Zelo (MN) – Good Food with Great Service

Posted on April 10, 2014 by jfoodeats

We enjoyed a group dinner at Zelo this week. Located on the corner of Nicollet and 9^th, the restaurant is an eclectically decorated combination of woods and leathers, accented by vivid artwork on the walls. On a busy mid-week evening it was bustling but the noise level allowed for conversation at our table. Of special note was our server, who was outstanding. She explained many of the choices and was spot on during the entire evening.

The food was very good, but there was nothing I would rush back for and there were some misses.

We began the evening with a few shared appetizers. The “calamari fritti” was accompanied by lemon aioli and gremolata. These were the most disappointing of the appetizers. I was impressed when they were delivered as there were plenty of heads, which I prefer, but the coating was very flour-y, very unpleasant to the taste. They were slightly overcooked. The “ahi tuna spring rolls” are filled with somen noodles and served with a touch of soy wasabi. This was my favorite of the three. It was a spring roll interpretation of a tuna-avocado roll, with the seaweed replaced with rice paper. The flavors were excellent and they were crispy on the exterior. I was excited about the “caramelized brussels sprouts,” but these too were flat. Served with Ames farm and topped with honey toasted almonds, I was expecting a sweet and crispy presentation. They tried on both counts but came close, but did not hit the mark on either.

For my entrée, the server recommended the “pesto crusted sea bass” served with mashed potatoes, crispy onions, nestled in a swath of Thai chili beurre blanc. This falls into the vertical food category. A mound of potatoes is topped with a large 8-10 oz. filet, topped with pesto and then finally topped with the crispy onions. The potatoes were very good, just a touch of wasabi to give a little spice. The filet was excellent, crispy skin adorned the moist and delightfully flavorful fish and the pesto (not crusted as described) added a great balance with its earthiness. The crispy onions were stale and cold and should have remained in the kitchen. The Thai chili beurre blanc was a little butter with no spice, where was the Thai chili? But I did like the dish, and it would have been excellent if the beurre blanc and the onions were better.

For dessert I ordered the “Bananas Foster Bread Pudding.” This is better described as Banana Foster and bread pudding. They were two distinct desserts sharing a plate. That being said, it was delicious. The bread pudding was moist and flavorful (although it would have benefited from a little more cinnamon) and the bananas foster delivered that sweet-pungent combination from the bananas and the liquor. It was served with a scoop of sweet vanilla ice cream.

Overall I was pleased with Zelo. It has excellent service and décor and very good food.

Vincent A Restaurant (MSP) – Outstanding Burger

Posted on April 10, 2014 by jfoodeats

At my last visit to Vincent’s over four years ago I was not impressed with the Vincent Burger. But four years later I am glad I returned because the burger I recently ate was one of the best burgers I have eaten in the Twin Cities.

To start my lunch I ordered a Caesar salad. It was a standard salad with lettuce, croutons, a single anchovy filet on top plus an interesting addition, diced tomato, all topped with a sprinkling of grated cheese. It was lightly dressed and good, not great nor memorable.

But I was interested to either confirm my previous impression of the hamburger or enjoy what others have told me is one of the best. I was both excited and cautiously optimistic when it was placed in front of me. The Vincent burger is a unique combination…a double-patty of ground beef is wrapped around braised short rib and smoked Gouda cheese; served on a brioche bun; it is a haut cuisine version of a Jucy Lucy. It arrives open faced with French fries. The burger patty was on one side of the bun that contained a thin layer of “special sauce” and the other half is topped with lettuce, tomato and raw onion. The ground beef was perfectly seasoned with just a touch of salt. The Gouda was melted and delivered a creaminess to the burger and then the short rib textures and flavors kicked in. This elevated the Vincent Burger from excellent to incredible. The brioche added a little butteriness to the presentation and the sauce gave a few sour background notes. The burger was incredibly delicious. The fries were not in the same league. They were tasteless, cool and bland, more than likely came from a big frozen bag, deep fried and added to the lunch plates.

Overall, the Vincent Burger is an outstanding combination of flavors and textures and ranks as one of the best in Minneapolis.

Porter & Frye (MSP) – Bad College Meal Redux

Posted on April 8, 2014 by jfoodeats

A quick lunch at Porter and Frye was incredibly disappointing. Our group arrived at 12:15, there were two people at the bar and several tables occupied and there was not one single employee in sight. A guest at one of the tables was looking for her server, or any human, but none. I walked into the hallway to the Ivy, none. I walked back to my group and told them I would check the kitchen. As I approached the swinging doors, a server exited empty handed followed by a second server a few seconds later. If there were close options we would have left.

I ordered the Frye Burger medium-rare. This included an 8-ounce ground chuck patty, with an over-easy egg, cheddar, bacon on a potato roll. The burger was incredibly disappointing. The meat was more a 6-oz patty, vastly overcooked, beyond well done, flavorless and hard. The egg was cooked perfectly but then slathered in salt and the bacon added more salt. The roll was uneventful. The sweet potato fries were tasteless but salted very well.

Service was slim. Two college students were left to their own devices, no manager, no guidance. One takes the order, one delivers the food. They brought one teacup full of ketchup for four people eating burgers and sandwiches, all with fries. When we asked for more, “oh yeah.”

Overall my burger lunch was less than diner quality food served by a couple of college kids.

Volta (STM) – Pretty Good Gelato

Posted on April 8, 2014 by jfoodeats

Over the last few weeks, I visited Volta for a quick dessert after meals at FISH and Barrique. The food was great at dinner and we were looking for a sweet ending.

Volta offers three sizes priced at $4.00/5.50/7.00. Compared to other ice cream and gelato stores, this is a little pricey for the size and quality. I ordered a medium each time and chose two flavors per. The banana is sweet and flavorful and the chocolate has a good deep flavor. The Stracciatella delivered a good vanilla flavor but I was not thrilled with the chocolate. The Nutella was my favorite with a great hazelnut flavor.

The texture was good, not as smooth as I would have wanted. Volta is a good gelato store, but second to Gelatissimo in New Canaan.

Sweet Sabrina’s Cake Shop (Norwalk) – Looks Can Be Deceiving

Posted on April 6, 2014 by jfoodeats

There has been a lot of positive reviews on the web for this newest addition to Norwalk, so as I hunt for places for http://www.ctbites.com, I thought I would check out the hype. Unfortunately after two visits, the taste just does not live up to the looks. The pastries are all beautifully prepared, great designs, lovely presentations, but the taste and textures left a lot to be desired.

On each of my two visits I sampled a regular and a chocolate croissant. The first time they were very dry and very bland, no buttery richness. On the second visit the same blandness was present but the outer layers of dough were light and airy but unfortunately the center was undercooked and mushy. I was also not fond of the chocolate, missing that deep chocolaty goodness of a great croissant. The banana pastry was beautiful to the eye, but the texture was gummy and the flavor was not to my liking. Real disappointment.

As much as I wanted to like this place, it did not live up to my hopes.

Wild Rice (Norwalk) – Lots of Very Good Lunch Specials

Posted on April 4, 2014 by jfoodeats

Wild Rice is located off Exit 39A of the Merritt just south of the Stop & Shop / Bob’s / Total Wine strip mall on Main Ave. in Norwalk. This stand-alone building has decent parking and the interior is comfortable and pleasant. With my office just up the street, Wild Rice lends itself easily for a mid-day decompression with a well-priced selection of lunch specials.

During the summer months I normally order the Lunch Sushi. Included in this option is a bowl of Miso soup, five pieces of sushi and a roll. The miso soup is mild and very pleasant. The sushi has a rotating selection and the roll is almost always a California roll. For slightly more than $10, it is a good deal.

When I am looking for a larger, yet lighter cooked selection I order the Beef Negimaki Lunch Bento Box. This option allows for a choice of soup (miso, hot & sour, egg drop or wonton) and I normally opt for the Hot & Sour. The soup has a good balance of spicy and sour notes. In addition to the Negimaki the bento box contains three pieces of California roll, two pork dumplings (shumai) and a small salad. The combination of flavors from the hoisin sauce on the Negimaki, the spicy and sour soup, the wasabi added to the rolls and the sauce on the shumai are excellent together. This is normally priced within $1 of the sushi.

For a heavier lunch, the General Tso’s Chicken is a good choice. I again start with the Hot & Sour and choose the fried rice to go with the deep fried chicken pieces. Again, the combination of the spicy and sour soup and the super sweet chicken are a good mid-day pick me up. I drink lots of tea when I order this combination to offset the mid-afternoon sugar rush. This selection is priced at less than $10…this is the best deal in town for Chinese food.

I keep looking for another Chinese restaurant in the area that offer lunch specials in a relaxing environment, but have yet to find one that is comparable to Wild Rice.

Breakfast @Valencia Luncheria (Norwalk) – Delicious

Posted on April 4, 2014 by jfoodeats

I was feeling in a rut with my regular old bacon, egg and cheese on a roll and my back-up go-to breakfast spot closed a few months ago. I needed some eggs, I needed some cheese, and I needed some spice. I sent an email to my buddies over at www.ctbites.com and they had a simple answer…Valencia Luncheria.

After many visits and some great lunches at Valencia, it was a little strange entering the restaurant so early in the morning. Instead of the hustle and bustle of the lunch crowd devouring empanadas and arepas, a few patrons were working their way through eggs, pancakes, French toasts and omelets. I looked up at the menu on the wall, but not focused on my normal Empanadas or specials. I was there for breakfast, wanted something delicious and needed to focus on a different part of the huge menu. I worked my way past the omelets, past the eggs and omelets and past the egg sandwiches and eventually found “Tortilla Wraps.” Fortunately Chef Michael Young has created several outstanding combinations from a basic “Baliadas,” an egg, cheese and black beans to the one I chose, the “Red Smitty,” with eggs, cheese, chipotle and chorizo.

The Red Smitty was fantastic. The flour tortilla was filled with moist scrambled eggs, smothered with melted cheese. This alone would have made for a good breakfast tortilla, but then the chipotle and chorizo kicked in. These ingredients elevated the tortilla from good to fantastic. It will be hard going back to a simple BEC sandwich.

If this combination is not for you, there are several others like the “Egg Wrap” with chorizo, cheese, black beans, onion and jalapeño peppers or the “Veggie Wrap” with avocado, cheese, mushrooms, onions and tomato.

As I was leaving, a stack of muffins caught my eye, the Dulche de Leche muffins. These were delicious as well, dense texture and the muffin was the perfect balance for the sweet and delightful leche.

Primary Food & Drink – Brunch Service Starts This Weekend

Posted on April 3, 2014 by jfoodeats

A few weeks ago I reviewed Primary Food over at www.ctbites.com after an outstanding array of incredibly creative dishes. At that time I heard they were introducing Sunday Brunch starting in April…and the menu looks incredible with Chef Merlin Verrier continues to place his spin on traditional recipes.

You can start the meal with a Bloody Mary, or in the case of Primary, a couple of Oyster Shooters, served in a bloody mary shot. One of my favorites from the dinner menu, the Beef Tartare is also available, plus a Potato Gnocchi with Mexican chorizo and green onions. For light meal, choose the one of a kind Deconstructed Caesar with the parmesan fluff stuffed twinkie crouton.

Brunch always includes egg dishes and Primary has several very different and unique options. The Asparagus Omelet includes goat cheese and fine herbs and served with mixed greens and potato hash; or experience a visit south of the border with the Huevos Rancheros that is served with Mexican chorizo, black beans, cilantro crema and corn tortillas. With Passover just around the corner pair the Smoked Salmon with potato latkes, pickled onions, cream cheese and a little dill for a trip to the Lower East Side. And lastly why not sample the eggs and hash with potatoes and Brussels sprouts, and this is no ordinary hash, Chef Merlin uses duck confit.

The ‘tweenie menu choices include a traditional Biscuit and Gravy; a Steak & Eggs; Pancakes with caramelized bananas and walnut crumb and Lobster Benedict served with has avocado and tomato on an English muffin.

Those who arrive with a heartier appetite can feast on an Ahi Tuna with tat soi, pickled daikon, cucumber noodles and soy caramel, Fish N’ Chips with fried pickles and Kennebec fries, or the Primary Burger (I see one of those in my future) with griddled onions and secret sauce on a toasted bun. And what Fairfield County brunch could exist without the current local favorite, Chicken and Waffles with honey granules, and dandelion greens.

Sit in the front bar area under the Fab Four or in the rear leather and wood decorated dining area. I am looking forward to another great meal at Primary and sample some of these new recipes from Chef Merlin Verrier.

A Re-Visit to Eclectic (New Canaan)

Posted on April 3, 2014 by jfoodeats

During its opening week I visited Eclectic and sampled some of their creative sandwiches and posted my thoughts on www.ctbites.com. I thought it was finally time for a return visit.

When I entered the Eclectic at 1140 there was one other patron ordering a sandwich while the kitchen was in full swing filling what appeared to be a fairly large take-away order. Since I ordered a soup, quiche and salad and enjoyed each on my first visit, I decided to order the “Eclectic Cheese Steak.” This sandwich is described as “shredded choice steak, sautéed mushrooms and onions, Havarti cheese, scallions, honey ham, sweet and spicy pepper aioli, served on butter and grilled NY style toast.” That’s a lot of ingredients for a sandwich but I was still curious to see how it came together.

I thought the combination worked excellently and there was a lot of great flavors. The beef was moist and tender and the melted Havarti gave that good balanced beef / cheese flavor. The scallions added a little pungency and crunchiness and was very different from the hundreds of other steak & cheese sandwiches I have eaten. The bigger, and most pleasant, surprise was the pepper aioli, which brought a good little kick, and in combination with the ham added a little sweetness. The grilled (actually griddled) bread was first slathered with salted butter and crisped to a golden brown. Every sandwich tastes better with buttered-grilled bread and this was no exception. Overall, I was impressed.

The interior is still very stark in design and decor, it is a diner / sandwich shop, not a restaurant. It appears they are targeting the high school and local employee versus the ladies’ lunch crowd. My other comment on my initial visit was the heaviness of each of the choices. They seems to be addressing slightly with a few salads, plus they now offer a wrap in addition to the of battered-griddle bread. The design your own salad also gives the guest a lighter option.

Eclectic is a good addition to the sandwich shops in New Canaan, four now, nicely spaced between the two east-west corners of downtown.

A Test Drive of Plated.com

Posted on April 1, 2014 by jfoodeats

Let’s see, pick up the kids at 230, soccer practice at 245, pick them up at 445, drop them off at the Y for swim lessons and return at 600. Community service starts at 730 and I have to give them dinner…what to do? Sound familiar. Balancing our kids’ schedules with preparing a healthy dinner is a difficult task.

Plated is a new service in Fairfield County, designed for the family that has limited time to shop but would like to prepare its own meals. It delivers pre-measured ingredients plus the recipe to prep and cook a specific entrée plus side dish. The ordering process is simple, log into the site, www.plated.com and look through the options. There are limited choices, 2 meats, 2 fish and 3 vegetarian. This is the first drawback. In addition I noticed that one or more of the items were already “Sold Out.” Each entrée costs $15 and is designed to feed two adults. I ordered the Salmon with creamed Pan Roasted Salmon with Creamy Pearl Onions and Peas (660 calories) plus an order of Shepard’s Pie (550 calories).

The box was left on my front porch and when I opened it, I was impressed with the packaging. The food was well wrapped and two ice packs kept everything very chilled. The protein was packed separately from the other ingredients. The vegetables were all washed and the seasonings were individually packed. A four-color recipe card was included.

Shepherd’s Pie – The total time from start to finish was probably 45 minutes. The prep work is much more involved than the salmon, but still very straightforward. Boil the three potatoes, add the heavy cream and butter and mash until smooth. In the meantime, peel and dice an onion, the parsnip and the carrot. Then you sauté the meat, add the vegetables, cook, add the broths and reduce. You finish by topping the mixture with the mashed potatoes and place under a broiler to brown.

Result – We really liked this dish. It was full of rich flavors and the parsnips and carrots added a sweetness to the sauce. The seasoning of the beef was delicious and the potatoes added a creamy touch. Likewise, there was plenty of food for two hungry adults.

Salmon – Recipe was very straightforward and can probably be completed in under 20 minutes. The only required prep work was (1) zesting the lemon (b) cutting the lemon in half and (c) de-leafing and finely chopping the fresh spices. Cooking the creamy pearl onions was a snap, place in a pot, add the onions, brown, deglaze with the white wine, add the heavy cream and reduce. The salmon is seasoned with the zest and chopped spices and pan roasted for 7-8 minutes. Add a squeeze of lemon and serve with the enclosed ciabatta roll.

Result – We did not like this dish. The seasoning on the fish was excellent and I will use this combination in the future, the recommended 7-8 minute cooking time was much too long. The salmon was vastly overcook. I did not like the onions and peas at all. The flavors were off and not enjoyable. This is not a dish nor a recipe I would recommend. Again, the portions were generous, two six-ounce filets and plenty of onions and peas.

Conclusion:

Positives:

If your goal is to cook a home cooked meal without looking for a recipe or shopping, this is a good alternative;
The Shepherd’s Pie was delicious;
Recipes included photos as well as verbiage to guide the prep and cooking.

Negatives:

The menu only offers entrées with a side; salads, appetizers, soups or desserts and not offered;
The entrée selections are, themselves, limited on the site and can quickly sell out;
Following the recipe exactly may result in less than perfect results;
Each of the two dishes I ordered contained heavy cream and butter, and both dishes were panned fried;
We did not like the salmon. The recipe called for pre-heating the oven to 425-degrees to reheat a ciabatta roll, not sure that was necessary;

This is not an eco-friendly solution, there are lots of throw away mini plastic containers.

Jfood Eats

Eating and Enjoying

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