Cuisine: American, Barbeque, Caribbean
Restaurant Features: Bar, Happy Hour, Live Music, On-Site Parking, Patio Dining
Location: Stillwater, MN
Address:  423 Main Street South #A  Stillwater, MN 55082 (651) 439-5375
Hours: (Winter)Mon – Wed:  3pm – 9pm, Thurs:  11:30am – 9pm, Fri:  11:30am – 10pm,  Sat: 11:30am – 10pm Sun 11:30 – 9pm
Links: Smalley’s Barbeque Website * Smalley’s Caribbean on Facebook * Google Map

Atmosphere: Smalley’s Caribbean barbeque is located at the south end of Main Street in Stillwater, overlooking the St Croix River.   Once upon a time this location was an Esteban’s Restaurant, but it has definitely undergone a big makeover since.  If the wooden plank floors and knotty pine tables aren’t enough, the occasional model pirate ship and large selection of rums will surely bring the pirate theme to your dining experience.

The Pirate Bar is located in the same Plaza as the Caribbean Barbeque but is accessed through a different doorway at the back.  This is a happening place where Live Music is played most evenings all year long.

Menu: Appetizers at Smalley’s include Sweet Corn Fritters with Rum Butter Sauce, BBQ Shrimp with jalapeno Cornbread, Plantain and Tortilla Chips with Habanero Salsa and Queso, Sweet Potato Fries, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Shrimp Cocktail.

Salads include Ice Berg Wedge with Bleu Cheese and Pepper Bacon, Caesar, and Ginger-Jicama Slaw.  Chicken or shrimp can be added to any salad.

Sandwiches include Barbeque Pulled Pork, Pulled Smoked Chicken, Jerk Chicken Breast Sandwich, Clam Po’ Boy, and Carolina BBQ Pork Sandwich.  Jerk Tacos are also available with either Jerk Pork or Jerk Shrimp.

Barbeque entrees at Smalley’s Caribbean Barbeque include Pork Spare Ribs, Smoked Beef Brisket, Roasted Pork Shoulder, Shrimp Skewers, and Jerk Ahi Tuna.

Sides offered include Fire Roasted Pork and Beans, Grilled Curried Veggies, Black Beans and Rice, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Creamy Coleslaw, Potato Salad with Bacon and Egg, Mac & Cheddar, and Beer Battered Plank Fries.

Desserts include Pecan Pie with Homemade Ice Cream, Coconut Flan with Rum Caramel, Key Lime Pie, and Drunken Chocolate Cake.

Price guide: Appetizers $6-11  Sandwiches $10-12  Entrees $12-20

Happy Hour: Sun-Mon:All Day Tues-Thurs:3-6pm & 9-11pm, Fri:3-6pm & 10- 12am, Sat:10pm-12am
What we ordered: We started with a couple of cocktails; I ordered the Sunsplash.  Just as it appears on the photo, it was a girly, fruity drink with rum and orange juice and a bit of cointreau.  Tastes just as good in the winter as the summer!

My companion ordered the Bloody Mary which was quite spicy (horseradish, hot sauce) but delicious.  It was served with a giant slice of thick cut bacon and giant olives.  It was served with a sidecar which was needed to cool the spice.

We started with the BBQ Shrimp, which is a complete misnomer for the dish we received, but we loved it all the same.  The sauce for these shrimp did not taste nor resemble a traditional barbeque because it was made with butter and rum and was slightly sweet and spicy from some type of chili peppers cooked into the sauce.  There were about eight shrimp in the order and it came with a wedge of cornbread with jalapenos baked right in.

For my entree I ordered the Beef Brisket which came with my choice of two sides.  The brisket was moist and delicious, smoked with authentic  Jamaican Pimento wood even more so with each of the house-made barbeque sauces.  The two sides I chose were the Potato Salad and the Mac & Cheddar, both of which were quite good.  The Potato Salad was especially delicious, with large chunks of hardboiled eggs and several crumbles  of crispy bacon.  It was cool and refreshing after a bite of barbeque with the Scotchie Sauce which is extra spicy.  The Mac & Cheddar came with an optional topping of spicy green chiles and bacon which made it spicy.  The noodles were flavorful but the sauce was already kind of pasty instead of creamy.

Smalley’s makes its own sauces and there are four to choose from including  Scotchies Sauce which is a very spicy Jerk sauce, the House-Made Barbaque, and 3 Dives Mild Jerk Sauce.

My companion ordered the Clam Po’ Boy, which was a delicious, giant sandwich layered with crispy golden fried clam strips, house-made pickles, thinly sliced red onion, bacon slaw and mayonnaise served on a grilled brioche bun.  This sandwich came with one side, so my companion ordered the beer-battered plank fries.  I ate almost half of this because I liked it so much! The just-pickled cucumber slices were the perfect touch with the bacon slaw.

Service: We sat ourselves as the sign indicated, and were greeted by our server about five minutes later.  Our server was friendly and had many great suggestions from the menu.  Food and drinks seemed to take some time but we were not in a hurry so we enjoyed the time while we waited.
Overall Impression: I was very happy to have discovered Smalley’s Caribbean Barbeque, the food and drinks were both wonderful and the service was also pretty good.  The Pirate Bar is a pretty cool place to have a cocktail and listen to live music.

Cuisine: American, Fish, Pasta, Steaks, Ribs, Pizza, Southwestern
Restaurant Features: Bar, Gluten-Free Menu, Happy Hour, Late Night Happy Hour
Locations: Blaine, Eagan, MSP Airport, Plymouth, Savage, St Paul, Woodbury
Addresses & Maps:
Blaine- 4365 Pheasant Ridge Dr NE Suite 102  Blaine, MN 55449  (763) 398-2475
Eagan- 1555 Cliff Road  Eagan, MN 55121 (651) 452-0200
Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport 4300 Gluemac Drive RMLT3256  St. Paul, MN 55111 (612) 726-5360 x4633
Plymouth- 3000 Harbor Lane  Plymouth, MN 55447  (763) 398-7408
St Paul- 850 Grand Ave.  Saint Paul, MN 55105 (651) 312-1299
Savage-  14120 South Highway 13  Savage, MN 55378  (952) 447-1122
Woodbury- 1424 Weir Dr.  Woodbury, MN 55125  (651) 735-0085
Hours: Mon-Thurs 11am-12am  Fri-Sat 11am-2am  Sun 10:30am-10pm
Links: Axel’s Bonfire Website * Axel’s Bonfire on Facebook

Atmosphere: The St Paul location of Axel’s Bonfire is at the intersection of Grand Ave and Victoria St, in the same building as Cafe Latte.  The restaurant is divided into a bar area and a dining room; the latter of which has several tables in the bigger, open section, as well as a number of booths off to the right side of the dining room.  The walls are painted a rich, deep red and the lighting is very soft.  Casual and somewhat trendy.

One feature of the decor that is hard to miss is the giant Bull sculpture hanging from the ceiling over the dining room near the hostess stand.

The bar is also a dominant space with Axel’s Bonfire, a giant island seating at least twenty guests with an additional number of tables near the windows looking out onto Grand Ave.

Menu: Appetizers at Bonfire include Axel’s signature Bullbites, Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Colossal trip (wings, bontons and teriyaki green beans), Tripe Dips and Chips, Alamo Nachos, Walleye Fingers, Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas, Bonfire Sticky Wings, Fire Roasted Peppers, Calamari and Bontons (chicken, gorgonzola and buffalo sauce in a wonton).

Soups include Tortilla, Chicken White Bean Chili, and a Soup du Jour.

Salads include House, Caesar, Bonfire Chopped, Blackened Walleye, Tempe Chicken Salad, Asian Chicken, and Baby Bleu.

Wood Fired Pizzas include Four Cheese, Three Sausages, Bella Roma (artichoke, spinach, tomato), Margherita, and BBQ Chicken.

Burger and Sandwich options at Bonfire include Cowboy Burger, Bacon Bleu, Be Bold Burger (two half-lb burgers with sauteed mushrooms, onions, peppers and four cheese, 1000 island dressing), and the Hickory Burger.  Sandwiches include Arizona Chicken Wrap, Chicago-Style French Dip, Mango Chicken, Bistro Chicken Club, Rotisserie Turkey Ciabatta, Texas Pulled Pork, and Walleye Sandwich.

Bonfire’s Southwestern items include Chicken Fajitas, Steak or Walleye Fajitas, Veggie Fajitas, Chicken Enchiladas, Walleye Tacos, Chimichanga and Baja Burrito.

Woodgrilled Meats include Bacon Wrapped Medallions, 8 oz Sirloin, 14 oz New York Strip, Drunk and Dirty Sirloin, and 8 oz Filet

Entrees include Rotisserie Chicken, St Louis Style Ribs, Prime Rib, BBQ Beef Brisket, and Brick Oven Kabobs, Blackened Grouper Tacos, Pan-Fried Walleye, Grilled Salon, Grilled Roughy, Fettuccine Alfredo and Broccoli, Fire-Roasted Baked Spaghetti, Cajun Chicken Penne, and Bonfire Fettuccine.

Dessert options at Axel’s Bonfire include Towering Carrot Cake, Death by Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Deep-Fried Cheesecake, Kids Sundae and Seasonal Dessert.

Price guide: Appetizers $8-13 Salads $6-14 Sandwiches $10-15 Entrees $12-27

Happy Hour:

• Daily 3-6pm
• Sun-Thurs 9pm-close
• $2 off cocktails
• 1/2 priced Appetizers

Weekly Specials:

Sunday- Limited Brunch Menu 11am-2pm Brunch Menu with Hand-crafted Bloody Mary’s and Screwdrivers $4 and $.99 mimosas.
Sunday Night- 4-9pm Kids build their own pizza and sundae for FREE with the purchase of each adult entree.

Mondays- 1/2 Price Bottles of Wine (1/2 price on bottles that are sold by the glass & 20% off our reserve bottles)

Wednesday & Tuesday Evenings- Dinner for Two: Your four course culinary adventure includes an appetizer to share, two entrées with sides, shared dessert for $49 per couple

What we ordered: My visit happened to be during Happy Hour so I enjoyed the $2/off on cocktails and got myself a Margarita for just $4.  Just the right mix of tart and tangy with sweet and sour and Don Julio tequila.

A couple of my companions ordered the Dirty Martini, which came with a shaker full for $8 at the Happy Hour price.  Such a deal!

Appetizers were half off during Happy Hour so we started with the Spinach and Artichoke Dip.  I love artichokes and get this dip at many restaurants but Bonfire’s version was one of the most boring I have tried to date.  It had several decent sized chunks of artichoke but the sauce was very thin and didn’t have a lot of flavor.  It was served with tri-colored tortilla chips (which also happen to be my least favorite accompaniment to artichoke dip).  The good news is that we paid half-price for this during Happy Hour.

We also got the Triple Dips and Chips, which came with salsa, guacamole and jalapeno cheddar dip.  The salsa was very good, spicy and slightly sweet.  The guacamole was decent as well, but the serving was very small.  The third dip didn’t look very appetizing to me so I didn’t try it at all. The dips were served with tri-colored tortilla chips.

As usual, I had a hard time making up my mind about what I wanted to eat for dinner.  I was leaning toward fish tacos and since Axel’s has both Walleye or Grouper,  I asked the server his opinion.  He didn’t hesitate to recommend the walleye, so that is what I ended up getting.  There were three flour tortilla tacos, each piled with hand-battered Shore Lunch walleye fingers topped with pico de gallo, cilantro and shredded lettuce.  The walleye was good, crispy and not at all fishy.  One of the pieces of walleye still had a small bone in it which wasn’t very appealing but not unheard of.  I wish I would’ve asked for a side of salsa to spice up these tacos because while they were good, they were kind of bland.  The pico didn’t have as many jalapenos or cilantro as it could’ve. The order was served with burracho beans and tomatillo rice, both of which were full of flavor.

One of my companions ordered the Chicago French Dip.  This sandwich looked wonderful and was at least eight inches long, thinly shaved prime rib on top of a fresh ciabatta roll.  The beef was complimented by homemade giardiniera with spicy pickled peppers, onions, carrots, and caulifower.  My companion thought this sandwich was wonderful but wished there was more beef then what it came with.  Also, ketchup is preferred to be self-serve from a bottle instead of partitioned into a little dish.

Another companion ordered the Veggie Fajitas as a vegan option.  These were wonderful! There was a very large pile of seasoned and sauteed broccoli, green beans, baby carrots, portabella mushrooms and onions.  Hot tortillas, beans and rice were served on the side.

Another companion ordered the Mango Chicken Sandwich, a grilled chicken breast topped with fresh mango salsa served on a grilled bun with french fries on the side.

The last of us ordered the Margherita Pizza, light on the cheese.  This pizza looked really good but I think it would’ve been better with the standard amount of cheese.  It was topped with plenty of tomatoes and fresh basil.  This was also half price during Happy Hour.

Service: My five of us in my party all arrived at different times and met in the bar until we were all present.  We had made an advance reservation and our table was ready for us when we wanted to sit down.  Our server was patient with us while we perused the menu, and offered suggestions that were vegan-friendly for one of the members in our party.  The food was prepared reasonably fast so we decided to wait until our appetizers were served before ordering our entrees.  When presented with the bill, our server had taken the liberty of giving us separate checks with the appetizers split five ways…. so easy and convenient!

Overall Impression: This was my first visit to Axel’s Bonfire in many years and I had forgotten what a hassle it can be to park near Grand Ave.  I highly suggest parking in the ramp on the southwest corner of Grand and Victoria, as parking on the nearby residential streets is likely to get you a parking ticket for around $30.  You may also want to make a reservation, especially on the weekend evenings.  We had very good service during our visit.  The atmosphere is contemporary and somewhat artsy and the menu has a lot of variety.  The portion sizes were well sized.

This is an original review of Axel’s Bonfire on Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

Disclosure: I was invited out to do this review and my meal was provided by the restaurant. All opinions are my own.
Cuisine: American, Steaks, Ribs
Restaurant Features: Bar, Happy Hour, On-Site Parking
Locations: MN locations include Chanhassen, Eagan, Maple Grove, Richfield and MSP International Airport
Addresses & Maps:
Chanhassen- 530 Pond Promenade Chanhassen, MN 55317  (952) 974-3939
Eagan- 1294 Promenade Pl Eagan, MN 55121 (651)452-1001
Maple Grove- 12725 Elm Creek Blvd N Maple Grove, MN 55369 (763)494-5380
Richfield- 6601 Lyndale Ave S  Richfield, MN 55423 (612)243-9150
St Paul- 4300 Glumack Drive St. Paul, MN 55111 (612)727-1785 (MSP Airport)
Hours: Mon-Thu 11am – 12am *  Fri-Sat 11am – 1am * Sun 11am – 10pm
Links: Houlihan’s Website * Houlihan’s on Facebook

Atmosphere: The Eagan location of Houlihan’s has recently undergone a remodel, as have the Chanhassen, Maple Grove and Richfield locations. I had not been in this particular location prior to the remodel, but I love the look and feel of the new design.  Gone are the years worth of memorabilia that used to hang on the walls, replaced with much simpler and more sophisticated framed art prints.

The bar area at the Eagan location also has a new look, with this magnificent new wooden bar as its centerpiece.  There are also several booths around the outer part of the room to provide ample seating for busy nights.

The Eagan location also has a really nice enclosed patio area; part of the patio is under an overhang but there are also tables with umbrellas in the direct sun.

Menu: Houlihan’s Appetizers  include Spinach Dip & Chips, Vietnamese Shrimp Egg Rolls, Goat Cheese & Artichoke Poppers, Asian Style Ribs, Jumbo Stuffed ‘Shrooms, Fancy Spaghetti, Mac & Cheese, Chicken Wings, Lettuce Wraps, Chicken Fingers, Seared Rare Tuna Wontons, Bruschetta, and Blackened Catfish & Caramelized Onion Quesadilla.  Sliders include Mini Chicago Dog, Pot Roast Slider, Pulled Pork Slider, Creekstone Farms Mini Burger, and Mini Veggie Burger.  There are also a handful of special French Fries, including Disco Fries, Parmesan Fries, Truckstop Fries (cheesey), and Pickle Fries.

Flatbread Pizza options are the Wild Mushroom and Arugula, BBQ Chicken, Roasted Vegetable, and Italian Sausage.

Entree Salad options include the Spinach Salad, Seared Ahi Tuna, Prime Steak and Wedge, Heartland Grilled Chicken, Buffalo Bleu, Chicken Asian Chop, Chicken Caesar and Fire Grilled BBQ Salmon Salad.  Smaller salads are also available, including Tuscan White Bean Salad, Chop, Caesar and Spinach (with hazelnuts and berries).  Soups offered are the French Onion, Baked Potato and Soup du Jour.

Sandwich and Burger options at Houlihan’s include French Dip, So. Cal Fish Tacos, Southwest Chicken Wrap, Taos Chipotle Turkey Wrap, Farmhouse Club, Wild Canadian Walleye Sandwich, Veggie Burger, Build-Your-Own Burger, Burger 72 (topped with herb cream cheese mushroom), Spicy Fritos Burger, Cheesy Royale Burger, Grilled Chicken Sandwich and Brentwood Chicken Sandwich (with bacon and gouda).

Houlihan’s Entrees include Stuffed Chicken Breast, Grilled Rosemary Chicken, Chicken Parmesan, Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, Big Fancy Spaghetti, Basil Pesto Pasta, Down Home Pot Roast, Chipotle Smoked Chicken Enchiladas, Filet Mignon, New York Strip, Atlantic Salmon, Panko Breaded Shrimp, Chicken Finger Platter, Prime Top Sirloin, Sizzling Fajitas, Meatloaf No. 9, Seared Scallops, Jumbo Grilled Shrimp, Baby Back Ribs and Jambalaya.

Desserts include Strawberry Cheesecake, Bourbon Pecan Pie, and Chocolate Cappuchino Cake.  There are also a number of Mini Desserts

Price guide: Appetizers $3.50-9.50  Salads $5-15 Sandwich/Burgers $10-11 Entrees $14-25

Happy Hour:

• Sunday 11am-Close
• Monday-Saturday  3-6pm  9pm-close
• 2-for-1′s  on Draft Beers and House Wines
• Appetizers $7.95 – includes tuna wontons, bruschetta, chicken nachos, buffalo wings, ‘big’ shrooms, thai chicken wings,  spin dip lavosh, lettuce wraps, chicken fingers, calamari and quesadilla

Weekly Specials:

• Monday- 1/2 off Bottles of Wine

What we ordered:  Our server had many great suggestions of appetizers and while I really wanted to try Houlihan’s famous Stuffed Mushrooms, we got a Mini Chicago Dog and some Poutine instead.  The Mini Chicago Dog was about the size of half a standard hot dog and fully loaded with everything you would expect on Chicago Dog- pickle, hot pepper, and chopped tomato and onions with mustard served on a poppy seed bun.  Don’t tell anyone but I liked it more than a Chicago Dog we had a few weeks ago in Chicago ;)

To pay my respects to our Canadian neighbors just north of us, I had to order the Poutine when I saw it on the menu. Houlihan’s calls their poutine ‘Disco Fries’, but they are very close to the Canadian version: crispy french fries loaded with mozzarella and then topped with gravy.  Since the gravy comes from the same stock as the pot roast, our order had a few bonus bites of tender meat on top.

We also had a couple of cocktails with our appetizers, I had the Naughty Margarita.  Yum! Made with Patron, X-Rated Fusion Liqueur, and sour mix, this margarita was as tart as most margaritas but the X-Rated gave it a hint of tropical sweetness.

My companion ordered the Supa Fly Sweet Tea, made with Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka.  Dangerously smooth!

The server had many great suggestions and while she talked up the fajitas that sounded wonderful, I went with her suggestion of the Chicken Parmesan.  What a great dish!  Two large pieces of breaded chicken breast sit on a bed of fettuccine alfredo, then it is covered with a hearty red sauce and melted Mozzarella.  This dish is the best of both worlds if you like both red and white sauce.

My companion ordered the Panko Breaded Shrimp.  There were seven or eight large shrimp, butterflied then heavily coated with Panko and fried to a crispy golden brown.  The shrimp were served with French fries and a peanut ginger slaw.  The slaw was very good, it had distinct Asian flavors and was lighter than mayo-based coleslaw.  Overall a very tasty meal.

After our meal we opted to try a trio of the Mini Martini Flights instead of desserts.  From left to right: Blue Moon Punch, Key Lime Pie, and Guavatini.  The Blue Moon Punch is made with Absolut Vanilia, DeKuyper Island Blue Pucker, and Sprite. Very good, tasted like Sweet Tarts candy.   The Key Lime Pie is made with Absolut Vanilia, a splash of key lime, sweet & sour, and half & half.  Mmm, this was our favorite.  The Guavatini is made with Absolut, shot of guava, fresh-squeezed lemonade.  Also good, but very very sweet.

Service: We had great service at Houlihan’s.  Our visit was late-afternoon on a Monday when we had no problem getting a table.  Our server was patient as we took time looking over the menu, and offered several suggestions.  The different courses we ate were reasonably spaced so that we could enjoy everything while it was hot and fresh, drinks were refilled as needed.

Overall Impression: Houlihan’s is a restaurant that can appeal to any audience, whether visiting for a family dinner, business lunch, romantic dinner, or having drinks with a group of friends.  They have a big menu with a variety of foods and a really great Drink Menu as well.  The recent renovations at all the Twin Cities locations have made a big improvement, make sure to check them out!

Cuisine: Caribbean, Creole, South American, Spanish, Fish, Seafood
Restaurant Features: Bar, Happy Hour, Nightclub
Location: Northeast Minneapolis, MN
Address: 501 East Hennepin Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55414  (612) 331-3360

Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-2am  Sat-Sun 4:30pm- 2am
Links: Conga Latin Bistro Website * Conga on Facebook * Google Map

Atmosphere: Conga Latin Bistro is located in Northeast Minneapolis, at Hennepin and Central Ave.  The dining room takes up about half the space, with a colorful mural of conga drums gracing the back wall and two large, floor-to-ceiling wooden conga drums at the entrance.  There are mostly tables but there a couple of round booths along the outer wall that can accommodate up to six people.  It was very comfortable and had a very clean feel to it.

The bar and dance floor area take up at least half of the space, a very popular place on weekend nights when it turns into a nightclub.

Menu: Appetizers at Conga Latin Bistro include Empanadas, Chicken Croquettes, Calamares a La Romana, Seafood Ceviche, Plantain and Shrimp in Garlic Sauce, Grilled Shrimp and Avocado Plaintain Tapas, Green Plantain Tapas, Chicken Wings, Habanero Chicken Wings, Fried Chicken, Chicken Tenders, Sweet Plantains with Queso Fresco, Yuca xon Mojo, Burrito Cubano, Tacos, Nachos and Cheese Platter, and French Fries in Garlic Butter.

Soups offered include Black Bean, Asopao de Mariscos, Asopao de Pollo, and Soup of the Day.

Salads offered are the House, Cesar, and Avocado Mango Salad.

Rice dishes at Conga Latin Bistro include Arroz con Pollo, Arroz con Camarones, Arroz con Vegetales, and Arroz con Mariscos.

Entrees include Jamaican Chicken, Pollo Al Ajillo, Pollo Isabel, Bistec Encebollado, Chicken Parmesan, Pork Tenderloin with Mofongo, Filet Mignon, Ropa Vieja, and Pernil (roast pork).

Seafood entrees include Tilapia in Curry and Coconut Sauce, Shrimp in Garlic Sauce, Spicy Shrimp Creole, Shrimp Victoria, Halibut in Garlic Sauce and Broiled Salmon in Brandy.

Specialty Dishes at Conga Latin Bistro include Churrasco Argentino, Parrillada Argentina, New York Steak with Shrimp in Garlic Sauce, Steak and Scallops, Halibut a la Mar, Seafood Stew, Paella Valenciana, Paella Marinera.

Desserts include Flan, Tres Leches Cake, and Rice Pudding.

Price guide: Appetizers $5-12  Entrees $10-20  Paella $40-50  Desserts $4-5

Happy Hour:

• Mon-Fri  5-7pm

What we ordered: I visited on one of the hottest days we’ve had this summer and nothing sounded better than an icy, frozen drink so I ordered a Pina Colada (2 for 1 during Happy Hour).  It was refreshing and tasted like a non-alcoholic pina colada.  Seriously, I don’t think it had any rum, which was a shame.

One of my companions ordered a Mango Pineapple Margarita.  This drink was sweet and slightly tart, not too strong.

We started with the Ceviche appetizer.  This was a nice mix of chunks of shrimp, fish, clams marinated in lime juice then tossed with tomatoes, onions, peppers, and cilantro.  Light, refreshing and tangy, a perfect appetizer for a hot day.  Served with a side of tortilla chips that may have been Tostitos.

We also ordered the Habanero Chicken Wings.  There were six giant, breaded wings that were tossed in a spicy habanero sauce.  These wings were not saturated with sauce like buffalo wings often are, which is probably a good thing because they were much spicier!  Great if you like a lot of heat, if not, they were served with a side of ranch dressing to help cool them down.  The order was also served with a basket of french fries.

My companions and I ordered all of our entrees to share. One of the entrees we ordered was the Shrimp Victoria.  This was a delicious, but interesting dish consisting of 7-8 peeled shrimp swimming in a creamy sour cream and wine sauce with thinly sliced mushrooms.  It was served with white rice.

Another dish we ordered was the Pork Tenderloin with Mofongo, which came highly recommended by our server.  The center of this dish was the Mofongo, made of fried, crushed plantains with olive oil and garlic.  The pork tenderloin was cut into eight bite-sized pieces, then seared and served in a dark wine sauce with sauteed onions.

The last entree we tried was the Arroz con Mariscos.  The dish of rice was seasoned with Saffron, then tossed with bots of rice, peas, olives and onions.  The rice was tossed with small pieces of Mussels, Shrimp, Halibut, Clams, Crab and Calamari, which were all overcooked.  We all liked the flavor of the rice but wish the seafood would’ve been tender as it should be.

Service: We had no problem getting a parking space on the street outside the restaurant on a very hot weekday afternoon, nor did we have any problem getting a table.  In fact, we were a few of the only customers at the time we arrived and had our pick.  Our server was nice, but spoke with a strong accent and had a few problems communicating with us.  Our food and drinks were taken care of in a reasonable amount of time.

Overall Impression: We had a decent experience at Conga Latin Bistro.  The food we tried was good, and while I wouldn’t say it was great,  I would definitely get the ceviche again.

Cuisine: American, Fish & Seafood, Steaks, Dessert
Restaurant Features: Banquet, Happy Hour (bar only), On-Site Parking, Patio, Sunday Brunch
Location: North Oaks, MN
Address: 5959 Centerville Road North Oaks, MN 55127  651-426-9222
Hours: Mon-Thurs 5-9pm (Bar 4-10pm), Fri-Sat 5pm-10pm (bar 4-11pm)  Sun 10am-8pm
Links: Tria Website * Tria on Facebook * Google Map

Atmosphere: Tria is located at Centerville Rd and County Rd J in a large, beautiful building that more closely resembles a modern mansion than a restaurant.  There are six dining areas within the property.  The main dining room is just inside the entrance; a homey room with arched entries, fireplaces and wooden floors.

Another popular area at Tria is the Bar, which is where we sat.  The beautiful wooden  bar is the center of the room, with big booths running along the wall.

This is one of the areas available for private dining

Private Dining Area at Tria ~ North Oaks, MN

Here is another dining space.

Additional Dining Area at Tria ~ North Oaks, MN

Menu: Appetizers at Tria include Bruschetta Boursin, Seared Scallops, Escargot, Beef Bites, Crab Cakes, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Dijon Chicken Bites, Walleye Fingers, Chicken Tenders, Calamari, Shrimp Pronto Pup, Mushroom Puff, Wild Mushroom Flatbread (bar only, and Prosciutto and Arugula Flatbread (bar only).

Soups include Cream of Wild Rice and Brie, French Onion, and the Scallop and Cucumber.  Salad offerings are the Caesar, Wedge, Spinach and Roasted Beet.

Casual Classics include Chicken Pot Pie, 1/2 lb Burger, Chicken Club, Walleye, Prime Rib Dip, and Baked Mac N Cheese.

Tria’s Entrees include Tournedos of Beef (choice of Dijon Cream, Bearnaise or Sauteed Mushrooms), Walleye (broiled, blacked or pan fried), Veal Scaloppine (piccata, marsala, caprese), Chicken Penne, Pappardelle Pasta, Chardonnay Chicken, Parmesan Crusted Chicken, Stuffed Chicken, Pork Shank, Steak Frites, 6 oz or 9 oz Filet Mignon, 14 oz Ribeye, New York Strip, Lamb Chops, Venison, Salmon, Seared Ahi Tuna, Halibut, Sea Bass, Scallops, and Shrimp Scampi.

Desserts include Artisan Cheese Board, Homemade Ice Cream (pistachio white chocolate, ), Homemade Sorbet, Hot Fudge or Mixed Berry Sundae, Chocolate Lava Cake, New York Cheesecake, Creme Brulee, Chocolate Decadence, Apple Tart, and Chomeur Pudding.  There are also a number of dessert wines and ports.

Price guide: Appetizers $7-12  Entrees $15-30  Desserts $3-9

Happy Hour:

• Early Bird M-F 4:00-6:30
• Late Night M-Th 9pm-close  Sunday 8pm-close
• Bar Area Only
• 1/2 price Salmon Creek Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, Michelob Golden Light, House Rail Cocktails
• $3 off Appetizers

Weekly Specials:

Wednesday-  Maple Glazed Pork Chops with Mashed Potatoes $18

Thursday- Prime Rib with Twice Baked Potato, Green Beans and Popover Queen Cut $20 King Cut $24

Friday-  Cioppino $27

Saturday- Beef Short Ribs with Mashed Potatoes $24

Sunday- Prime Rib with Twice Baked Potato, Green Beans and Popover Queen $20  King $24

What we ordered: My companions and I visited Tria during Happy Hour, so we ordered several appetizers, including the Chicken Dijon Bites.  These little bites of white meat chicken were mixed with a flavorful, creamy dijon mustard sauce along with sauteed mushrooms and spinach. Delicious and low-carb! Came with a long slice of toasted ciabatta.

We also tried the Artichoke Dip, which was also very good.  The blend of cheeses, spinach and artichokes was baked in a ramekin with breadcrumbs on top.  It was served with a plate-full of  golden baguette toasts.  Both the dip and the toast were wonderful, just wish there was more dip for all the toast ;)

We also had the Beef Bites, mmm mmm mmm. The bites of beef were tender and juicy, seasoned with Montreal spices and cooked in a red wine reduction, then served with a side of bearnaise and extra-long slice of toasted ciabatta.  Delish!
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Beef Bites at Tria ~ North Oaks, MN

And last but certainly not least of the appetizers is the Wild Mushroom Flatbread.  I like everything I tried but this definitely stood out, it was fabulous! The flatbread was topped with chive oil, fresh garlic, wild mushrooms and boursin cheese, then baked to a crispy golden brown and topped with fresh sprouts.  The pizza was light and very flavorful and  I absolutely loved the cheese they used, it had much more to offer in the flavor department than any ordinary mozzarella.  I might dream about this pizza, it was that good.

We also ordered a Burger with Bacon and Bleu Cheese.  The burger was 1/2 lb of beef topped with extra thick slices of smokey bacon and bleu cheese crumbles on a fresh, toasted bun.  The entire thing was very good but the bacon was outstanding.

We were definitely full from our appetizers and wine but when I heard they had a list of homemade ice creams and sorbets, I had to try one.  Our server ran down the list of flavors and once I heard “pistachio” I was sold.  This was no ordinary pistachio ice cream.  It was a scoop of frozen heaven in a dish and I am an ice cream lover to the core.  It was rich, creamy and packed full of small pieces of pistachios and the white chocolate was infused into the pistachio cream.  Heavenly!

Service: We had excellent service at Tria.  We wanted to take advantage of the happy hour specials so we sat in the bar; fortunately we arrived early enough that a booth was available.  Our server greeted us right away and told us about the happy hour specials.  Our glasses of wine arrived within minutes so we enjoyed it while we looked over the appetizer menu.  Our server was great about checking on us even when the bar area became busy, all requests were taken care of quickly.

Overall Impression: I am glad I finally tried Tria; the food, service and atmosphere were all excellent.  I am still thinking about the Wild Mushroom Flatbread and the Pistachio Ice Cream, but would also like to have dinner there next time I visit.  Looking forward to the patio when it gets a little warmer too!

Cuisine: Italian, Fish & Seafood, Steaks
Restaurant Features: Bar, Gluten Free Menu, Happy Hour (Bar only), On-Site Parking, Sunday Brunch
Locations: Burnsville & Roseville, MN
Addresses & Maps:
Burnsville- 14296 Plymouth Ave  Burnsville, MN 55337  952-892-7555
Roseville- 2050 North Snelling Ave Roseville, MN 55113  651-644-2808
Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-12am  Sun 10am-10pm
Links: Chianti Grill Website * Chianti Grill on Facebook

Atmosphere: The new home of the Chianti Grill in Roseville is on Snelling Ave next to Har Mar Mall.  This newly constructed restaurant has been open for about two years now and is a much larger and more modern version of its former home.  The main dining room is large and seems even bigger with the tall ceilings.  The room is divided into sections of high backed booths, which help to keep noise levels under control and also offer some privacy for the guests.

The bar area is another large seating area, with seating at the bar as well as booths along the wall.  The bar is beautiful and runs the entire length of the room.

There is also a little lounge area in the bar near the entrance; a great place to have a cocktail and wait for a table when it gets busy on the weekends.

Menu: Appetizers at Chianti Grill include Spicy Tenderloin Tips, Calamari, Mozzarella Caprese, Bacon Wrapped Scallops, Seared Ahi Tuna, Crab Claws, Bruschetta, and Spinach Artichoke Dip.

Flatbread options include Prosciutto Arugula, Mediterranean, Margarita, and Grilled Chicken.

Pastas include Seafood Canneloni, Lasagna Bolognese, Mostaccioli, Manicotti, Tortellini (ham, mushrooms and peas), Spinach Ravioli, Cappellini al Fresco, Spaghetti with Meatballs, Cappellini al Gamberetti, Spicy Chicken Penne, Seafood Linguini, Chicken Cappellini, Fettuccine Alfredo, Gnocchi alla Crema di Campagna, and Shrimp and Lobster Linguini.

Seafood options include Grilled Tiger Prawns, Walleye Impanato, Bacon Wrapped Scallops, Salmon Taormina, and Crab Claws.  Steaks include 8 oz Filet Mignon, 16 oz Sirloin, 16 oz Ribeye, 14oz NY Strip.  Chicken and Veal options include Marsala, Sorrento, and Parmigiana.

House Specialties include Zuppa de Pesce, Lobster Ravioli, Grilled beef Skewers, Lobster Oscar Filet.

Gluten-Free items include Chicken Spicy Penne, Lobster & Shrimp Spaghetti, Chicken Spaghetti, Penne Chicken Alfredo, Spaghetti and Mostaccioli, as well as all of the steaks and many of the seafoods from the dinner menu.

Price guide: Appetizers $7-13  Flatbread $8-10  Pasta $14-20  Entrees $16-28 (items on lunch menu considerably less)

Happy Hour:

• Served in the Lounge only

Sunday Brunch:

• $12.95/Adults $6.95/ Kids 4-11  Free/ Kids 3 and under
• 10am-2pm
• a variety of homemade pastas, fresh fruit, pastries, salads, an omelet bar, traditional breakfast items and delicious desserts.

What we ordered: What do you do when two different appetizers sound really good and you can’t decide which to get? Order Both!! At least that’s what I do ;) First on that list is the Spinach Artichoke Dip.  This was a large portion of cheeses, artichoke, spinach and onion blended then baked in a ramekin.  It was served with a sliced, toasted baguette.  Delicious! The dip was very flavorful, partially because it had a lot of onions in it, which I thought was great.  You might not love it as much if you aren’t a fan of onions.

We also tried the calamari.  This was good, but nothing out of the ordinary.  The calamari was cooked just right so it was still tender but the breading wasn’t too crispy and was kind of boring in the flavor department.  It was served with marinara and also a  horseradish dip, which were both good and definitely helped spice up the flavor.

Then came the basket of bread with our meals.  We didn’t have any room for this at dinner so I brought it home and had it later.  It was very good and kind of dense.

Our meals also came with a house salad, I got mine with ranch.  I just love fresh buttermilk ranch dressing and this one was really good!

For my meal I ordered the Mostaccioli.  Although this is kind of an ordinary meal for me and I usually order pastas that are more adventurous, I was in the mood for red sauce.  I was too full to eat more than a few bites while we were still at the restaurant, but it was very good.  The noodles were tossed with a zesty red sauce, ground Italian sausage, chunks of mushrooms, sauteed onions, garlic and other spices.  It was topped with a ton of mozzarella then baked.  I also had it topped with freshly grated parmesan.  This was yummy (although I know I could easily make something similar at home) and hit the spot.  The leftovers were just as good the next day.

My companion wanted to have something with seafood and after much deliberation and suggestions from the server, ordered the Crab Ravioli, one of the daily specials.  This was a unique dish; there were about five raviolis stuffed with shredded crab meat.  The bell pepper cream sauce that it was served with was very sweet and contained pieces of the tri-colored peppers.  We both liked it but I admit I think I would like it better with a more savory sauce.

Service: We had good service at Chianti Grill.  We visited at an odd time (3:30pm) on a Saturday and had no problem getting a table without a reservation.  Our server was both friendly and also had a funny sense of humor.  She had several recommendations on the menu and did a good job timing our food so that everything was staggered.  Most of the time our drinks were refilled as soon as needed but there were a couple of times while we were eating that I waited for several minutes without anything to drink.

Overall Impression: I am glad I finally had the opportunity to try Chianti Grill.  I thought the food was decent, as was the service.  Items from the lunch menu are considerably less expensive, so if you want to save a few bucks, visit before 4pm.  Happy Hour offered in the Lounge only.