Rack Shack BBQ Review

For months I have been looking forward to going to Rack Shack BBQ in Burnsville, MN.  I have been following them on Facebook and Twitter since they opened.  They have made my mouth water with posts of Brisket Blue Burger, ribs, their sauce and even the road trip to Tennessee for a larger smoker. It was great to see a small local restaurant get national television attention when they appeared on Man vs Food on the Travel Channel. 

I finally had the opportunity to visit for lunch last Friday; I must admit it was because I was once again tempted by a Twitter message from @RackShackBBQ about the Brisket Blue Burger.  I was so excited to try a place I had been following that I invited my parents with me to share the experience.

Dad ordered beans as a side to his meal. He said they were good.

I noticed they post about the Brisket Blue Burger quite a bit, so I figured it would be the menu item to have and that is what I ordered.  The gal that was taking the order and cashiering asked in a very confused tone, "So you want just a brisket bacon burger with blue cheese dressing on it?" I told her, I didn't see it on the menu board on the wall but it is talked about on Facebook and Twitter all the time, heck it was even posted within 30 minutes of my arrival on Twitter once again.  She told me, [insert sigh] "I don't know what that is, but ok."  REALLY? Wow! I was shocked. I had heard the cheesy mac was also good so I had that as one of my sides. She seemed annoyed as my parents ordered.  My mom mentioned she wanted to try the New Orleans Ghost Chili BBQ sauce on the side of her turkey sandwich.  That was $1.56 extra. Our bill for lunch was about $45.

We found a table, it was dirty.  I understand it was the lunch hour, but there should be someone responsible for making sure the tables were clean.  Mom went to ask the not so friendly cashier for a wet towel; she told my mom she would come clean it off. By the time mom returned I had taken a napkin to the fountain pop area and wet it using some water.  Mom told me the gal was coming to wash it I looked up and saw a line of at least 8 people.  My question was "When?" It wasn't until we were half way through our meal did she appear with a squirt bottle and rag to clean the table.  What was she going to do, make us lift up are food and clean the table at that point.  I told her I already wiped the table, "You did?" she said puzzled once again. "With what?"  Simple: I took a napkin, got it wet, wiped the table and threw away the napkin.  She went back behind the counter.

Brisket Blue Burger, fries and cheesy mac

When my  Brisket Blue Burger, fries and cheesy mac arrived I was excited to finally try what I had reading about for months.  Presentation-wise the meal had a BBQ feel. The mac n' cheese bowl had a cover when it arrived, as did the beans. I tried the burger with no additional sauces, I was disappointed.  It was very dry and over cooked; the only flavor I could taste was the bacon and blue cheese. Any brisket I have ever had has been juicy and full of flavor.  I was hoping the juiciness of the brisket would translate into the burger, it didn't.  I decided to cut up the burger and test out some of the sauces.  I started with the New Orleans Ghost Chili BBQ sauce because my mom commented that it wasn't hot and tasted like chili powder; she was right! It was not worth paying the extra money for. Then I tried the other flavors available at the tables for no charge. I enjoyed all of the flavors they offered, they range from a sweet & sticky mild sauce (Georgia Sticky) to bold and hod (Houston Oil Fire). My favorite was the Kansas City Spice and the Houston Oil Fire.  I would give Rack Shack kudos on their sauces, with the exception of the New Orleans Ghost Chili. 

I did discover the blue cheese was actually blue cheese dressing.

The cheesy mac is described as "We threw the box away on this one. Gooey, creamy, cheesy, & crunchy goodness" It lived up to it's "Gooey, creamy, cheesy" description.  The was a bread crumb topping, but it didn't add a lot of the "crunchy", most likely because it came covered.  I enjoyed the cheesy mac, however I was surprised to find peppers, perhaps jalapeno, in the bottom of it. I am not sure they were supposed to be in there, however if it is an ingredient it should be listed.  I don't think it would appeal to kids or people who do not like spice. 

Unfortunately, Rack Shack did not live up to my expectations.  I also found it interesting that even though I mentioned them in my Twitter posts I did not have any response from them about the experience. I want to see local businesses succeed, unfortunately bad service one of the main reasons customers will not come back.

Rack Shack BBQ
2925 Cliff Road East 
Burnsville, MN 55337
(952) 736-3004

Rainbow Chinese Restaurant and Bar

Last night I had the opportunity to experience Rainbow Chinese Restaurant and Bar in the Whittier Neighborhood of Minneapolis for the first time.  I found out the area is called "Eat Street" because there are approximately 40 local restaurants in the area of a very eclectic nature.  Rainbow Chinese is owned by chef Tammy Wong, she is not only involved within the Whittier Neighborhood, but also can be found at the local farmer's markets giving teaching demonstrations.

I met the Minnesota Food Bloggers in a spacious room on the second floor of the restaurant.  I immediately thought the space would be great for a party. 
The drink of choice for many bloggers was the Ginger Mojito.  It was made with muddled mint, club soda, rum, ginger syrup, and fresh pieces of ginger as a garnish in the drink.  If you are fan of ginger this is a must try. 

Marian Biehn, Executive Director of the Whittier Alliance, spoke to us about the neighborhood, its' gardens and restaurant.

Tammy Wong presented the dishes for the evening.  Dishes included ingredients from local gardens.  Fried Spring Rolls, which she taught us to wrap in a lettuce leaf  with various mint and basil grown in local gardens before dipping them into the sauce. 


Fried rice with asparagus and anchovies; I am not a fan of anchovies so they definitely stood out in the dish for me, but you can never go wrong with asparagus. 
















Next on the table was probably my favorite dish of the evening, Sesame Noodles with Peanut.  This dish was popular with a lot of guests. 

Tofu is a menu item not a lot of people try. I think it has got a bad wrap.  Tammy's staff prepared a lightly breaded fried tofu.





Our final dinner dish was the Szechuan Wontons (pork and shrimp) in a black bean sauce with green onions.  I am not a fan of seafood, but the combination of pork and shrimp did not have the shrimp taste (at least in the two pieces I ate.) The black bean sauce had a slight sweetness with a hint of spice from pepper flakes.






Tammy also took time to explain all of the herbs and vegetables on the table. On thing I learned was how to eat pea shoots after you take of your peas.  Tammy told us you only eat the top part of it.

We finished the evening off with Coconut Tapioca with a fresh rhubarb sauce. 





Outside they have comfortable sidewalk seating.
Free Parking in the lot next to the restaurant and on the street after 6:00pm

New Menus at The Inn

The Inn in Minneapolis launch the new drink menu this week with seven new cocktails.

The Norwegian Sunset  
A Virgin No More 
Carthusian Swede 
Irish Lassie 
What's Under Your Kilt 
Compass Rose #1 
Diego Vega

I have tried four of the seven and none of them disappoint.  I cannot pick a favorite because they are all uniquely different in flavors. 

• Carthusian Swede - This bubbly cocktail includes the aromatic flavor of Thyme.
• Irish Lassie - It's made with Jameson Irish Whiskey (that should tell you it is great), but Jesse adds in Aperol, Cocchi Americano, Orange Mist and Bolivar Bitters to make this Irish cocktail that isn't just for St. Patty's.
  
• Compass Rose #1 - Gin, Elderflower and a house made Blood Orange cordial are just a few of the flavors in the Compass Rose #1. You will also enjoy a spritz of Rosewater and grapefruit bitters.  This drink screams Summer.
  
• Diego Vega - Every flavor presents itself in this drink and compliments the other ingredients. Mezcal tequila, blackberries, balsamic vinegar and ginger are all flavors you will pick up when you pick up this cocktail. It is one of the few drinks served with ice at The Inn.
  

In addition to the cocktails, Chef Tyge Nelson also has changed the dinner menu.  My parents tried the Brandade (a shrimp with saffron type croquet) and loved it.  We all enjoyed the Flatbread (Potato, caramelized onion, Fontina cheese, and mushrooms); I loved the combination of flavors. Tyge also whipped up a few batches tradition bar fare by creating pork rinds.  They were a bit salty, but that is nothing a good cocktail or beer couldn't wash down.

Nick & Eddie (Minneapolis, MN)

I met my friend Michael at Nick & Eddie for brunch this morning.  He and I have been planning a visit since my birthday in September.  Finally! Two busy schedules were able to connect for brunch. 

Michael has raved about the Bloody Mary's--his rave was spot on! After enjoying a cup of coffee I switched to the house made Bloody Mary.

The Sunday brunch menu made it almost impossible to choose, but I had three people recommend the Creole Benedict - ($9) so I chose it.  It had a poached egg with andouille sausage, and creole hollandaise on an English muffin.  I will be back to try other brunch menu items.

1612 Harmon Place, Mpls MN 55403
612.486.5800
http://www.nickandeddie.com

The Inn (Minneapolis, MN)

Grass Fed Burger with Foie Gras Mousse and a Fried Egg

The Inn has become one of my favorite places to go downtown Minneapolis.  I must admit I am a little bias because one of my favorite mixologist, Jesse Held, can be found behind the bar and he was the reason I first went to The Inn.  Not only do I enjoy the flavorful unique cocktails poured, but I found a menu of freshly created dishes that are not only pleasing to the eye, but also to the palette.

The Inn is  located a few blocks from the Minneapolis Convention Center but you will not find a sign lit up in neon and bright lights, you will find a small space tucked between a parking lot and a wig shop.  This unassuming location is perfect for a night out weather you are on your own or with friends.

While The Inn has an extensive wine and beer list, I go there for the cocktails. Don't waste your time or even think about saying "I'll have a Vodka Cranberry or Gin and Tonic", you can make those at home. So what do I recommend when people ask me what I recommend to drink when I visit The Inn.  I always say "I recommend sitting at the bar and talking with the bartenders about what they can make to please your palette." I tell them that the guys behind the bar (especially Jesse & Tim because I know them best) are genius when it comes to flavor combinations and cocktails. Do you like Sweet? Savory? Bourbon? Citrus? Spicy? Gin? Just let them know and I promise they will come up with a drink that suits your palette and you won't ever find at a bar where they person behind the bar is flipping bottles to distract you from the fact that he or she is going to serve you a drink that can be duplicated at any of their other chain locations. 

Among my favorite dishes are the decadent Grass Fed Burger with Foie Gras Mousse and a Fried Egg, Crispy Potato Dumplings, Cured Meats, Chicken Wings and Roasted Peppers. The portion sizes make them perfect for a single person or couple.  

As a single gal, I enjoy sitting at the bar because it is more comfortable and enjoyable. I also learn about mixing drinks and different types of liquors from the bartenders. Also, don't be surprised if a little sample of something tasty from the kitchen arrives in front of you to try, the chef occasionally whips up something that is not on the menu and shares it with guests.

When you do go and sit at the bar tell Jesse and Tim that Kelly sent you and I promise you a good time with great drinks!

Contact Information:

The Inn 

The Inn Restaurant and Bar
89 10th Street South
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: 612.886.2377 

Hours:

Monday - Wednesday 5:00 p.m to 10:00 p.m
Thursday - Saturday 5:00 p.m to 12:00 a.m
Sunday Closed

Parking: Adjacent pay lots, metered street parking.

 

Vacation at Caribe

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Tropical Juice (Pineapple) Mimosa

Today I decided I needed my long overdue vacation. Yes the sun is shining, but the temperature is about 21 degrees. Without the need to dig out my passport I headed to St. Paul, MN to try Caribe.

I arrived and walked through the swinging doors that separate the boring white and gray outside to the bright colors of the Caribbean inside. The colors were not the only thing to greet me; I was greeted by Sharone. I chose a seat by the window to soak up a bit of sunshine.
I started with a coffee as I perused the brunch menu. The Sweet Potato Pancakes kept calling my name. Of course the artichoke omlet sounded good too. I went with the Sweet Potato Pancakes.

For brunch they have a bottomless orange juice mimosa.  Also, they make a tropical juice mimosa (this one is not bottomless) I couldn't pass up the tropical juice of the day mimosa, it was pineapple. I am on vacation and it was wonderful!

The pancakes were wonderful. They had great flavors and were light. They were topped with a papaya rum compote, whipped cream and candied pecans. The three cakes were just the right amount. No additional sides accompanied them, the are not needed.

As my vacation ends I am satisfied with my brief stay. I will vacation here again, I see there is a house made sangria that I will have to try.

Thank you to owners Tony and Heidi and their staff for a wonderful mini-vacation!

Check out their website at www.caribemn.com

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