, parmesan), Provence (garlic sauce, mozzarella, artichoke hearts, capers, tomatoes, fresh basil), Napoli (homemade roasted garlic sauce, mozzarella, fresh rounds of tomatoes, parmesan, fresh basil),  Greek (feta, mozzarella, red onions, Greek olives, fresh rounds of tomatoes, oregano),  Italian (basil pesto, mozzarella, ham, artichoke hearts, fresh rounds of tomatoes, black olives), Santa Fe (chipotle pesto, mozzarella, chicken sausage, red onions, corn, serrano chilies, tomatoes, cilantro), Mexican (salsa, mozzarella, spicy lime chicken, green onions, red onions, fresh avocado, sour cream, cilantro), Thai (peanut sauce, mozzarella, spicy chicken, red onions, cilantro, carrots, bean sprouts, serrano chilies), Tuscan (roasted garlic sauce, mozzarella, cremini, shiitake and button mushrooms, caramelized onions, feta, truffle oil, thyme), and ZBQ (bbq sauce, mozzarella, bbq chicken, roasted peppers, red onions, fresh rounds of tomatoes, cilantro, sweet corn)

Rustica Pizzas include the Mediterranean (mozzarella, feta, artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, Greek olives, oregano, pili pili oil), Curry Chicken & Yam (mozzarella, curry chicken, yams, mango chutney, raisins, fresh cilantro), Chicken Sausage (marinara sauce, mozzarella, arugula, chicken sausage), Moroccan (basil pesto, mozzarella, roasted eggplant, feta, caramelized onions, pine nuts), and Pear & Gorgonzola.

Price guide: Appetizers $3-8   Salads $5-9  Sandwiches $6-7  Pizzas $8-21

What we ordered:My companion and I ordered two pizzas to share, the first was the Italian.  This pizza started with a chewy hand-tossed crust made of 100% organic wheat then topped with basil pesto, mozzarella, ham, artichoke hearts, fresh tomatoes, and black olives.  It is baked in the wood-fired oven.  This was delicious!  The crust was light and chewy, with the pesto slightly absorbed into it then covered with mozzarella. I was impressed by how many artichokes were piled on top, it really added great flavor to the pizza.

We also ordered a small Mexican pizza.  This pizza had salsa, mozzarella, spicy lime chicken, green onions, red onions, fresh avocado, sour cream, cilantro.  The salsa was hardly noticeable but all of the the other ingredients were fresh and plentiful.  I really liked it but wish it was a little more spicy or had more salsa.

Service: ZPizza offers counter service.  The staff working were really friendly and patient while we were trying to decide what to order.  The pizzas took approximately 15-20 minutes.

Overall Impression: ZPizza is a fast, healthy option for pizzas, salads and sandwiches.  The service is reasonably fast and there are many delicious pizza options.

*** Abetto’s Deli is closed  as of 10/14/11***

Cuisine: Deli, Italian, Pizza
Restaurant Features: Banquet, Catering, Counter-Service, On-Site Parking
Location: St Paul, MN
Address: 560 Como Ave St Paul, MN 55103  651-488-4040
Hours: Mon-Thurs 11am-8pm  Fri-Sat 11am-10pm
Links: Abetto’s Website * Abetto’s on Facebook * Google Map

Atmosphere: Abetto’s Deli is located on Como Ave in St Paul ( at Kent St) with an attached liquor store.  There is a counter to order at when you first walk in, with the food preparation area just behind the safety glass.  The dining room in back is nothing fancy, but it is spacious and has wooden floors. There are several red & white-checkered banquet tables spread throughout.

Menu: Appetizers at Abetto’s include Garlic Toast, Garlic Cheese Toast, Italian Fries, and Chicken Wings.

Salad options include Chef, Garden and Italian.

Subs and Sandwiches include Cheese or Veggie, Corned Beef, Smoked Turkey, Roast Beef, Ham, Pepperoni, Tuna, Italian Salami and Meatball.  Hot Sandwiches include Pizza Sub, Hail the Vulc, North of the Border, Meathead, Heartburn, Tuna Fetish, Mr Magoo, The Titan, Lunch Box 360, The In’Vince”ible,

Hot entrees include Baked Rigatoni, Hot Dago, Mostaccioli, Reuben, and Spaghetti & Meatballs.

Pizzas come in either 6″, 10″,12″ 14″.  Build-your-own or choose from one of the following specialty pizzas: Canadian Bacon/Pineapple, Veggie, Reuben, House Special, Taco and Super Works.

Price guide: Appetizers $1-6  Salads $4-5 Subs $4-7  Hot Entrees $6-7  Pizza $4-18

Weekly Specials:
What I ordered: On my first visit to Abetto’s, I wasn’t sure what to try so I asked for a recommendation.  The cook immediately replied with “Hot Dago” so the Hot Dago is what I got!  My order came with a thick patty of Italian sausage sitting atop a fresh hoagie roll, then smothered in red sauce and mozzarella and baked until the cheese and bread were golden and toasty.  This was pretty good; there was a substantial amount of all ingredients.  I would get this again but next time I would see if I could get sauteed peppers and onions added to it to spice it up a little, I would also probably add crushed red pepper and parmesan.

One solo tasting of Abetto’s was not enough for me, so a few days after I ate the Hot Dago above,  I went back and ordered a sub to-go.  There were many appealing options but I ended up getting the Heartburn Sub.  It wasn’t much more money to get a 12″ vs a 6″, so I went with the larger sub.  Totally unnecessary, 6″ was almost too much for me! The heartburn sub has pepperoni and cheddar as well as roast beef and pepper jack, both of which are toasted along with the bread.  There was a significant amount of both meats; this sandwich was seriously Stacked.   The pepperoni was great but I didn’t care as much for the roast beef, it seemed too processed for me but I still ate it and enjoyed the sandwich.  The sandwich also had plenty of shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and banana peppers, and then was drizzled with mayo and oil.  Potentially a very very messy sandwich, which is why it is smartly cut in half and wrapped tightly in paper.

Service: I visited Abetto’s over the lunch hour on two separate occasions within one week and had consistent, friendly service on both visits.  Toasted Specialty Subs are ready in 5-10 minutes, depending on how busy it is.
Overall Impression: I am glad to have discovered Abetto’s Deli after  a reader recommended it, it is very close to where I work which makes it very convenient to stop to pick up a sandwich.  They also have a great Pizza Special on Wednesday nights where a large 1-item pizza is only $5.60.  That’s cheaper than DiGiorno!

Cuisine: Authentic Mexican
Restaurant Features: Catering, Counter-Service
Location: Minneapolis & St Paul, MN
Addresses & Maps:

Minneapolis- 417 East Lake Street Minneapolis, MN 612-823-5398

Minneapolis-  809 East lake Street Minneapolis, MN 612-825-4978

St Paul- 895 Arcade Street St Paul, MN 55106  651-384-9959

Hours: Open Daily

Links: Los Ocampo Website * Los Ocampo Facebook Page
Atmosphere: Los Ocampo offers counter-service; a large counter with a colorful menu greets you as you enter the St Paul location.

The dining room has a sprinkling of tables, with Mexican decor gracing the walls and shelves.

Menu: Appetizers include Chips and Guacamole, Nachos, Pozole,  Menudo, Sope de Mariscos,

Taqueria Los Ocampo has a variety of Tacos, Gorditas, Huarache, Burritos, Quesadillas, Tortas, Torta al Gusto, Torta Cubano, Enchiladas, Platillo Costilla, Sope, Huarachazo, Sincronizada, Churrasco, Tiacoyo, and Alambre.  Meat options are plenty and include Chicken Tinga, Carnitas, Carne Asada, Carne Lengua, Chorizo, Chorizo con Papas, and many more.

Desserts include Flan, Chocoflan, Tiramisu, and Platanos con Lechera.

Price guide: $2-$10

What we ordered: There were many items that looked good on the menu but I wanted to try something a little different, so I ordered the Stuffed Poblano Pepper (aka Chile Relleno).  The pepper was battered then fried, the inside contained a small amount of a particular Mexican cheese that was light and almost spongy in consistency and didn’t have a ton of flavor.  I LOVED the rice and veggies that came with the Chile Relleno, the rice was very flavorful and was topped with sauteed peppers and onions. Mmmm!  I also ordered a carnitas taco ala carte, which I loved.  Los Ocampo has this really awesome creamy avocado sauce that is a dream atop your tacos.

One of my companions ordered the Chicken Quesadilla, a large corn tortilla fried and stuffed with stewed chicken, lettuce cheese, sour cream and slices of radish.

Another companion ordered the Carne Asada Tacos platter, which came with three tacos, beans and rice.  Delicioso!

Asada Tacos at Los Ocampo ~ St paul, MN

Another companion ordered a Quesdilla with Papas y Chorizo, filled with potatoes that had been cooked with chorizo, making it extra flavorful.  Stuffed with lettuce, sour cream and mexican cheese.

Papas con Choriz Quesadilla at Los Ocampo ~ St Paul, MN

Service: We ordered at the counter and despite it being quite busy at lunchtime, our food was prepared and brought out to our table in less than ten minutes.

Overall Impression: Quick and cheap Authentic Mexican