Steven "KriksPicks" K.'s Profile
DateWashington, DC 20003
(202) 546-5006
Lavagna
Category:
Italian
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill/Southeast
Minneapolis, MN 55410
(612) 276-5061
Naviya's Thai Brasserie
Category:
Thai
Neighborhood: Linden Hills
Minneapolis, MN 55416
(612) 886-2484
Wakame Sushi & Asian Bistro
Categories:
Sushi Bars,
Asian Fusion
Neighborhood: Uptown
We had great service. Very attentive and helpful. I hope that's typical. I'm sure it was at least partly because our friends do eat there so often. Still, it's good to know that this place recognizes regulars and treats them well.
To start, we ordered two salads - spicy crab salad and seasoned squid salad. Both were very good, but I liked the squid better.
I'm not a sushi connoisseur. I like it. But I can't look at a menu and figure out what's going to be good. But our friends are. So I left it up to them to order.
My wife does not like sushi. She ordered the spicy miso sea bass. It was a beautiful piece of fish and expertly cooked. She didn't want the rice or mashed potatoes that came with it. She asked for extra vegetables. The vegetables she got were mushrooms and zucchini. I thought they were very good. She also liked them, but she thought it was just what comes with the dish anyway.
So back to the sushi. Our friends ordered three rolls and four orders of nigiri. That seemed to be the right amount for the three of us. I thought everything was very good. Unlike some other Yelp reviewers, the fish in our selections was very fresh and tender. The rolls were creative and very good.
Our friends urged us to join them sometime for happy hour, which is supposed to be a great bargain. Based on our experience for dinner, we probably will take them up on their offer.
Minneapolis, MN 55410
(612) 424-8338
Pizzeria Lola
Category:
Pizza
Neighborhood: Southwest
Our daughter and her family recently moved to Lola's neighborhood. We met them there to give it a try. It was fun going with them because with four of us, we could try a variety of things. (My son-in-law is a chef, so it was kind of like research for him.)
We split two salads. My wife and I had the mixed greens. Verdict = good but nothing out of the ordinary. Our daughter and her husband split the Caesar. That looked more distinctive, especially with hearts of palm and a soft egg.
Then we split three pizzas among the four of us. We had the Iowan, the Forager, and the Xerxes. I thought the Iowan was fairly ordinary - Prosciutto, ricotta, mozzarella, roasted garlic. If you like mushrooms, you'll like the Forager - seasonal mushrooms sauteed and served with truffle cheese and a drizzle of truffle oil. It was very woodsy.
My personal favorite was the Xerxes (clever name for a Greek pizza considering Lola's address). I thought all the flavors blended well together - feta, sauteed spinach, mozzarella, Kalamata olives, and toasted almonds. The almonds were an especially interesting addition.
So three pizzas among four adults, and my daughter took about a half of a pizza home. Not bad.
My son-in-law said the pizza crust was particularly good. I agree, pretty similar to what we make at home. The wood oven is very impressive.
There's a lot of buzz about the house-made soft service ice cream served with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkles of fleur de sel. My son-in-law had to try it. I thought the olive oil and salt gave it kind of a caramel flavor. Good. Unusual. But I probably wouldn't order it for myself.
Minneapolis, MN 55410
(612) 285-7444
Arezzo Ristorante
Category:
Italian
Neighborhood: Southwest
Listed in: Minneapolis Italian, Twin Cities Special Occasion…, 50th & France
Saint Paul, MN 55102
(651) 224-5606
Forepaugh's
Category:
American (New)
Neighborhood: West Seventh
I had the steak. It was nicely prepared and generous in size. But it was overly seasoned with a very salty seasoning that left an unpleasant aftertaste.
Several people had walleye and they liked it. At least one person spoke well of the vegetarian selection. But honestly, neither one looked that impressive to me.
One of the attractions of Forepaughs is the Victorian decor. On past visits, our server told the story of the ghost. Especially for groups, that adds to the experience of dining there. But this time, the service was efficient but not particularly friendly, and no ghost story.
Can't say I'd drive across town to dine here again.
Someone at the other end of the table ordered 6 or 7 appetizers. They were good. For dinner, my wife and I split the Braziliana salad; we both were delighted by it. For my meal, I had a half order of the lamb meatballs with pasta, mint pesto and pine nuts. I thought it was very good. My wife had Alaskan halibut.
Around the table everyone seemed to be pleased with the food. The ambiance is very comfortable, and the decor is rustic.
Some of the other Yelpers criticize Bacio for not having a thoroughly authentic Italian menu. I accept their critique, but for me, it's not a negative. I think this restaurant has a very good sense of what its clientele wants, and they do a good job of delivering it with panache.
I'm a fan.
Listed in: Minneapolis Italian
Edina, MN 55424
(952) 358-2588
Raku Japanese Restaurant
Categories:
Japanese,
Sushi Bars,
Beer, Wine & Spirits
My wife and I had a very enjoyable dinner at Raku earlier this year. The service was a little spotty, so my first review was favorable but not a rave. But we liked the lunch menu, so agreed to give it another try.
After today's visit, I moved Raku into the 5-star, 'rave' category. My wife had the bento box - $10. It started with a cup of soup and a small salad. When the box arrived, we had to ask - "This is only $10?" Our server assured us it was.
OK, so we're not big eaters. If the bento isn't big enough to satisfy you for $10, the regular lunch menu will stuff you for $16. Choice of soup or salad, appetizer (like a sushi roll), and entree.
For me, I went for the sushi lunch special. I got three rolls for $12.
Our server was great. He was attentive but didn't hover. He had helpful suggestions. He was friendly.
The only thing puzzling about the whole experience was the overall lack of other diners.
Fellow Yelpers. Don't let this gem whither on the vine. Eat at Raku!
Listed in: 50th & France
1 Previous Review:
-
1/16/2011
I probably should give Raku 4 stars. On our Saturday night first experience, we loved the bartender, enjoyed a great cocktail, had good food, and enjoyed the energy and ambiance. Unfortunately, poor service can detract from all those things, and that's the experience we had.
Our server was unreliable, inattentive, and unhelpful. Sure, it was a busy night. But my wife and I deserved personal attention as much as any of the other diners that evening. Other reviewers have commented on the extensive menu. Since I don't eat sushi often, I could have used some help. I asked about the list of evening specials, but got a perfunctory, unhelpful response.
I ended up getting a Raku Sushi Entree off the regular menu. It was very good. It also was very large. It could have easily been split between two people.
Not to dwell on the negatives, here are some of the things we liked.
1. The bar. They have a great selection of specialty cocktails. We had a sake-tini made with a muddled slice of cucumber. Delicious.
2. The bartender. He made a real show of mixing our cocktails. Fun to watch, very entertaining.
3. The sake. Raku offers sake flights - 3 different samples at 3 different price points. I chose the middle one ($12). Not being a regular sake drinker, it was fun to sip and taste the differences between them.
4. The food. My wife had the seafood soup and two pieces of shrimp tempura. Very good (especially the tempura). I already commented on my sushi. I liked it.
5. The promise. When we were looking at the menu, we noticed that Raku has a fixed price luncheon menu - soup or salad, appetizer, and entree for $16. We definitely will be back to try that someday.
Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 486-5800
Nick and Eddie
Categories:
American (New),
Lounges,
Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhood: Loring Park
They were out of many items on the menu. At 8 p.m. on a Saturday? Really?
The food we had was good. But there are lots of good places to eat right on Loring Park. So why go back?
I had the opportunity to do that in early April. I brought a group of 11 people. I had made a reservation just a few days before. When I arrived and checked in at the hostess stand, I heard the words that every diner dreads, "I'm sorry sir. We don't have a reservation for you."
Aha! I whipped out my iPhone, pulled up the e-mail confirming the reservation and showed it smugly to the hostess.
"Sir," came the reply. "This reservation is for tomorrow night." Doh! How in the world would I find another restaurant that could accommodate 11 people at 8 PM. without a reservation?
The sympathetic hostess said, "Hold on a minute. Let me see what we can do."
Well, it took 20 minutes, but somehow, she was able to put together a table for 11 people.
Now, I would have upgraded my review to 5 stars based on customer service alone. But the appreciative comments I got from my guests about the food and the ambiance just added to my opinion of the place.
Thank you Cuba Libre for saving the day for me and my group. Here's your 5 stars. You earned 'em!
1 Previous Review:
-
1/12/2011
Went to Cuba Libre for lunch with a coworker; her choice. I think the decor is a matter of taste. Some reviewers are turned off by the effort to simulate a Cuban street scene. Of course, I've never been to Cuba, so I can't really say how authentic it is. But I actually kinda liked the ambiance. It might have had something to do with the fact that it's winter, so the idea of really eating al fresco is totally impractical. This was the next best thing.
Again, some reviewers fault Cuba Libre for lack of authentic Cuban cooking. Matter of taste. I was kinda intrigued by the Caribbean flavors with Asian influences. My coworker and I had the Cuban Bento Box lunch special. I loved the ceviche item. The salad (chicken with lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and topped with crispy wonton strips (again the Asian accent)) was good but not memorable. I really liked the 'entree' item - a small serving of braised short rib with sauteed onions and peppers on black beans and rice - was very tasty.
We didn't have anything to drink at our lunch. But I was pretty impressed by the cocktail menu and selection of rums. I think it would be fun to come to Cuba Libre with a group of people, order a bunch of ceviches and small plates, and enjoy cocktails.
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Review votes:
57 Useful, 8 Funny, and 24 Cool
Minneapolis, MN
Yelping SinceDecember 2009
Things I LoveGood food, good wine, good drinks, travel, family, cooking
Find Me InMy kitchen
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...I'm working, cooking, or blogging
Why You Should Read My ReviewsI travel a lot for work, so you'll see reviews from many different cities
My Second Favorite Website
This is a casual restaurant, and I probably wouldn't host a business dinner here. But I'd definitely come back for dinner with friends.