Cuisine: American, Greek, Mediterranean, Pizza,
Restaurant Features: Banquet Room, Bar, Patio, On-Site Parking, Sunday Brunch Buffet, Valet Parking
Location: Eden Prairie, MN
Address: 13000 Technology Drive Eden Prairie, MN 55344   (952)546-6722
Hours: Daily 11am-2pm (Kitchen until 10pm)
Links: Santorini Taverna Website * Google Map
Atmosphere: Santorini Taverna is located in Eden Prairie, near Prairie Center, in a giant stand-alone building.  The main dining room is casual yet sophisticated, with a giant fireplace in the center, giving each side of the room a more intimate feel.  There are tables as well as booths, complete with layered tablecloths.

There is a separate dining room that can be used for banquets or large parties and is used for over-flow on busy nights.  There is a fireplace in this room as well as a door leading to the patio.

The spacious lounge area is near the front entrance, complete with a beautiful bar and several bistro tables and an elevated floor.

The patio is a very popular destination for many months of the year.  Tucked away behind the property, you can access the patio around the right side of the building or from the dining room.  There is a giant outdoor bar in the middle and many tables (with umbrellas!) surrounding it.

The far side of the patio has many more tables for dining.

Menu: Appetizers (Mezedes, Tapas and Antipasti) include Dolmades, Wood Grilled Octopus, Grecian or Buffalo Wings, Shrimp Cocktail, Buffalo Shrimp, Artichoke and Crab Dip, Wood Grilled Lamb Chops, Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, Seared Ahi Tuna, Santorini Gyros, Flamed Saganaki, Baked Mussels, Pastichio en Phyllo, Goat Cheese Bruschetta, Calamari a la Romano, Spanakopita, Wood Grilled Shrimp & Veggies, Greek Peasant Sampler.

There are also a number of Meditteranean Pita Spreads served with warm pitas including Spicy Feta, Taramosalata, Tirosalata, Tzatziki, Tahini Hummous, Roasted Pepper Hummous, Melitzano, Kalamata and Goat Cheese Tapenade.

Wood Oven Pizzas include Four Cheese Classico, Mediterranean, Iberian, and Pizza Margherita.

Salads include Greek Salata, Peppered Steak, Nicklow’s Deluxe, Horiatiki, Caesar, Spiced Ahi Tuna, Shrimp and Avocado, and Chop Salad.  Soups include Avgolemono and a Soup du Jour.

Sandwiches and Burgers all come with choice of Lemon Oregano Fries or Tavern pasta.  Options include Gyro Pita, Chicken Pita, Veggie Pita, Pita Melt, Mediterranean Chicken Wrap, Walleye Sandwich, Burger, Pepper Jack Burger, Surf and Turf Burger, Prime Rib French Dip, Santorini Club Croissant, and Open Faced Prime Rib Sandwich.

Meat Entrees include Lamb Chops a la Thebes, Filetto de Greco, Athenian Pork Chops, Surf & Turf, Bone-In Ribeye, South American Strip Steak, Prime Rib, New York Strip, and Filet Mignon.

Seafood Entrees include Pan Fried Walleye, Scampi con Pollo, Roasted Norwegian Salmon, Seafood Platter (shrimp, scallops, lobster and salmon), Shrimp Mikrolimano, Moroccan Shrimp, Roasted Scallops, and Lobster Dinner for Two.

Pasta dishes include Taverna Pasta, Seafood Bucatini, Spaghettini  Arrabbiata, Ouzo Linguini, Raviolo Basilio, Lobster Ravioli, Tortellini Baronessa, and Cajun Pasta.

Mediterranean Favorites include Grilled Chicken & Shrimp Kabob, Traditional Pastichio, Grilled Beef Kabob, Lamb & Beef Moussaka, Grilled Swordfish Kabob, Kotopita, Eggplant Moussaka, Gyro Dinner and Lamb Shank.

Desserts include Chocolate Fudge Cake, Key Lime Pie, Cheesecake, and Galaktoboureko.

Price guide: Appetizers $8-12  Salads $7-15  Sandwiches $10-19  Meat Entrees $24-34  Seafood $19-49  Pasta $13-26  Greek Favorites $16-23

Happy Hour:

• Mon-Fri 4-7pm, Sun-Thurs 9-11pm, Fri-Sat 10pm-2am
• $2-  Mini Burgers, Cheesy Bread with Marinara, Pita & Spread
• $3- Rail Drinks, Tap Beers, Santorini Wings, Onion Rings, Szechuan Green Beans, Mini Pizza, Mini Cheesecakes
• $4- Santorini Sliders, Fish & Chips, Sloppy Joe’s, Pork Potstickers
• $5- BBQ Shrimp Skewers, Mini Crab Cakes, Goat Cheese Bruschetta, Gyro Appetizer, and Shrimp Gazpacho.

Weekly Specials:

• Friday- Fresh Alaskan Halibut Char-grilled with fresh herbs and lemon, served with roasted potatoes and vegetables $24
• Saturday-  Boneless leg of lamb stuffed with spinach, feta and loukaniko sausage Served with roasted potatoes and vegetables $23
• Sunday- Family Style Platter with Avgolemono soup, Greek salad, gyro & fixings, sliced chicken breast, two lamb chops, Taverna pasta and baklava  For two $45 | For four $75

What we ordered: We started with an order of Artichoke and Crab Dip.  This was a delicious blend of cheeses, with garlic and chunks of artichoke and crab, baked until hot and bubbly then topped with fresh tomatoes.  It was a decent sized order served in a ramekin with several triangles of warm pita bread.  Great stuff!

We also ordered the Baked Mussels, which I thought were excellent.  They were magnificently tender and came swimming in a big, deep bowl of broth made with white whine, saffron, tomatoes, fennel and garlic.

Another appetizer we tried was the Goat Cheese Bruschetta.  We loved this! The goat cheese was blended with cream cheese and then placed on a bed of tomato-basil bruschetta.  The order came with several slices of crustini drizzled with balsamic vinegar for building little bruschetta toasts.

There were many items on the menu that sounds really good to me, but I wanted to try authentic Greek food.  The owner of Santorini himself highly suggested the Moussaka, so that is one of the items we tried.  This dish was sort of a Greek lasagna, with layers of ground beef-lamb, eggplant, and slices of roasted potato topped with tomato sauce and bechamel cheese.

We also shared a New York Strip which was extremely tender, juicy and well seasoned.  The steak came with a serving of roasted zucchini, yellow squash, onion and fingerling potatoes.  The steak was wonderful.

We also tried the Kotopita, which was a chicken breast topped with spinach and feta, then wrapped in flaky phyllo dough.  This was a great dish with a wonderful combo of flavors and textures, from the tender chicken to the creamy feta to the flaky phyllo crust.  It was served with Santorini’s famous Angel Hair pasta tossed with brown butter, garlic and mizithra cheese.  Both were delicious!

Our server presented us with the dessert tray and enticed us to order a couple of desserts, including this Galaktoboureko, a lemon custard wrapped in phyllo dough.  Excellent!

We also tried the Chocolate Fudge Cake, which was very moist, drizzled with chocolate sauce.  Way too much for just one person after all that food!

Service: We had very good service at Santorini Taverna.  We arrived after 7pm on a beautiful Thursday night and opted to wait 15+ minutes for a table on the patio.  It was very busy but our server was attentive and had some good suggestions from the menu.  Our appetizers came out in waves and the entrees came much later.

Overall Impression: Santorini Taverna is a beautiful restaurant and has a great selection of Greek and Mediterranean foods.  I thought the food was great and I especially loved the giant patio and good service.

*****Aperitif has CLOSED as of February 2011*****

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Restaurant Features: Bar, Patio, On Site Parking, Saturday & Sunday Brunch
Location: Woodbury, MN
Address: 772 Bielenberg Drive  Woodbury, MN 55125 651.578.3000
Hours: Monday-Friday 11:00 A.M.-12:00 A.M.  Saturdays 4:00 P.M.-12:00A.M.
Closed Sundays.
Links: Aperitif Website *  Aperitif Facebook Page *  Google Map

Atmosphere: Open since January 2010, Aperitif is located in a giant, 10,000+ Sq. Ft. newly-constructed building at the corner of Bielenberg Dr. and Tamarack Rd in Woodbury. I didn’t realize how big the restaurant truly was until I stepped inside the fun and artistically-decorated space.  It is both long and wide, with room to seat over 200 guests.  A majority of the tables are set within one big space but there are also tables around the perimeter of the room that offer more privacy. There are also a couple of large round tables that have closeable sheer curtains for a more intimate option.  The decor is a collection of homemade art including murals and mosaics; even the light fixtures themselves are works-of-art.

The sophisticated yet contemporary black walnut bar runs at least half the length of the restaurant on the wall opposite the entrance.  The lighting below the bar illuminates the stools in a very inviting manner.    The wall has a series of colorful murals representing a contemporary Mediterranean theme and the ceiling is also very cool, a combination of wood and lights.

Soon to open, the patio area at Aperitif is a beautiful, large, bricked space complete with a two-story fireplace and fairy-lit trees. There are also several pretty flower beds and landscaping around the property.  I can’t wait to go back and enjoy a drink by the fire.

Menu: Appetizers include Italian Wedding Soup, Shrimp Bisque, Salmon Cakes, Portuguese-Style Shrimp, Crispy Oysters, Spicy Sauteed Calamari, Tuna Carpaccio, Walleye Fritters, Shish Kebabs, Grilled Chorizo, Mini Sicilian Veal Meatball Sandwiches, Baby Clams and Mussels Mariscada, and the Imported Charcuterie and Cheese Board.

The salads offered at Aperitif are the Fresh Vegetable Chopped Salad, Quattro (assorted meats and cheeses), Bistecca a la Genoa (pesto glazed sirloin and bleu cheese with romaine), Grilled Caesar (with shrimp, roasted salmon or chicken), Tomato Panzanella, Rare Tuna Bistro Salad, and the String Beans & Sweet Onions.

Aperitif also offers Pizzas and Flatbreads.  Pizza choices are Margarita, Bologna (sausage and prosciutto) , Caesar, Athens (ground lamb and feta) and the White Pizza (spinach pesto and trugole Italian cheese).  Flatbreads include Grecian (artichokes, kalamata olives and roasted garlic), Capri, and Wild Mushroom.

Pasta dishes include Chicjen Piccata, Crispy Shrimp, Vegetable Ribbons, Veal Bolognese, Linguini Vongole and Nonni’s Meatball (with baked ziti)

Aperitif’s Executive Chef Chad Grant has created a variety of entrees with fresh ingredients that you often see in the Mediterranean region.  Options include the Double Heritage Pork Chop, Turkey Porterhouse, Hanger Steak, Lamb Ossobuco, Herb Rotosserie Chicken, Flaming Shish Kebab, Panko Crusted Walleye, Cioppino, Swordfish Steak, Fillet Mignon of Tuna, Roast Salmon Verte, Shrimp Provencal, and Paillard of Chicken or Sirloin.

Desserts include Lemon Souffle, Molten Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Gelato.

Aperitif is also open Saturday and Sunday for brunch, with a condensed version of the dinner menu.  View Aperitif Brunch Menu.

Price guide: Appetizers $6-15  Salads $7-18 Flatbread/Pizza $11-15 Entrees $20-29 Pasta $10-17
What we ordered: Our meal started with complimentary freshly baked foccacia bread, served hot from the oven.  It was soft and light with a golden buttery-brown crust.  The bread was served with an mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and freshly grated parmesan for dipping.  Every bite of this bread was heavenly, it was literally the best bread this bread-lover has had in quite some time.  My new favorite bread!

I love calamari and I also love spice so when I saw the Spicy Sauteed Calamari on the menu, I had to try it.  Big winner! The tender calamari was cooked perfectly in a spicy tomato and wine broth along with pine nuts, currants and homemade cous cous.  I loved the combination of flavors and textures and it definitely had bite.  The currants added an unexpected bite of sweetness that helped offset the spice.

Prior to this visit I had never had oysters served any way other than raw, in-the-shell.  Fried oysters are a completely different experience (and for me a much more enjoyable one!). The panko breading gives it a beautiful, crispiness and the oyster itself has substance.  This is probably the safest way to try oysters if you want to gently get your feet wet!  They came with two different sauces, a spicy vodka-cocktail sauce and a syrupy sweet-and-sour dipping sauce.  Both sauces were very good but I preferred the sweet and sour.

We also tried the Shrimp Bisque, which was a zesty blended soup that had the distinct flavors of shrimp, tomato and a hint of brandy.  It was topped with a slice of crustini and thin slices of breaded shrimp.  The shrimp bisque was wonderful and I enjoyed what I was able to eat but wanted to save room for the main course which was yet to come.

For my entree I ordered the Lamb Ossobuco, which came highly recommended.  This tender, rich lamb shank was braised in a savory broth of its own juices, and what I believe to be red wine.  Mama Mia! This traditional Italian dish instantly turned me into a fan of lamb like I hadn’t believed possible.  It tasted similar to beef but just a little more rich but had a depth of flavor that was not at all gamey like lamb can sometimes be.  It was tender and falling off the bone, just the way braised meats should be.  It was served with cheese polenta and cooked peppers,  zucchini and yellow squash.  If you are unfamiliar with polenta, it is a dish made from cornmeal, water and salt.  The texture and taste of it is very similar to grits, but it is cooled after it is cooked so it is firm and has a slightly gelatanous feel to it.

My companion ordered the Cioppino, also by recommendation.  This seafood medley was a  mix of shrimp, lobster, clams, mussels, baby scallops and swordfish cooked in a flavorful but mild tomato and saffron based broth.   Every bite of the seafood was tender.  The dish was served with a large piece of bread in the middle, soaking up the broth.  As much as I enjoyed the dish, I would have preferred my bread on the side.

For dessert we tried the Lemon Souffle, which is a frozen treat similar to ice cream but made through a different process.  It was slightly creamy yet light and refreshing, with the distinct taste of natural lemon.  I could eat this every day in the summer!

We also tried the Molten Chocolate Cake, which was served with chocolate gelato, roasted marshmallow cream and gram cracker crumbs.  Just one forkful into this masterpiece and it is erupting with hot, molten dark chocolate.  Although the cake is about the size of a serving, it is so rich that it can still be shared.  The gelato, marshmallow and gram cracker crumbs weren’t necessary to make this cake a winner, but were delicious all the same.  Especially if you like s’mores!

Service: We had exceptional service at Aperitif throughout our visit.
The parking lot has enough spaces to accommodate the restaurant at full capacity so it wasn’t a problem to find a spot.  Reservations are accepted but not always necessary, but I did make a reservation ahead of time.  Seating is arranged by the team of hostesses who were all very sweet and professional.  Our server took good care of us, and had thorough knowledge of the menu and gave excellent suggestions.  The food was paced so that we were able to enjoy each course without rushing to eat it before the next arrived.  The General Manager was also on-hand the night of our visit and was available to provide information about the restaurant as well as suggestions from the menu.  When you visit Aperitif, you know you will be well taken care of!
Overall Impression: My companion and I both thoroughly enjoyed Aperitif. The atmosphere is comfortable, yet fun and romantic all at once, and the service can’t be beat.  Everything we tried from the menu was delicious, I highly recommend the Lamb Ossobuco and the spicy calamari.  Aperitif also gets my vote for Best Bread.  Another great feature I would like to point out is that Aperitif has a Blog that offers cooking videos and tips! Go check it out….

Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Restaurant Features: Counter Service, On-Site Parking
Locations: Coon Rapids, Edina, Lakeville, Roseville (Falcon Heights), Plymouth,  and Woodbury, MN
Addresses & Maps:

Coon Rapids-
3179 Northdale Blvd. Coon Rapids, MN 55433
(763) 422-2003
Edina-
6539 York Ave. S Edina, MN 55435 (612) 866-6363
Lakeville-
17701 Cedar Avenue (Cedar Avenue & Dodd Road) Farmington, MN 55024 952) 431-3466

Roseville-
1700 Snelling Ave. Falcon Heights, MN 55108 (651) 645-8800
Plymouth-
3355 Plymouth Blvd. Plymouth, MN 55447 (763) 553-2040

Woodbury-
10060 City Walk Drive  Woodbury, MN 55129 651-738-9757

Links: Dino’s Website * Dino’s on Facebook
Hours: Daily 10am-10pm

Atmosphere: Dino’s offers counter-service and is about the same size as a typical fast-food restaurant.  The entire restaurant is furnished with your basic hard-top tables set close together, without a booth in sight.  There is a beverage station near the front counter with two large soda dispensers.  A couple of TVs hang from the ceilings and there are also some paintings adorning the walls.

Menu: Side Items include French Fries, Seasoned Fries, Pita Bread, Pita Chips, Hummus, Greek Olives, Pepperoncini Peppers, Falafel, Spanakopita, Onion Petals, Spinach Puffs and Greek Meatballs.

Dino’s offers a Greek Salad ( lettuce, feta, Greek olives, cucumbers, peppers, onion, pepperoncini peppers, and Greek dressing) with choice of meat.

The Sandwiches at Dino’s are served on fresh pita bread and include the Gyro (meat with raw onion, tomato and tzatzini sauce), Jr. Gyro, Spicy Gyro, Chicken Gyro, Jr. Chicken Gyro, Greek Chicken Breast, Greek Philly (sauteed peppers and onions and melted Swiss), Greek Meatball, Falafel (deep-fried patties made of a mixture of ground chick peas and seasonings), Steak Souvlaki, and Chicken Mushroom Swiss.  **Any sandwich can be mega-sized for an additional charge. Any sandwich can be ordered as a Value Meal, which comes with soda and either fries or side salad.

There are also a couple of Wraps including Greek Chicken Caesar, Hummus, and the Gyro Bacon Cheddar Wrap.

Entree Plates offer meat choice with Fries, Greek Salad or Rice, and Grilled Pita.  Meat choices are the  Gyro, Chicken Gyro, Steak or Chicken Souvlaki (kabobs), or Spanakopita (spinach, onions, feta and ricotta cheese wrapped in filo dough and baked).  Combination Plate includes each of the meat choices.

There are also two Family Packs available.  The Family Pack comes with 1 lb gyro meat, sauce, toppings, and 5 pitas.  The Mega Family Pack is the Family Pack with an additional two orders of Fries and 1 large Greek Salad.

Desserts include Baklava, Cookies, or Ice Cream.

Price guide: Side Items $1-2 Sandwiches and Wraps $5-6  Value Meals $8-9 Salads $6-9  Plates $7-9
What I ordered: The Greek Chicken Breast Sandwich with Spicy Feta and side of Seasoned Fries.  Normally this sandwich comes with regular feta cheese, but I LOVE the spicy feta and have them substitute the regular feta for the spicy.  This particular sandwich came with both, which was a little too much.  The chicken breast was marinated and tender, cut into strips.  The sandwich was big and messy, so I opted to eat it most of it with a fork.  The onions were plentiful, sliced thin and the spicy feta had a nice kick to it and was full of flavor.  The Seasoned Fries were delicious!  Dino’s adds their own Greek Seasoning which is pretty salty and garlic-y, but so so SO good!

One of my companions ordered the Spicy Gyro Sandwich.  It is similar to a regular gyro except the spicy comes with the spicy feta instead of tzatziki sauce and also has romaine lettuce.  My companion enjoyed it but prefers the traditional gyro.

Another companion ordered the Souvlaki Plate, with one chicken and one beef kabob, Pita Triangles and Onion Petals.  The meat was very good, but there were just five bites of meat on each skewer.  The Onion Petals were crispy brown and the portion was rather large.

Service: Ordering is done at the Counter and it usually takes less than ten minutes for the order to be ready, at which point they will either call your name or bring the food out to your table, depending on how busy they are.  There are often staff members who will walk around to bus tables or ask you if you’d like a drink refill or anything else.  Definitely a step above most other fast-food type restaurants.
Overall Impression: I really enjoy Dino’s, it is fast and the food is good (especially anything with spicy feta!).  The seasoned fries are AWESOME.  Dino’s is more expensive than other fast-food restaurants but less expensive than most sit-down restaurants.  I wish there was a Dino’s in Hugo or Maplewood!