Cuisine: American, Italian, Pizza, Pasta, Ice Cream, Dessert
Restaurant Features: On-Site Parking, Gluten-Free Menu
Location: White Bear Lake, MN
Address: 2692 East County Road E  White Bear Lake, MN 55110 651-777-9199
Links: Donatelli’s Website * Donatelli’s on Facebook *  Google Map

Atmosphere: Donatelli’s is a popular family restaurant located within a strip mall on the south end of White Bear, right next to JJ’s Bierstube.  The restaurant itself is long and narrow, with a main dining room and a smaller dining area used for bigger parties or on busy nights.  Along the outer walls of the dining area there are several private booths (topped with seasonal decorations), with tables in the middle of the restaurant which can easily be adjoined for larger parties.

Menu: Appetizers include Bruschetta, Chicken Strips, Chicken Wings, White Cheddar Cheese Curds, Onion Rings, Donatelli’s Caprese, Cheesy Fries, Bread Sticks, Garlic Toast, Donatelli’s Haystack Fries (covered with cheese and bacon), Fried Ravioli, Hot Chips, Seasoned Fries, Meatball Sliders, Italian Fries and Italian Dunkers.

Salads at Donatellis include Antipasta, Chef Salad, Oriental Chicken, NLT Grilled Chicken Breast, Spinach Salad, Caesar, Blue Apple, Blue Burger, Grilled Veggie Salad, and Crispy Chicken Salad.

Soups offered are Chili and Minestrone.

Donatelli’s also has a number of Sandwiches, all are served with chips or you can upgrade to seasoned fries for $1.  Options include Chicken or Veal Parmigiana, Meatball, Italian Sausage, Hot Dago, Submarine Sandwich, Grilled Chicken, Beer Battered Fish, Turkey, Donatelli Reuben, Grilled Ham and Cheese, BLT, Turkey Club, Club Wrap, Steak or Chicken Caesar Wrap, BLT Chicken Wrap, and Grilled Salmon Caesar Wrap.

Donatelli’s also has a number of Specialty Burgers  including Plain Burger, Luigi Burger, Cheeseburger, Pizza Burger, Mama Mia Burger, Honey Mustard Ham Burger, Jack Burger, One Eyed Jack, Patty Melt, Chili Cheese Burger, Donatelli Burger, Philly Burger, Blue Bacon Burger and Red Portabella Burger

Pasta selections are numerous and include Spaghetti, Spaghetti Supreme, Rigatoni, Linguini with Marinara, Fettuccine Alfredo, Chicken or Veal Parmigiana, Baked Mostaccioli, Baked Manicotti, Baked Tortellini, Baked Ravioli, Baked Gnocchi, Baked Spaghetti, Baked Lasagna, Baked Rigatoni,  and Baked Linguini Carbonara, Tortellini Alfredo, Butternut Squash Ravioli with Asparagus, Spinach and Roasted Garlic Tortelloni, Smoked Mozzarella Ravioli, Chicken and Spinach Cannelloni, Stuffed Shells, Seafood Cannelloni, Linguini with Shrimp and Pesto, Cajun Chicken Alfredo, Fettuccine with Steak and Alfredo, Italian Jambalaya, Linguini with Chicken and Pesto, and Spaghetti Pie.

Donatelli’s also has a variety of Pizza Turnovers (stuffed pizza pockets) and Specialty Pizzas (deep-dish or thin crust) including Fresh Mozzarella and Roasted Tomato, Veggie Delight, Heartburn Deluxe, Super Heartburn Deluxe, Heart Stopper, Bacon Cheeseburger, Taco, Donatelli’s White Pizza, Margherita, BBQ Chicken, and the Upside Down Pizza.

**Gluten-Free Menu*** Items include Gluten Free versions of all of the following: Caprese, Italian Fries, Blue Apple Salad, Spinach Salad, Chicken and Pesto, Baked Cheese Ravioli, Stuffed Shells, Ravioli, Baked Rigatoni, and Gluten-Free Pizza.

Donatelli’s also has a selection of Old-Fashioned Ice Creams.  Other Desserts include Milk Shake, Malts, Ice Cream Soda, Turtle Sundae, Root Beer Float, Hot Fudge Sundae, Scrumptious Sundae, Old Fashioned Banana Split, Hot Fudge Cake, Turtle Fudge Cake, Black Forest Cake, Tiramisu, Berramisu, Chocolate Flourless Torte, and Death by Chocolate Peanut Butter.

Price guide: Appetizers $7-11 Sandwiches $7-12 Pasta $8-17 Desserts $3-7

What we ordered: Our party was dining on borrow time on the night of our visit, so we went straight to our entrees instead of ordering an appetizer as I normally would. Although I didn’t order Italian Fries on this visit, I highly recommend them.

There are so many awesome past choices at Donatelli’s and I have had the pleasure of sampling many of them over the years but on this night I ordered the Spaghetti with Meatballs.  I typically never order spaghetti at restaurants but Donatelli’s makes their spaghetti from scratch and it is perfect.  The noodles are fresh and cooked slightly al dente with a generous amount of the hearty house red sauce.

One of my companions had the Seafood Cannelloni.  This was delicious, but extremely rich.  There were three shells stuffed with a blend of lobster, scallops, and shrimp in a lobster sherry cream sauce.  It had several cheeses baked on top until just melted.  It was served with a slice of garlic toast that was great for dunking in the sauce.  Take the cannelloni shells out of this dish and you have yourself a wonderful seafood dip.

Another companion ordered the Cajun Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, which was fettuccine mixed with several bite sized pieces of grilled Cajun chicken breast, and sauteed green and red bell peppers.

Another companion started with the Antipasto Salad followed by the Rigatoni.  The Antipasta salad looked wonderful with ham, pepperoni, mozzarella, cheddar, onions, mushrooms and black olives.  Tossed in Donatelli’s homemade Italian dressing.

The Rigatoni was a bowl of standard rigatoni topped with Donatelli’s red sauce.

One person in our party had the Steak Caesar Wrap.  This wrap had a substantial amount of beef in relation to lettuce.  Tasty and filling.

Service: Our visit was early evening on a Saturday night and it was already busy at Donatelli’s.  We were able to get a table big enough for the six of us with a few minutes of arriving and were greeted by our server shortly thereafter.  Drinks were refilled quickly and food was prepared reasonably fast for how busy it was. Six of us were in and out in about an hour.  Our server, as well as the staff in general,  seemed very friendly.

Overall Impression: A true institution in the White Bear Lake area, Donatelli’s has something that will appeal to everyone.  The menu is huge and the service is very friendly.

This was a review of Donatelli’s Restaurant originally published on Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

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

Cuisine: American, Pasta, Fish
Restaurant Features: Beer, Wine
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Address: 5607 Chicago Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55417 (612)825-6900
Hours: Sun-Thurs 5pm-9pm  Fri-Sat 5pm-10pm
Links: First Course Website * First Course on Facebook * Google Map

Atmosphere: First Course is a small but lovely restaurant snuggled between  Mike’s Corner Store and Kowalskis Market on Chicago Ave at E 56th St.  The restaurant isn’t very big but it sure is cute! The bar at the back is really the focal point of the restaurant.

Another part of the the dining room has just a handful of tables widely spaced apart and big, colorful stripes of color on the walls.  There is also a small, basic patio area in the front of the building.

Menu: Tapas (small plates) at First Course include Honey Garlic Baby Back Ribs, Fried Green Olives Stuffed with Blue Cheese, Three Salami’s, Grilled Asparagus with Onion Straws, Calamari, Goat Cheese, First Course Shrimp, Warm Almond Manchego Cheese, and Beef Skewers.

Other Appetizers include Seared Ahi Tuna, Bruschetta, Mediterranean Mussels, Antipasti Platter, and a Pizza of the Day.

Salads offered at First Course include Caesar, Grilled Portabella and Asparagus, Mixed Green, and the Bistro Salad (with bacon, egg, tomato).

Sandwiches offered are the Croque Monsieur, Bison Blue Burger, Mini Burgers with Cheddar.

First Course Pasta selections include Penne Alfredo, Butternut Squash Ravioli, Linguine with Prosciutto, Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle, Gnocchi in Gorgonzola Cream, and Risotto.

Entrees at First Course include Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia, Halibut, Chicken Roulade, Bone-In Pork Chops, New York Strip, and Duck Breast.

Desserts include Flourless Chocolate Cake, Tres Leches Cake, Creme Brulee, German Chocolate Cake, and Ice Cream or Sorbet.
Price guide: Tapas $4-8 Apps $6-14  Pasta $14-18  Entrees $17-29

What we ordered: A large heaping plate of bread arrived shortly after we ordered drinks.  Soft, crusty, and still warm.

There are many different Small Plates (Tapas) and since we had a very large party, we ordered several items.  We tried the Calamari, which was excellent! It was breaded and fried, then served with some kind of smokey mayo.  Seriously good calamari.

We also ordered the Manchego Cheese, which was baked until slightly crispy and golden, then served on baguette and topped with sliced almonds.  The order came with four little slices slightly soaking in a mix of oil, vinegar, and sherry.  These were pretty awesome, full of  both flavor and texture.

We also ordered the ribs.  I did not try these but they came highly recommended by one of the servers.  They looked and smelled great.  The menu describes them as “Honey garlic baby back pork ribs with soy, ginger & chili oil”.

Another tapa we tried was the Bleu Cheese Stuffed Fried Olives.  Not being a fan of olives, I did not try these either but the others raved about them.

We also tried the Asparagus with Onion Straws.  The asparagus was cooked with balsamic vinegar which sweetened it up slightly, then was topped with a pile of thin onion straws.  I like asparagus quite a bit and this was good, but I think I enjoyed the onion straws the most :)

We ordered two large dishes of the Coconut Red Curry Mussels.  OMG, these were wonderful!!  The menu actually called these Mediterranean Mussels which I believe is a misnomer as they actually had more Asian influence than Mediterranean.  No matter what you call them, these mussels were very tender and soaked in a bath of coconut milk with red curry.  This is my favorite style of mussels and these ranked up there in my TCRB Editor’s Picks: Mussels (stay tuned for that post in the future!)

We also ordered the First Course Shrimp.  These giant Tiger Shrimp were served in a hot butter with fresh herbs and spices, very similar to shrimp scampi.  Excellent!

We also ordered Entrees. I wasn’t sure what to get, the menu had several items that sounded really good to me.  I wanted to try something that noone else in our group was going to order, so I ended up getting the Papperdelle Pasta with Lamb Ragu.  This was pretty good; it had big chunks of tomato, rosemary and several pieces of tender lamb meat on top of a bed of pappardelle pasta.  It was topped with grated pecorino cheese and parsley.  I liked this but it was almost too mild for my taste.  I’d personally like a little spice to it.

One of my companions ordered the Alaskan Halibut, which came with a roasted red pepper vinaigrette puree and fingerling potatoes.

Another companion ordered the New York Strip, a nice 16 oz cut cooked a perfect medium rare.  It was well seasoned, served with fingerling potatoes and red onions over a red wine jus.

One of my companions ordered the Butternut Squash Ravioli in Gorgonzola Cream Sauce.  I nearly ordered this myself because it sounded so intriguing.  I was lucky to try a bit of this and I thought it was very good.  The ravioli were handmade little pockets stuffed with sweet butternut squash that contrasted the sharpness of the gorgonzola and brandy cream sauce.  It was garnished with cooked carrot, pepper and swiss chard.

One of the specials of the evening was a King Ivory Salom with fresh salsa.  I didn’t try this but it looked wonderful.  There were two filets of the light colored salmon, covered with fresh salsa made with corn, tomatillo and radish.

Another companion ordered the Chicken Roulade.  This dish had little chicken roll-ups with gorgonzola in a salty shallot sauce.  It was topped with julienne veggies.

Two of my companions split the Risotto with Shrimp; pictured here is half the order.  The risotto was creamy and the shrimp was well seasoned and tender.

One of my companions was celebrating a birthday and received this complimentary Tres Leches Cake.  The piece was large enough to share with several and was very tasty.  It was moist as it should be but one of the best features of this dessert was the passion fruit lime syrup drizzled on the plate.  The tartness curbed the sweetness of the cake and really made this dessert stand out.

Service: We had excellent service at First Course. We had advance reservations for a large party on a Saturday night and a server almost all to ourselves.  Wine was poured with frequency and the tapas and entrees were brought out in waves.

Overall Impression: First Course is a fabulous little restaurant in South Minneapolis with great food and a relaxed atmosphere.  The prices are very reasonable for chef crafted dishes and the service is very good; First Course is a great place to visit for many different occasions.  Beer and Wine only.

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.

Address: Eden Prairie Center #2320 8251 Flying Cloud Drive Eden Prairie, MN 55344

Pasta Zola is a fun, new restaurant located in the Food Court at Eden Prairie Center.

Menu: Ordering is a as simple as:

1. Picking a Pasta- (Corkscrews, Rigatoni, Whole Wheat Penne or Cheese Tortellini)
2. Picking a Sauce- (Creamy Alfredo, Mac & Cheese, Bolo, Marinara, Smooth Red, or Pesto Fusions)
3. Adding Goodies- (Meatballs, Italian Sausage, Chicken, Ham & Peas, Smokey Bacon, Veggies)

I have not yet been out to Pasta Zola myself but love the concept and wanted to share it with ya’ll.  Make sure to try it next time you’re in Eden Prairie and let me know what you think!

Disclosure: I was invited out to do this review and my meal was provided by the restaurant. All opinions are my own.

Cuisine: American,  Dessert, Italian, Pasta, Steak, Chops
Restaurant Features: Bar, Banquet, Catering, Happy Hour, Kids Menu, On-Site Parking, Patio
Location: Apple Valley, MN
Address: 15435 Founders Lane Apple Valley, MN 55124  952-891-6569
Hours: Mon-Thurs 11a-9p   Fri-Sat  11a-10p   Sun 10a-9p
Links: Enjoy! Website * Enjoy on Facebook *  Google Map

Enjoy! ~ Apple Valley, MN

Atmosphere: Enjoy! is located in a very large, impressive  building about 1/2 mile south of Country Rd 42 off of Galaxie Dr. and Founders Ln.  The restaurant is divided into seven distinct areas, The Conservatory (pictured below), The Upper Dining Room, The Grotto, The Vintage Room, The Water’s Edge Patio, The Bar Patio, and The Lounge.  We ate in the lovely Conservatory which had a beautiful fireplace  complete with a large-tile mosaic painting.  One highlight of the room was the magnificent domed skylight.  In addition to having tables, this area also has high-backed booths which offer a sense of privacy.

The Conservatory at Enjoy! ~ Apple Valley, MN

The Upper Dining Room is another one of the many seating areas at Enjoy! that is perfect for groups, offering larger booths and tables that can accommodate many.

Upper Dining Room at Enjoy! ~ Apple Valley, MN

Enjoy! also has The Vintage Room available for Banquets and larger parties. The Lounge  is also a big, beautiful area and is also the place to go for a great Happy Hour.

The Vintage Room at Enjoy! ~ Apple Valley, MN

The Lounge at Enjoy! ~ Apple Valley, MN

Menu: Enjoy! just unveiled their new menus within the past few weeks with a great selection of favorites as well as many new items.  The Lunch Menu is served Mon-Sat 11am-3pm and includes Bruschetta, Calamari, Mozzarella and Artichoke Bake, Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms and Crab Cakes for Appetizers.

In addition to many of the pastas, salads, seafoods and meats that are offered at dinner, Enjoy! has a nice selection of Specialty Sandwiches on the Lunch Menu: Prime Rib Dip, Chicken Cashew, BLT, Ultimate Grilled Cheese (cheddar, fontina and bacon), Turkey Club, Chicken Bacon Avocado Wrap, Pulled Pork, Grilled Chicken, Reuben, Rachel, Beer Battered Cod, and Open Faced Turkey.  Burgers are also offered at lunch; Juicy Lucy, Avocado Bacon, Crispy Cheddar, Black and Blue or Build Your Own.

The Dinner Menu is served after 3pm and has starters such as Bruschetta, Calamari, Mozzarella and Artichoke Bake, Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms, Seared Scallops, Crab Cakes, Tenderloin Tips, and the Warm Cheese Sampler.

Grilled Flatbread options include Pesto Chicken, Mushroom and Garden (olive, artichoke, tomato, garlic).

Enjoy! also offers salads including the Caesar, Iceberg Wedge, Strawberry Spinach Salad, Chopped, Avocado and Crab, Tenderloin, and the Enjoy! Salad (pear, gorgonzola, walnuts).  Soups offered are French Onion, Tomato Basil and Lobster Chowder.

Classics are the Chicken Pot Pie, Grilled Chicken Sandwich or Build-Your-Own-Burger.

Pasta dishes at Enjoy! include Cannelloni, Fettuccine Alfredo, Spicy Sausage Penne, Short Rib Lasagna, Shrimp Angel Hair, Seafood Fettuccine, Lobster Ravioli, and Duck Risotto.

Meat Entrees offered are the Chicken Parmesan, Chicken Piccata, Oven Roasted Chicken, Flat iron Steak, Sirloin, Filet Mignon,  New York Strip (14oz),  Ribeye (16oz), Veal Marsala, Lamb Chops, Pork Chops and Prime Rib.

Seafood and Fish selections at Enjoy! are the Tilapia, Mahi Mahi, Pecan Crusted Walleye, Crab and Brie Stuffed Salmon, Halibut, Sea Bass, Seared Scallops, and Lobster Tail.

Side dishes include Fingerling Potatoes, Parmesan Leek Hash Browns, Mashed Potatoes, Whipped Sweet Potatoes, House Cut Fries, Boursin or Bleu Cheese Bubble Bread, Fettuccine Alfredo, Herb Risotto, Asparagus, Mushrooms, Green Beans, and Broccolini.

Desserts at Enjoy! are heavenly.  Options include Maple Creme Brulee, Chocolate Molten Lava Cake, Cheesecake, Carrot Cake, Chocolate Bread Pudding, Key Lime Pie, Banana Cream Pie, Upside Down Walnut Crusted Apple Pie, Hot Fudge Sundae and Italian Gelato or Sorbet.  There are also a number of dessert coffees, drinks, cordials and ports.

Kids Menu items include Buttered Noodles, Spaghetti, Penne & Cheese, Chicken Fingers, Grilled Cheese, Mini Burgers, Grilled Chicken, and Beef Tenderloin.  Served with drink and ice cream sundae.

Price guide: Appetizers $7-12  Sandwiches $  Pastas $13-23  Entrees$ 17-29 Seafood $17-29  Desserts $4-7 Kids Menu $5-10

Happy Hour:

• Sunday-Thursday 3pm-Close  Friday 3-6:30pm
• Specials available in the Lounge Only
• $3- Opulent martinis, Jameson, Beefeater, Captain Morgan, Michelob Golden, Miller Lite, Leinenkugel’s Honey Weiss, Sam Adams, Summit Epa,
• $4-Canyon Road Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, white zinfandel, Bass Ale, Amstel Light, Blue Moon, Ranger Pale Ale
• $5- Enjoy! Wines- Chardonnay, Cabernet and Syrah, Guinness and Stella Artois
• $6  Any signature martini or cocktail, French Onion Soup, Emjoy! Salad, Spinach Salad, Bruschetta, Chicken Tenders, Garden Flatbread
• $7 Lobster Chowder, Mozzarella and Artichoke Bake, Calamari, Bubble Bread, Pesto Chicken Flatbread
• $8- Fish & Chips, Crab Cakes, Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms, Seared Scallops, Garden Shrimp Flatbread
• $9 – Tenderloin Tips, Shrimp Cocktail, Mushroom Flatbread, Black & Blue Flatbread, Warm Cheese Sampler

Sunday Brunch:

• 10am-3pm
• Adults/ $21.95   Kids 3-11/ $11.95
• Assorted Muffins and Pastries, Yogurt Parfait Bar, Fresh Fruits, Antipasti, Shrimp Cocktail, Enjoy! Salad, SunDried Tomato Pesto Salad, Scrambled Eggs, Eggs Benedict, Bacon, Sausage, Parmesan Leek Hash Brown Potatoes, Sausage Penne, Chicken Rigatoni, Tilapia, Eggs and Omeletes (cooked to order), French Toast, Belgian Waffle, Carved Beef, and Chocolate Fountain.
• Includes Orange Juice, Coffee, Champagne or Mimosa.

What we ordered: We started with a couple of beverages, I had the House Pinot Noir and my companion had the Raspberry Mint Long Island.  Oh, was this yummy! It was sweet and fruity yet still packed quite a punch.  You’ll feel real good after a couple of these!

We also got this complimentary basket of different breads, French, Sourdough, Pumpernickel, and a Flatbread Cracker.  All were very good, it was nice to have a variety to choose from.

We tried the Calamari, which was extremely tender. The strips were thick and cooked perfectly without any hint of chewiness.  The outside wasn’t as crispy as I like it but since that would mean overcooking it, I’ll take it tender over chewy any day!  It was served with two dips, the spicy marinara and a lemon herb aoili.  Both were excellent!

We also got the Tenderloin Tips, a great choice if you want mouth-watering, tender beef.  These bite-sized pieces were pan-seared in a tangy bourbon sauce, topped with green onion and tomato and served with a  creamy horseradish sauce for dipping. These were great!

My companion also tried the Lobster Chowder.  This soup was extremely enjoyable; the sweet and tender bites of lobster were the star of this dish with the corn, potato, and leeks cooked al dente to create a nice contrast in texture to the creamy broth.

There were so many temptations on the menu that when I saw the special Tasting Menu featuring a sampling of regular menu offerings, I knew it was the perfect choice for me.  The first course had a sample of the Enjoy! Salad, Lobster Chowder and Bruschetta.  I loved every bite of the Lobster Chowder, as described previously.  The Enjoy! Salad was also very good; a mix of greens with gorgonzola cheese, slices of pear, candied walnuts and tossed in a citrus vinaigrette.  One of my favorite salads! The Bruschetta was also delightful, a combo of fresh tomato with basil served over grilled french bread then drizzled with balsamic vinegar.  Reminds me of summer!

The main course included a sampling of Halibut, Canneloni and Chicken Picatta.  The Halibut was a thick sampling of the filet, seared to an appetizing golden brown and served over a creamy mustard sauce with asparagus tips.  The Canneloni is one of the signature dishes at Enjoy!, a tube of pasta stuffed with ground beef, pork, tomatoes, ricotta then topped with mozzarella and served on a bed of spicy marinara.  This was wonderful, a real classic. The ground meats were very flavorful but one of my favorite aspects of the dish was the combination of red and white sauces.  The third item of this sampler  and my favorite of the three was the Chicken Picatta.  This decent-sized pounded chicken breast was served over a creamy herbed risotto and topped with a light and creamy lemon butter caper sauce.  This was so delicious!  The lemon was apparent without being overpowering and the capers provided just a hint of saltiness.

The dessert course also had three delicious samples: the Chocolate Bread Pudding, Maple Creme Brulee and Espresso Cheesecake.  I started with the Chocolate Bread Pudding.  This had a good taste but the texture of it was slightly hard so I moved on to the creamy creme brulee.  I loved it!  It was very creamy but didn’t have the eggy texture that custard often gets.  It had a candied sugar crust on top that gave just a hint of crunch to contrast the creaminess.  The third dessert sample was the Cheesecake, a bite of heaven supported by a crunchy oreo cookie crust then topped with an espresso glaze. Mmmmm

After much deliberation my companion ordered the Sea Bass for an entree.  Oh My was this delectable!  The filet itself was perfectly cooked, light and flaky, served over a bed of delicious veggies.  The roasted brussel sprouts, swiss chard and crispy bacon bites were tossed in a creamy citrus butter sauce; every bite was wonderful.

We shared this Coffee with Bailey’s for an after-dinner drink while enjoying our desserts

My companion also ordered the Key Lime Pie, which was exceptional.  It was creamy and tart yet sweet.  Scrumptious!

Service: I had made a reservation and despite being late, my table was waiting for me when I got there.  The hostess checked our coats right away and shortly after we were seated we were greeted by our server.  We took our time looking over the menu however the server really helped by highlighting the special features and making other recommendations.  The pacing of the food was just right, giving us time to finish each course before the next arrived.  Overall I was very pleased with the service, it certainly made the experience even more enjoyable.

Overall Impression: I was very impressed with Enjoy! and can honestly say it is one of the best (new-to-me) restaurants I have tried in many months.  The facilities are gorgeous and the perfect place to have a group dinner or event.  The new dinner menu is impressive, as are the Chef’s Special Features; we enjoyed everything we tried.  I have not yet eaten at Enjoy! for lunch but all of the sandwiches sounded wonderful and the best part about lunch is that it is guaranteed 45 minutes or less or it is free!  I look forward to going back once the weather warms up so I can enjoy the patio too!