"Life is just the break between meals."
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Review votes:
388 Useful, 189 Funny, and 318 Cool
Shoreview, MN
Yelping SinceMarch 2008
Things I Loverice krispie treats, root beer floats, and pecan pie, but I don't have a sweet tooth.
Find Me Insane
My HometownTwin Cities, MN
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...I'm frittering my life away on Facebook
Why You Should Read My ReviewsYou shouldn't
My Second Favorite Website The Last Great Book I ReadI don't know how to read
My First ConcertMadonna. Yes, really.
My Favorite MovieThe Matrix
My Last Meal On EarthMy mom's stuffed clams
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...I see hungry people.
Most Recent DiscoveryYelp
Current CrushCharlize Theron
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
(252) 261-2120
Carawan Seafood Co
Categories: Seafood, Seafood Markets
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
After 20 minutes of driving around with wrong turns, losing cars, and people not paying attention to where cars were going (I'll post the story if people are interested), we ended up at Cosmo's Pizzeria.
It's a small joint where the 14 people in our party (we lost 3 of them) pretty much filled half the restaurant. As we were all hungry, we went simple and ordered a cheese, a supreme, a sausage/pepperoni, and a sausage/mushroom. It was plenty for all of us plus leftovers. We all inhaled them as we laughed about what had just transpired on the way over. It wasn't the best pizza I've had, but better than average.
My only complaint is that the drinks tasted funny. My cousin had lemonade with a funny aftertaste and my Sprite left the same remnants in my mouth. We figures it was the water between the lemonade and the ice used for the Sprite.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
I was here once years ago when it was called the Harbor Inn Cafe. Made sense since it's in the same building as the Harbor Inn Hotel. But they renamed it and upgraded the decor. The furniture was classic Northwoods furniture made out of old trees and the paint on the walls was much more modern and less... cafe-ish.
My daughter had a corn dog kid's meal and I chose the Trout BLT. It was FABulous. The trout was cooked and seasoned perfectly, the bacon was cooked crisp (just the way I like it) to add texture, and there were some pieces of red onion that added just the right amount of zip. The whole thing was on a french roll. Delicious.
My only complaint is that it was really expensive. The kids meal was $6 andmy sandwich was $14. Fortunately, we just had water to drink to keep the bill under $25. $25 for a meal for two people where one is 8 years old??? Crazy. I cut a star for the prices, but to be fair, many of the places in Grand Marais have gotten just as expensive. It's become somewhat of a tourist trap.
While the food was first class, I don't think I'll come back again. I just can't afford it. But if you're willing to spend a pretty penny, I would recommend it.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
The shop is small with a lot of products packed in, but not so much that you can't get around. They make good use of wall space.
When I walked in, there was a young lady in her late teens/early 20s that got out of her chair from behind the counter to tell me about the Pro Angler when I told her what I was there for. She spent a good few minutes telling me about the kayak and was very knowledgeable when I asked her questions.
They sell the full line of Hobie products and even have free on water demos where you can try out a Hobie kayak to see if you like it. They alternate between White Bear Lake, Lake Calhoun, and Lake Minnetonka. The schedule is kind of hidden on their site, so here is the link, http://www.hitempokaya.... They sell the demos at the end of the season for a discount.
I was very impressed with the young attendants of the store. They knew what they were talking about. It was obvious that the owner let's them try out products so they can talk about them. It was also obvious that they have a passion for water sports, so you weren't talking to a teenager who was just there for the job. They were there because they wanted to share their passion.
When I'm ready to buy, I'll be back.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (2)
Since I don't rollerblade, I figure I haven't had wheels on my feet for 30 years. That was an experience, let me tell you. It took a while to get used to and I watched some of the experts out there to pick up some tips. By the end of the 3 hours, I was doing pretty well. I only fell three times, but twisted an ankle and knee in the process. I bet it looked pretty funny those couple of times I managed to catch myself, arms and legs flailing like Elaine Benes's dance moves.
The rink is only open for 3-4 hours at a time. It doesn't look much different than I remember since I was there last in elementary school (from what I can remember of it, anyway). It's definitely an older building, but it's got a rink to skate on and you're not there to pick up decorating tips, so what's the difference?
There were about 6 other "official" birthday parties there. Ours wasn't official because we didn't have enough kids (only 3 of the 10 we invited could make it), but the DJ did mention my daughter's name a couple of times. The have some fun games for the birthday parties and a hoola hoop contest, a moon-walking contest, and a limbo on roller skates. I would have rather they kept the open skating going all the time, but the games did break up the time a bit.
I had forgotten how much fun it is just to go around in circles. It's worth the $5-7 admission for 3 hours. Where else are you going to get that kind of value? Plus, they have group rates for $140 for 20 that include pizza and drinks. We're thinking about a neighborhood party there.
Go give these places your patronage. They are dinosaurs that probably won't be around much longer. They are disappearing like other classic forms of entertainment such as the drive-in.
People thought this was:
- Useful (5)
- Funny (3)
- Cool (5)
The answer is, yes. Given that this is a Vietnamese restaurant, I had my doubts as to whether they could do classic dim sum, but they did a decent job of it. Most of the dishes were tasty, and others, if you were to compare them to what they were *supposed* to be, weren't up to par, yet they were good in themselves. An example is the classic dim sum dish, sui mai. As sui mai, it was horrible, but as a pork dumpling, it still tasted good.
My only complaint was that we we typically look for certain dishes when at dim sum. A few of them didn't come by our table. We thought, being a Vietnamese restaurant, that they didn't serve those dishes. But on our way out, we saw them on the tables of other patrons. So the carts just never got to us. We were there for a good hour and sat in a main aisle, so the cart-pushers didn't have their routes set up well. We saw several carts multiple times, while other carts not at all.
We would definitely come back since it's not the haul it is to Bloomington for us. But next time we'll know to get up and go after the dishes we want if we don't see them. We'll still go to Mandarin Kitchen for the best in town.
4 stars for the food, -1 for the service.
People thought this was:
- Useful (4)
- Cool (2)
They found that my back tires were worn different amounts and that's what was causing the pull. What they didn't do, is do a complete once-over of the entire car and recommend a dozen more repairs that I should have, like many mechanics do. I appreciated that. They stuck with what they were supposed to look at, and no more.
But that wasn't the amazing part of my experience with them. I ended up buying new tires (which was a good deal from what I could tell) and few weeks after my repair, my wife noticed that the hubcap on one of the new tires was missing (on the passenger side, lest you think I'm completely oblivious). I don't know if it fell off recently, or had been missing just a day or two after the repair. Schoonver replaced the hubcap, with no more questions asked than should have been.
Given the amount of time that had passed since my repair, they certainly weren't obligated to replace the hubcap, but I'm very glad they did. It's nice that they were willing to spend an extra couple of bucks to keep a customer happy. That's customer service that is rare these days.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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4/1/2008
First to Review
I've had my share of accidents over the years. Some were my fault, some were not. Before I found Schoonover's, I usually went to one of those chain bodyshops. I was always nervous about how my car would be repaired because while I've never had a problem, friends and relatives have had nightmares where they've had to make the shop repair the repair because it didn't look right.
Schoonover's, however, is a top notch shop. Everyone you meet there is friendly and polite. They're normal, everyday people, not like the slick salesmen that work at the chain shops. They do a good job at keeping in touch during the process and notify you if your repair is delayed because of a part not coming in. Their repairs are always done right the first time and they always wash and clean the inside of you car before you pick it up.
I once dropped off a car and left my fishing gear in the trunk when I needed it for a weekend trip to my cabin. I called and the crew there let me come back to the shop area to get my gear and they were very friendly about it. I didn't experience the same kind service at other bodyshops.
I'm always happy to find a local business that I can support, especially if they do a good job and/or have great customer service. Five stars really isn't enough for Schoonover's. I'll always bring my car there to get repaired and I recommend them often.People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (2)
Woodbury, MN 55125
(651) 739-6299
American Burger Emporium
Categories: American (Traditional), Burgers
A co-worker of mine drove all the way from our office in Eagan to her stomping grounds to get meals for all of us from this place. In winter. After a minor snow storm. She had coupons, but still. The food *had* to be good. It was.
I can't speak to the restaurant itself, but if I'm ever in Woodbury, I now have a new place to eat.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
(However, I will say, that I do like the food. I usually get a Trio with caesar salad, mushroom stroganoff, and braised beef. Good value. Tasty. 'Nuff said.)
Noodles could technically be classified as "fast food" because you get your food fast. But it's a step above linoleum floors, plastic tables, and ketchup dispensers that make disgusting sounds when they are empty. At the same time, it's a haven for zit-ridden teenagers looking for a job so they can go to the latest movie with their friends. Because of this, they could care less if they pushed the button for tuna noodle potato chip casserole vs. what you actually ordered. That could be said of anyone behind the register really.
Then there's management. Management at these places do as much work behind the counter as the rest of the peons and then have to do their manager duties. As a result, if you ever have a complaint, they look at you with a stare that says, "just finish what your saying so I can say I'm sorry and get on with slapping these kids around."
But then every once in a while, there is an exception. An employee gives me hope that there *is* someone that cares about the people that come into their store, and truly cares that you enjoy your experience there. I found such a person yesterday at this location.
I had an appointment with a friend and she was 15 minutes late. If you've ever been to a Noodles, you know you're supposed to order your food before finding a table. To be polite, I stood near the registers waiting for my friend instead of taking an empty table. While watching patrons come and go, I saw an employee (presumably a manager) help out one of the register monkeys when a customer seemed to ask about something complicated. He offered her some combination of food that seemed to make her happy and I even heard something about it being cheaper (I wasn't trying to listen in, just watching more than anything). He got points for being helpful.
A few minutes later, that same employee saw me waiting (it had been at least five minutes by now) and offered me a drink. I didn't need one, but impressive nonetheless.
Ten minutes later, I finally saw my friend drive up and when I turned around to wait for her to get out of her car, the very person was standing in front of me with a glass in hand. "Are you sure you don't want a drink? I have a glass right here." Again, I declined since my friend was just coming in, but I was floored. Here is a guy that not only saw me standing around and offered me a drink, but in knowing how long I had waited, really wanted me to be comfortable by nearly forcing me to take a beverage. Had my friend not been imminent, I would have definitely accepted. This gentleman ended up bringing our food to us and was polite and pleasant as ever.
Now that I write this review, I realize I should have thanked him personally and gotten his name to tell corporate. This kind of person is an island competence in a sea of apathy. Not just in the super employee turnover world of fast food, but in retail in general. Good customer service just doesn't exist anymore. Exceptional customer service is downright rare. I hoe this guy gets noticed. He should. I hope he goes far. He deserves to.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (3)
Saint Paul, MN 55121
(651) 994-8053
Obee's Soups Salads & Subs
Category: Restaurants
I was the only one in line and the owner (who always mans the meat shaver) was friendlier than usual. He's always friendly, but this day, he seemed to be having an especially good time.
After getting my sandwich order, he asked if I wanted soup for my meal (I've heard it's good soup, but I'm not much for the Chicken enchilada soup they have as a staple on their menu). I said, "no soup today, thanx." He replied, "NO SOUP FOR YOU!" We both chuckled.
I love a place where the people working are having a good time. And I love that the owner here likes to get his hands dirty and do some of the grunt work. It shows his passion for his shop.
If you're looking for somewhere for lunch, don't pass GO and go directly to Obee's. Eat there now and eat there often. Places like this need you more than the chain sandwich shops.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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9/22/2008
First to Review
I'm not a sandwich guy. Never have been. I usually bring lunch to work and it's usually leftovers from the night before. But I've discovered as of late that I'm not big into the traditional two-slice meat and cheese type of sandwich. I prefer the hoagie/french bread kind of sandwich. I guess I'm a loaf bread bigot.
I'm not a big fan of that shop named after underground trains, but I do like JJ's. And now I'm a fan of Obee's. Their sandwiches are fresh and pretty tasty. They slice all their meat on the spot, which you think would really slow things down, but it doesn't. They have mastered the process so that the wait is minimal. The other day, a guy in front of us ordered six sandwiches and we only waited about five minutes before placing our order.
The place is a little intimidating. It's set up much like that train place where you place an order on one side, order your fixin's in the middle, and pay at the end. It wasn't obvious at first where I was supposed to go the first time I walked in, but fortunately, there was no one else in line to judge me. I don't know why, but it kind of feels like a soup nazi kind of a place except that the folks behind the counter are much nicer. I think with the extra work of slicing all the meat, you feel like you want to get everything right so as not to delay the process. The owner is usually working the counter and is very friendly with the regulars. I can't ever imagine him saying, "no sandwich for YOU." (Although, he kinda looks like the soup nazi.)
I've not had their soup, but my co-workers seem to like it. They usually have a cheese enchilada soup and one other type. Unusual to me, but my co-workers get a bowl every time.
Sandwiches go for under $5 and a soup and sandwich combo is $5.99. I love their Jalepeno chips. They're not as salty as JJ's, still crunchy, and have an extra tang that really goes well with the spicyness of the Jalepeno.
While I like one chain and shun the other, if Obee's was closer to where I lived, I would frequent it more often. I like supporting the mom and pop shops that made America what it is.People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (3)
Date

The shop was small, but to the point. They had fresh seafood on ice in the middle of the store and the edges were lined with wine, cheese and crackers, and gift knick knacks. All of the seafood looked very fresh.
My family usually likes to cook their own seafood, but since the price of the prepared and live crab were the same price, we let Carawan do the cooking and clean up. My uncle ordered the cajun style and it was fabulous. We all chowed down the first night and had plenty left over for several meals after that. There were 17 of us and I think all but the two little kids had one or two that first night. Plenty of yummy crab to go around.