Kings Wine Bar

Kings Wine Bar is a small restaurant in the Kingfield neighborhood of Minneapolis (hence the name). I’d been meaning to try it since it’s been open, but my dinner partner Dave and I weren’t able to coordinate our schedules until a couple weeks ago.

The space is well-decorated. It’s modern, but cozy, and the staff makes you feel extremely welcome. The room just has a great vibe, and I can’t wait to go there again.

Dave and I were in a wine mood (and it is a wine bar, although they have a good beer selection as well), so we split a bottle of shiraz. We were debating between two bottles priced at $18 and $33 each, but the bartender steered us toward the less expensive bottle. It was priced that way because they got a great deal on it, not because of the quality, and we were extremely pleased with the wine.

Instead of ordering entrees, we ordered three appetizers: the Beet Napoleon, the Goat Cheese Fritter, and the Seared Sea Scallops. The napoleon was beautifully presented and tasty. The fritter was a ball of soft, creamy goat cheese with a flaky outside, and it melted in my mouth.

The scallops really deserve their own paragraph. We each took a bite of the scallops and immediately exclaimed, “Wow!” I found out from the bartender that they are flown in from Coastal Seafoods daily (so get there early before they run out). I’ve had scallops on the coast before, and I didn’t think that I’d ever have fresher, more tasty scallops, but this dish proved me wrong. They were perfectly seared and bursting with flavor. If you want a dish that will change your life (assuming you like seafood, of course), order the scallops. I’m still salivating as I think about them.

For dessert, the bartender (who had been a great food/drink guide for the evening) recommended the cream puffs. They were light and delicious, and a perfect way to end the meal.

Novel Handbags

Shoes are the gateway drug of the accessory world, at least for me. I love shoes, and always will, but I’m starting to branch out into jewelry, scarves (to Tim’s chagrin), and handbags.

Feeding my addiction is my friend Beth’s awesome store, Novel Handbags. She generously gave me two sample bags (which I’ll be modeling at Podcast-a-Palooza and all over Vegas in October). Not only are they beautifully crafted, but they fit my personality and style. The handbags are made out of books and coordinated with fabrics and handles.

(In addition to being extremely talented, Beth is an all-around good person and I honestly don’t know how I would have made it through the last four and a half years at work without her.)

The first bag is from a book called Meat. The book is red and features a set of gold-embossed carving tools on the front cover. The handles are a fantastic retro tortoiseshell, and the fabric inside is a colorful pattern of drink glasses, olives, and cheeses. To give you an idea of its size, the book is 8 1/2 inches long, 5 1/2 inches tall, and 1 1/4 inches wide.

The second bag is from a book called Cocktails and After Dinner Drinks (35 classy cocktail recipes from vodka to champagne to tipsy desserts). The cover is black, with shades of red, teal, magenta, and gold, so it goes with pretty much everything I own. It has a fun dotted print on the inside and black bamboo handles. The book is 7 1/2 inches long, 5 inches tall, and 2 inches wide.

Besides being the perfect topics, the fabric from the Meat book is from England (Beth found a great deal on eBay), and the Cocktails book is also from there (the price on the back is £9.99).

I absolutely adore these bags and I am happy every time I look at them. Beth has several bags for sale on her site, but if you have a particular book in mind, she also takes custom orders. If you are browsing in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, her handbags are available for sale at Truly in White Bear Lake and at Patina in St. Paul.

Having a Shocker

Snow Patrol

State Theater, Minneapolis, 9/10/2009

As lead singer Gary Lightbody explained during one of the night’s many sound snafus, “having a shocker” is when you have good intentions but things turn out badly. For example, you’re approaching the girl of your dreams and suddenly you forget how to speak. to him and the rest of the band, the night was “having a shocker” but I still had a lot of fun.

The show was originally scheduled for Myth, the nightclub in Maplewood, but it was moved to the State due to Myth being closed because of ownership shenanigans. We (actually Tim) had exchanged our general admission tickets and ended up in row E on the right side of the stage.

We got to the theater a little after 7:30, but decided to grab a quick drink at Hell’s Kitchen because the opening act was the Plain White T’s and I have a restraining order against “Hey There Delilah.” I heard from some people in our row that they were actually pretty good.

Side note on Hell’s Kitchen: I love it as a brunch or dinner spot, but it really isn’t my go-to bar for a quick drink anymore. This was Tim’s first visit there since it had changed over from Rossi’s, and he was not impressed. I believe the phrase he used was “hipster Applebee’s.” While their menu is much more adventurous than your average chain, the vibe is completely different from the previous space. Rossi’s was much more refined– it was dark and subdued, the servers wore white coats, and I never saw anyone under 21 there. HK is much brighter in decor, the servers wear t-shirts (or pajamas on weekends) and have many more piercings, and it has more of a family vibe. We did get some free scotch samples from a guy working for The Naked Grouse, so that was nice.

We went back to the theater and took our seats about 15 minutes before the band started. Gary’s guitar went a bit wonky and they had to switch the set around for songs that didn’t require his guitar. The band was a little rattled but they handled it well, making jokes as they tried to keep the set moving. They were very complimentary to their guitar techs and sound crew, making sure to point out that the crew was trying hard to make the show go on, when it would have been really easy to blame someone. The adversity and the band’s good attitude made the crowd pull for the band even more. I only hope they got all the kinks worked out before they opened for U2 in two days.

The set was a nice mixture of classics and songs from the new album “A Hundred Million Suns.” The set didn’t have a lot of momentum because the band had to stop songs or take long pauses between songs due to the technical difficulties, but it was still an enjoyable evening. When they were in the midst of each song, and everything worked, and there were no distractions, there were some great moments.

Bradstreet Crafthouse Restaurant

Kristen and I hadn’t met up in far too long, and we wanted to try a new venue, so we chose Bradstreet in the Graves 601 Hotel in downtown Minneapolis.

There were three seating areas. One was a row of tables and booths in the restaurant area, one was around the kitchen, and one was at the bar. We chose the bar, because we wanted to learn more about the way the drinks were made.

I had heard that they take their mixology very seriously, and do they ever. They had a row of medicine droppers and vials along the back of the bar, and the vials contained specially blended bitters. The row of bottles was unlike any other I’d seen. I recognized a few familiar names (Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray), and many uncommon ones that I would soon come to love (hello, St. Germain liqueur).

I started with a Pimm’s Cup (Pimms #1, Lime, Tanqueray Gin, Mint, Cucumber, Strawberry), while Kristen opted for the Juliet & Romeo (Plymouth, Lime, Mint, Cucumber, Rose Water).  The drinks were fresh and aromatic. To drink at Bradstreet is an experience, from the way the bartenders mix the cocktails, to the visually pleasing presentation, to the unique smells and tastes of the cocktails. They have elevated mixology to an art form.

They are generous with the samples, too. One of the bartenders was creating a new drink for fall, and we tested it for him. It was delicious and whiskey-based — smoky and spicy with a creamy finish, even though there was no cream in the drink. Kristen said it tasted like the smell of the air when people are burning leaves.

For our next round, Kristen got the Black Walnut Old Fashioned (Bulleit Bourbon, Demerara Syrup, Nux Alpina Black Walnut Liqueur, House Orange Bitters), while I had the Son of a Preacher (a bunch of tasty stuff topped with absinthe). Both drinks were served in old fashioned glasses, with a giant sphere of ice in the middle. The large piece of ice serves two purposes: 1. For us to spin really fast while the bartenders finish making the rest of the drinks and 2. It melts more slowly, so it keeps the drink cool without watering it down.

For food, we had the Spicy Marcona Almonds with paprika, the crab cakes with honey fillo, and the spicy lamb sliders. Everything was delicately prepared and delicious. The almonds were a great starter and very flavorful. The crab cakes were seared to form the slightest crispy crust on the outside, and the honey fillo complemented the crab perfectly. The lamb sliders were incredible, and so were the fries and house-made ketchup.

We finished with dessert drinks. I was all set to order the Cooper’s Union (made with my new favorite St. Germain liqueur, which tastes like lychee), when the bartender stopped me and said he’d make me something else. The result was one of the most amazing drinks I’ve ever had in my life. He called it the Girls Can Tell (after an album by Spoon), and it contained strawberry, grapefruit, St. Germain, bitters, special bitters, and club soda. It was fresh and complex and herby and fruity and wonderful. And the cool thing is, if he were to make it again, it would turn out slightly different, so it was like lightning in a bottle (only much more tasty and less life-threatening).

We chatted briefly with a woman from Chicago. She ordered Amstel Lights because she had a presentation to give in the morning. We asked the bartenders if anyone ever came in and ordered rum and Coke. They said people did, but often they hear it’s the best rum and Coke the customer has ever had. They use small bottles of Coke, which tastes different (and better) than Coke from a can or gun.

The evening went far too quickly, even though we were there for five and a half hours. This is my new favorite bar and I can’t wait to return (especially if Ethan and Birk are working).

Smashburger

About a month ago, I picked up a copy of Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine’s burger issue. They had several different burger categories, but Smashburger won the “Thin Burger” category and had the highest overall score.

Smashburger opened a store in Roseville in Har Mar Mall on August 19th, and because it was only a five-minute drive from our house, Tim and I thought we’d investigate. And are we ever glad we did.

We went around 4:15, and there was no line. By the time we left, the line stretched halfway through the restaurant. We ordered at the register. They gave us our beer and a number, and we found a booth to sit in. Our food was delivered a few minutes later. I took pictures to capture the moment, then we dove in and experienced meat ecstasy.

I ordered the Smashburger 1/3 Pound Burger and Smash Fries:

Tim ordered the Twin Cities Smashburger and Smash Fries:

Things I love about Smashburger:

• The burgers are delicious. I just tried to eat my monitor as I was uploading the photos. They are juicy, but not greasy. I’m not sure what’s in the smash sauce on the 1/3 pound burger, but I want more of it. The burger is a little messy, but not enough to be bothersome, and the bun is sturdy enough to make it through most of the meal. The vegetable toppings are fresh and crisp.
• The fries are phenomenal. They are flavored with rosemary, olive oil, garlic, and herbs. I could not stop eating them even though I was slightly full from the burger.
• The booths are long, so you can fit at least three people on each side.
• The burgers come in 1/3 lb. and 1/2 lb. choices, depending on the amount of meat you want.
• The prices are very reasonable ($4.99 for a burger, $1.79 for fries, and $2.99 for beer). I’ve paid much more for burgers that weren’t half as flavorful.
• The service was friendly.
• They serve beer, and I was very pleased to see that they had Summit represented.

Things I do not love about Smashburger:

I need to increase the amount of time I’m working out because I’m going to be stopping here often. While their milkshakes did not bring me to their yard, they looked extremely tempting.

Donny Dirk’s Zombie Den

Last night, Tim called out from the other room, “Have you heard of the new zombie bar?” The Star Tribune had an article about Donny Dirk’s Zombie Den, and I eagerly devoured every word like brains. A repeating theme, in addition to zombies, was the Vegasy vibe.

I had to check this place out. As luck would have it, I had planned to get together with a couple friends at another establishment, but after e-mailing them with a list of reasons, we changed the venue (and a need for the diehard Vikings fan in our group to drown her sorrows over The Favre Incident).

I got lost on the way (note: do not confuse 2nd St NE with 2nd St N), but after a minor detour, I arrived at the bar. It was dimly lit, except when the outside door would open and occasionally splash everyone with sunshine. It smelled of fresh paint and carpet, and it looked fabulous. A mirrored disco ball pattern lined the wall, and the floor was covered in a tiger carpet pattern.

I ordered the Donny Dirk, which is like a Brandy Alexander with chocolate ($6).

I also tried a cherry champagne cocktail ($5).

The champagne cocktails come in other flavors, including peach, aromatic, and rhubarb (which I also got to sample, and it was quite refreshing).

Donny Dirk’s does not serve food (although they have a fine snack mix available in ashtray-sized portions), but you can use a red phone to order from the menu at Psycho Suzi’s nearby.

The drinks were reasonably priced and tasty. They had a huge selection of beer, wine, and liquor. One option is to mix your own beverage (for $9), and they’ll keep it on file for you. I was tempted to pull out some Diamond Lounge favorites, but not without a layer of food to absorb it first.

The service was outstanding. We sat in a booth, and our waitress was very attentive and pleasant. She reminded me (both in dress and in the high quality of service) of the waitresses at the Peppermill in Vegas.

One of my friends, who is a major zombie aficionado, suggested that they add more zombie items to the decor, like a Winchester over the bar. We did notice a glass-encased chainsaw on the way out (“break glass in case of zombie attack”), and the bartenders were dressed like Shaun of the Dead, and they had zombie movies (with boobs!) playing on the flat-screen TVs at each end of the bar.

A fun place, and I hope to visit again soon.

Random Stuff from a Few Weeks Ago

Sweeney’s

On the Fourth of July, we decided we wanted to go out for dinner. Many of our attempts were foiled, because a lot of restaurants were closed. I wasn’t sure if this was normally the case or if a lot of them made that choice because of the economy, although a lot more people were staying in town this year. We drove around to a few different places before deciding on Sweeney’s in St. Paul. We weren’t settling at all because they always have good food and beverages. We ordered the fried pickles with ranch dressing, and we indulged in their 50 cent tacos, one of the best dining deals around. The tacos have a crisp shell and are filled with ground beef, lettuce, tomato, and cheese. They have a little bit of a kick to them (but not too much for a wimp like me), and they’re cheaper than Taco Bell, and you can get tasty adult beverages to accompany them. They have a wide selection of Three Olives vodka, which is a bonus.

No Doubt/Paramore/Bedouin Caravan

My friend Sarah won tickets to see No Doubt and Paramore on Sunday 7/5, and she was kind enough to invite me along.

Xcel Energy Center only had tickets on the club level and lower (including general admission on the floor), and it was only about 2/3 full.

We were surprised to see a third band on the bill, because I hadn’t seen them mentioned in any of the reviews until the day of the show. Bedouin Caravan was fine. You could tell they had been to Jamaica a few times and really loved Bob Marley.

Paramore had a ton of energy. They performed a solid set, although the pauses between songs seemed just a tiny bit too long. They had an extremely acrobatic bass player performing backflips, with their lead singer running back and forth onstage. They sounded really good and had a mature stage presence as if they’d been performing for a long time.

No Doubt was outstanding. I can’t believe Gwen Stefani has those kind of abs, especially after having two kids. (I have no such excuse.) The set was all white and very futuristic looking. The band was great, performing all their catchy hits and showing colorful videos on the giant screens. They sounded fantastic and the show was visually entertaining. It was a fun excuse to shake our collective groove things and the band seemed to be enjoying themselves too.

American Burger Bar

We met at American Burger Bar before the concert. I tried their version of the Juicy Lucy. It’s called the Klucy and is made of Kobe beef. Not only did it have cheese on the inside, but it was covered with cheese on the outside. It was delicious, but it had too much cheese– so rich I couldn’t finish it. I also had a delicious Surly Furious and sweet potato fries. Still my favorite place to go for dinner, drinks, or both before a concert at Xcel Energy Center.

Fountains of Wayne/Jon Auer

Tim and I took in a rare Fountains of Wayne acoustic show at Cedar Cultural Center.

There were several really young children in the audience, including a toddler about three rows ahead of us. Fortunately the kid was better behaved than the drunk guys at the last show I attended at the Cedar, but it’s a lot to expect of a kid that age to sit still for three hours. His mom ended up taking him outside halfway through both the opening and main sets.

Jon Auer from the Posies opened, and was very entertaining. He used up a lot of his set time with banter, but he was a good storyteller so I didn’t mind. He performed some new material which was quite good, and an amazing cover of Swingin’ Party. He also swore a lot, which made me wonder if the young ones picked up some new words to use at daycare.

Fountains of Wayne was excellent. I’m excited to see them in a more rocking venue in the future. They made everyone stand up for the last two songs before the encore, and the place definitely had more of a club feel. They delivered a solid list of songs, and everything worked acoustically because the melodies were so strong, even though I love the production on their albums. They performed a hilarious version of “Stacy’s Mom” with Chris playing guitar and singing lead, and Adam playing piano and echoing the lines Chris sang. I left the show with a tremendous amount of respect for them as performers and storytellers and songwriters. It’s amazing what a rich catalogue they have, and while love songs are wonderful, they go so much farther beyond that in their material.

Heavenly Soles, R.I.P.

I am sad to report that after 14 years of business, Heavenly Soles on Lake Street is closing. They were a victim of the economy and the construction on Lake Street that took months longer to complete than the city anticipated.

Their remaining merchandise is 50% off, so stop in while you can for shoes and gifts. They are located in the same building as Hair Police, so I would always stop there before haircuts to browse, and I would rarely walk out empty-handed. They had a great selection of footwear, but I was always drawn to the gift section. Previous purchases include my “What Would Bacon Do?” spinner, zombie finger puppets, and slang flash cards. I picked up some magnets and a lovely cocktail book on my most recent visit, and I’m sorrowful that it was my last.

Hell’s Kitchen Happy Hour

My friend Dave and I were looking for something off the beaten path before a show at Target Center. We decided Hell’s Kitchen was the way to go (and the band we were seeing also has a black and red design theme). Also, they’re one of the few places who have a happy hour 7 days a week. I had been there for brunch many times, but this was my first dinner/happy hour experience.

The bar wasn’t open until 5:30, so we opted to sit in the main restaurant area. There was no wait, but the restaurant was doing a decent business and was about 3/4 full.

To start, we ordered the sweet potato fries with chipotle mayo sauce ($3). They were lightly salted, and the dipping sauce was delicious. I only wish there had been a little more of it, because we exhausted the supply. The fries were delightful on their own, though.

We each had a mini turkey & brie on baguette with chips ($5). I didn’t have the chips (they looked like standard tortilla chips and didn’t come with any dipping sauce, although I’m sure salsa was available for an extra charge). But the sandwich was divine, and a little larger than I expected, so it was very filling.

We had a little more room in our stomachs, so we ordered the garlic-teriyaki wings with bleu cheese dressing and celery ($4) to ensure we wouldn’t be starving during the show. I could only eat two wings, but they were just the right amount of saucy and crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside.

I should have written down the beverages we ordered, along with the ingredients, because they don’t have that information posted online. Here’s the best I can do from memory:

We each ordered a Tequila Mockingbird (tequila, sour, and grenadine). It was beautifully presented, with the grenadine on the bottom. I didn’t do the greatest job of mixing mine up, so sometimes I’d get a mouthful of tequila, and at other times I’d get a taste of grenadine. I like tequila, so I’m not complaining…

We then split two drinks. The first was called a something Fosse, and it was a martini with ginger-infused vodka and basil, with a giant basil leaf floating in the middle. It had a complex and refreshing flavor, with a little pepper kick at the end. For dessert, we had a peanut butter martini, which looked like chocolate milk with chopped nuts inside and chocolate on the rim of the martini glass. A very tasty way to end the meal.

The whole meal cost about $43, not including tip, so it was a steal for fine food and drinks in downtown Minneapolis.

Catching Up

The last couple weeks have been hell at work, so I’ve been too busy curling up in the fetal position at home to write anything. However, I’m hoping the storm has passed and we can get back to regular summer fun.

Beer

Oh, sweet, sweet nectar. How you taunt me. A couple weeks ago, I arrived home to a refrigerator that looked like this.

This is what the door to heaven looks like

We’ve been enjoying several local and imported varieties. Summit has a lovely four-beer sampler of Extra Pale Ale, Pilsner, Hefeweizen, and Scandia (very Belgian-like) that’s light and perfect for sipping on the deck on a summer evening.

We went to Grumpy’s a couple weeks ago and I had a sampler of four beers served on a paddle.

1. I tried Fatty Boombalatty, a beer from Wisconsin. It was golden, slightly fruity, Belgian-like, with a light finish that had just a hint of hops. Fatty Boombalatty is also what I’ll be calling my butt if I don’t slow down the beer consumption.
2. Next up was Fat Tire (I failed to note the variety, but I think it was the Trippel). It was gold with a hint of amber, and it had a tinge of toffee flavor. It was good, but not as delicious as Fatty, and it didn’t hold up as well with food. However, that wouldn’t stop me from trying their offerings again.
3. I also had a sample of Rush River Bubblejack IPA, even though I’d tried it before. I wanted something hoppy, and I wanted to measure the other things against something familiar. It did not disappoint, and was hoppy and light.
4. Last was Summit Red. It was a deep red color (very pretty), and was slightly hoppy, although not as much as the IPA. It had a slightly fruity taste to it as well.

(Have I mentioned that I can’t wait until I get an iPhone so I can have it with me all the time and take pictures? The shipment is in progress. Some of us were a little slow on the uptake, plus I’m porting my land line so it’s taking a bit of extra time, but as long as it’s here before my next Vegas trip, things will be good. Ahem.)

To accompany my beer, we had the mac & cheese bites (highly, highly recommended), and the Cuban sandwich (not recommended so much… it was a little on the dry side). The sampler was a great deal, and most of the beers were regional (except for Fat Tire, which is out of Colorado), so it was fun to try some local flavor.

Axel’s

We had a let-off-some-steam work happy hour at Axel’s Bonfire on Grand Avenue in St. Paul. I had a drink flavored with Bacardi Dragon Berry, lemonade, and a splash of cranberry juice. It was light and summery. Then I had the delicious French Kiss martini, which I fondly referred to as the never-ending martini. Normally, when you order a martini at Axel’s, they give you a shaker with an extra portion. It’s a great bargain, considering that you get 2 drinks for $9 to $11, and drinks are $2 off during happy hour. However, this shaker contained at least four servings (including the original pour). Not that I’m complaining… I just need to pace myself.

Brasa

In search of more food, we started wandering east on Grand. I mentioned that Brasa had just opened, but I wasn’t sure where it was. Sure enough, it was just a block away and appeared like a pork-flavored beacon on the horizon. Groups of more than four have to order family-style, and the six of us were happy to comply. We got half of a Creole-style Rotisserie Chicken, a half pound of the Slow Roasted Pork, a side of grits and a side of roasted yams with Andouille sausage. We also got complimentary cornbread muffins drizzled in butter. The food was incredible. Surprisingly, I liked the chicken even more than the pork. Both were flavorful and juicy. The sides were outstanding, melt-in-your mouth spoonfuls of delight. The muffins were warm and slightly sweet, with the perfect balance in texture between moist and crumbly. Having recovered from my martini, I ordered a Rush River Amber Unforgiven Ale, which went incredibly well with all of the food. I can’t wait to return. They were busy for a Friday night, but not dauntingly so.

KP Anderson at Acme

We had several events to choose from this weekend. We could have gone to see the New Standards at the jazz festival in Mears Park in downtown St. Paul (where a branch of Barrio has opened…). The Twins were in town, playing the Astros. And KP Anderson (writer for “The Soup,” “Last Comic Standing,” and other shows) was playing Acme Comedy Co. Based on the title in this section, guess what we chose? He was hilarious, and had several funny stories about his wife, his kid, and his parents.

Crafted Together

I went to this craft show in White Bear Lake several weeks ago, and I’ll give it a more extended review in another post. I found several local crafty people whose work is awesome, and I found that downtown White Bear Lake has some fun shops and restaurants worth exploring.