Hour(s) of Happiness – Republic

The beginning of a week = *drumroll*

Time to start thinking about Happy Hour!

My pick for this week is Republic, located on Seven Corners.  Many years ago this area used to be my stomping ground when it included progressive beer night at Grandma’s and at some point in the night, I was sure to get my hands on a Miller Lite for a dime.

Thank God my tastes have matured in both beer and choice of venue.  That said, I still love a bargain and you can find one at Republic, sans sweaty dance floor, bathroom lines and drunk frat boys.  Well, I can’t make any promises on that last one, but I didn’t see any.

Some of the food options on the HH menu include a 1000 Hills hot dog, which is covered in slightly spicy sport peppers, some mustard and some relish.  It includes some fries, too, and they are good fries, all for $5.  Add a tap from their monstrously long list for $3 and you’ve got yourself a Happy Hour!   A 1000 Hills grass fed beef burger is another good option, especially for $6.  The guy sitting next to me at the bar also suggested the spinach dip, which is a mere $4.

My Hour(s) of Happiness included the hot dog & fries and a Boulder Mojo nitro tap.  I’d say there is no false advertising in their Happy Hour because I certainly left a little happier.  Dinner for under $10, some good conversation at the bar and thirst quenched.  Cheers!

Hour(s) of Happiness – King’s

It’s MONDAY!  That means it’s time for the Hours of Happiness special of the week!

This week’s winner is……King’s! 

Now I like King’s for a few reaons.  First of all, I can walk there.  Second, they have a decent wine and beer list.  Third, now that the sun is shining they have outdoor seating and for this girl, once I can be outside for happy hour, I must be outside for happy hour!

Here’s the dealio:

$2.00 off of tap beer and wine by the glass.  If you like to go a little lowbrow on your beer selection once in a while, you can also score a hamburger or veggie burger and a Hamm’s (the beer refreshing), for a mere $7.  This girl cannot, no will not do Hamm’s, but for someone out there, this is a heckuva deal.  I don’t love everything about King’s, but they do serve up a good burger.

One other thing I’ve got to say about King’s:  Tots.  Yes, tots.  If I were going to order for you, you’d have a bowl of tots in front of you with that gruyere & bacon dipping sauce, an additional side of ketchup, and a Fulton Lonely Blond.  Or wait…maybe a Furious.  Either way…you’ll be well-fed and not as thirsty in a few minutes and you won’t have to throw down too many sheckels.  Now that I think about it, I’m a little thirsty now, so what are we waiting for!?  Let’s go!  If you beat me there, save me a seat on the patio~

Salud~

 

P.S.  In other exciting Happy Hour news…did you hear that Edina finally decided to allow Happy Hours for its establishments?  Good news, my friends, good news.  I wonder who will be on board?  Mozza Mia?  Edina Grill?  I, for one, am looking forward to finding out!  Hurrrray for the H.H.!

George and the Dragon

I happen to live in the neighborhood surrounding George and the Dragon.  I happen, in fact, to be very close neighbors to Fred and Stacy Navarro (by close I mean proximity-wise.  My thoughts in no way reflect a relationship with them…I met them for the first time at G&D), co-owners of the new hot spot on 50th & Bryant.   All this means that I get to hear all of the rumblings around the ‘hood.  I usually expect to hear the good, the bad and the ugly when a new place opens, as everyone scrambles to get in the door and check it out for themselves, and then talk about it in the hallways at the elementary school and on the corner at the bus stop.  What I’ve been hearing is that the service is impeccable, the food is delicious, the tap beer selection is superior and somewhere in the conversation, it is almost guaranteed that I also hear “and you have to get the dragon burger.”   The Dragon Burger is a burger topped with pepperjack cheese, chipotle mayo and pickled peppers ($10).  I mean everyone is talking about the Dragon Burger.

My first opportunity to get over there, though, was this afternoon to have lunch with a neighbor.  I thought about ordering The Dragon Burger, but then decided it might be a little too much for lunch and so I put it on hold and instead ordered a salad.  Yeah, I know…a salad.  Well, check this out.  Both of us ordered salads and they were two of the most delicious salads I’ve had in a while.

I went with the Elizabeth.  For $8, it is a field green salad with aged Widmer cheddar, chunks of green apple, and toasted pecans in what they call their “pub vinaigrette”.  The vinaigrette was tossed perfectly throughout the salad.  Not too much, not too little.  Everything was crisp and fresh and perfect for lunch.  My friend ordered the Katherine, which is also a field green salad, topped with sliced sirloin, Amablu cheese crumbles, dried cranberries, parmesan dressing and an onion ring.  Also perfectly tossed so that the dressing isn’t too heavy or too light, the steak cooked to tender perfection, and the onion ring a lovely touch, all for a more than reasonble $12.  We also split an order of the appetizer prezel bread with homemade butter for $3.  It’s a small pretzel bread, perfect to share and ours was served warm, soft, and for bread lovers like myself and my dining companion, it was heavenly.  The butter, and in fact, all of the dairy they are using comes from a dairy out of Montrose, MN, I believe they said.  Anyway…delicious.  All of it.

I knew through word on the street that the beer selection is good and that there are 3 nitrous taps, which I must admit was very tempting, but I passed on the liquid lunch option and instead ordered one of their homemade ginger ales.  Very, very good.

I do a weird thing when I go to places, and what I’m about to say does not imply that my mind cannot be changed either in the positive or the negative, but I like to just “feel the space”.  I’m not sure how else to describe it.  I frequently tell friends and family that I just get a good vibe in some places and not so much in others.  It doesn’t really have anything to do with the food or the service, or anything else tangible.  Its the “feel” of the place, and at George and the Dragon, I liked what I felt.

I’m already planning my second visit and it will include that Dragon Burger and a nitrous tap of Boulder Mojo.  So what if it’s 7.2% A.B.V., I can walk home.  I think George and I are going to be good friends.  Oh, and the Dragon.

Oh, and here’s my Elizabeth salad and a little glimpse of my homemade ginger ale.  It was a beautiful thing, my lunch.  Thanks G&D…see you soon!

P.S.  As a fun challenge, check out the artwork to your right as you step in to the entryway between doors.  Can you find the dragon?

Singing Songs of Praise for Sea Salt Eatery

Sea Salt Eatery down at Minnehaha Falls is nothing new, having been slinging some of the freshest fish in the Twin Cities since around 2006.  That said, each year around this time I start getting excited to get down there and just experience it all again and feel like I’m kicking off my summer.

Tonight I got my chance.  It wasn’t my first attempt, mind you, but the last time I made my way over there the line was, as sometimes is the case, winding out the door and around the path away from the Falls and I just didn’t have the time to fight my way through the madness.  Tonight though, I made it by about 5:15 p.m. and was just ahead of the rush…and I mean just.

As I walked down the path from the parking lot, I could already hear the sounds of a folk singer belting out a tune on the patio, while notes of laughter and conversation floated up to greet  me.  Ah yes…spring in Minneapolis is arriving.   After a short wait in line we ordered up a an appetizer special of crab stuffed avocado with tortilla chips ($7.95), a couple of beers, a fried fish po’ boy ($10.95) and a fried fish basket (also $10.95).  This was enough to feed 2 adults and 2 children and then some, though of course we left room for a little scoop of ice cream.

Out of all of my many trips, tonight was one of the first times I’ve actually sat inside instead of out at one of the wonderful patio tables with the backdrop of the waterfall and the melodies of whatever musician happens to be there that day.  Today, I dined to blaring beats of some early 90’s frat party music as we sat at the big picnic table to the side of the kitchen.  It was actually perfect.  It didn’t take long for one of my dining companions to notice the rows and rows of hot sauce and insist on giving some of them some taste tests.  He’s 6 and let me tell you, he made it through more of them than I did.

The food actually started out on a low note.  The crab stuffed avocado was lifeless and sort of tasteless.  The chips were inconsistent.  Some of them nice and crispy and a little salty and some of them under done which left them with a stale sort of not-quite-crunchy texture.  But, I was here for the fish, and once again, Sea Salt didn’t disappoint.  The fried fish basket was full, and I mean full of lovely, crispy, fantastic fish, a nice scoop of decent coleslaw and a big hunk o’ melon.  Nothing fancy here, folks, but it was fantastic..and it fed me and two kids.  The fried fish po’ boy was so huge it was almost ridiculous, and just as delicious as previous years.  The music?  Well, it was fine by me having been a college student in the ahem, early 90s, and plus, the inside seating was unoccupied enough at the time we were there that it allowed for a 6 and 2 year old dance party.  For a few minutes in my head I replaced the 90s dance tunes with zydeco and I was transported to a little neighborhood shack I once found in New Orleans where the fried fish was plentiful, the beer was flowing and everyone was dancing.  Nuthin’ wrong with that….

When the dance party wound down and all beer, fish and ice cream had been devoured, it ended up being the perfect night for a stroll down to the Falls…with the melodies of that folk singer drifting along with us as we strolled.  Who could not love this place?

Hour(s) of Happiness

It’s that time again, folks!  Monday has rolled around yet again, but this time the sun is actually shining in our fine corner of the world.

With soaring moods from the wonder of a bright day after all of the gloominess of rain and cold, my thoughts drift to outdoor patios and happy hour chit chat over an array of appetizers selected by various palates, as one and all complain about their work day, share tales of the now gone weekend, and the peal of laughter drifts down the waves of the river.  Wait.  River?  Who said anything about a river?   Plus, that was a ridiculously long sentence.  I think I need a drink.  And a river.

Oh, just so happens, I know the perfect place!  Did you know that Wilde Roast recently relocated to larger digs and a trendier, hipper view?  That’s right…Wilde Roast is movin’ on up and we all get to enjoy the perks!

3:30-6:30 Monday thru Friday we all can enjoy half priced tap beer, wine by the glass, and any (yes any!) appetizer.

I’m thinking about ordering the Truffled Tots, The Three Little Pigs (BBQ sliders with stout mustard and sweet chili) and that scrumptious artichoke dip.  Whaddaya think?  Oh wait  Can’t forget the important stuff.   Pull up a chair, order us each a glass of the Lagaria Pinot Grigio and we’ll all toast to summer in Mpls…on the river.  Cheers!

Wilde Roast Cafe

Newly located at:  65 Main Street SE

The Anchor Fish and Chips

I drove home from dinner tonight with a tune in my head.  One that I hadn’t heard on the radio lately, or wait, maybe not ever.  One that I more likely heard at some fraternity party in the early 90s while I swilled beer out of clear plastic party cups and never worried about what I was going to have for dinner.  It was good old Public Enemy and the song that reverberated in my skull was Don’t Believe the Hype.

What could this possibly have to do with fish and chips?  Well, nothing really.  I think what prompted this 1991 flashback was the fact that I have heard people talking about “Anchor” for a year and a half now.  I have had friends tell me that I’ve “just gotta get up there”, “up” referring to “all the way up in Nordeast”, right?  Anyway, I haven’t heard a bad thing about the place, but I just haven’t gone out of my way to get there, I guess…until tonight.

Tonight I made the effort.  I waited in the line that told me this place was gonna be as good as I’d heard.  I waited in a line that promised crispy, delicious, fried fish on a Friday, and well, every other day, I suppose.  I waited, packed in to a hot, shoulder-to-shoulder crowd for what I was sure was going to be a basket of greasy heaven, because truth be told, a well-executed fish fry can be pretty damn good.

So I waited.  And waited.  An elderly woman I made friends with as time slowly ticked past told me that she’d been there recently and waited so long she ended up having to leave, “but”, she assured me, “that time the line was down the block.”  I almost drooled thinking about good this was gonna be.

About 40 minutes later when it was my turn for a chance at slightly salty, crispy, mild deliciousness, I eagerly leapt in to my assigned booth and thanked the heavens that I hadn’t even had time for lunch because I was about to seriously tear up an order of the fish and chips.  I ordered as soon as the server asked me if I wanted a beverage.  No need for delayed gratification here!  Two orders of the fish and chips and 2 Summits, my dining companion and I declared.  I salivated thinking about what was to come.  My fish loving friend threw in a ringer and ordered an appetizer of the curry fries.  I just thought that was unnecessary.  Bring on the fish!

Our fries arrived quickly and with one look at the gelatinous blob of curry gravy slopped on to our fries, I kinda figured I’d take a pass and save my appetite for the real deal to come, but I did try a couple.  The fries were soggy from the curry gravy and honestly, there wasn’t much flavor to the whole unappealing mess.

Thankfully the fish arrived shortly after.  The serving size was plentiful and the outside of the fillets looked crispy and browned, just like I like.  I cut the end off of one of my fillets and tore in to it while they were still scorching hot.  I couldn’t be forced to wait a minute longer.  A burned mouth was something I was willing to sacrifice.

My first couple of bites caused a pause in the action.  It was like time stopped and the buzzing background noise of the small, noisy place faded to grey.  I glanced up at my dinner partner.  “You try yours yet” I asked.  “Yeah” he replied.  No further deets offered.  That’s bad.  That’s very bad.  I was hoping there was something uniquely messed up about mine, but that he’d kindly share his heavenly portion with me.  “Um, what do you think” I asked hesitently.  And then it happened.  “Meh”, was all I heard.  Oh no.  Say it ain’t so!  “Yours kinda bland?” I probed further.  He nodded the affirmative.

Gah!!  It was true.  We’d fought our way through the wait, pressed in like sardines, waiting to dine on what just had to be the best fish in town, only to find that it was not even close.  Not even the $8.95 price tag appeased me or made me feel right about going a little easy on them.  The truth is, I found the breading, though it was crispy on the outside, to be mushy and, well, boring on the inside.  The fish itself was also lacking and left the whole thing just plain old…well, plain!  The tartar sauce, which is an extra .50 charge was also pretty bland and didn’t do anything for the tasteless mess in front of me.  I didn’t end up finishing my order because of it’s overall lack of appeal and that was okay because the pre-teen busboy at the end of my table came around every 2.4 minutes to ask if he could clear our plates, obviously trying to shove more people through the tiny space as quickly as possible.

Now, clearly the wait reflects that a lotta people are hip on this joint.  Clearly the constant chatter about the place 2 1/2 years after they opened means something, but as for me, I’ll be in my car, listening to some Public Enemy on my way to Sea Salt to have some fried fish.

The Cha-Ching:

$8.95 for a large portion of breaded, deep-fried cod and some decent but not fantastic fries.

$4.50 for a Summit

For a little under $15 I got to spend 40 minutes shoulder-to-shoulder with a crowd of other hungry folks and an additional 30 minutes drinking a Summit and wishing I’d gone somewhere else.

Bread & Pickle

I received good news this morning in the form of a fantastic reminder about what quickly became one of my favorite little spots to unwind last year.  Now, shhhhh!  Don’t tell anyone, but Bread & Pickle is pretty much the epitome of one of the things that makes me happy as a lark to be a member of the six-one-two.

I have a bigger secret, and it’s one that makes me hang my head in shame.  I love Starbucks.  I mean, I really, really love Starbucks.  Every stinkin’ morning except for a few here and there, I have made my pilgrimmage to the ‘Bucks for a latte.  Usually a vanilla latte, though I have dabbled with others.  I’m even more ashamed to say that I drive past many fine privately run coffee shops to get one.  I’ve tried to like some others, whose names I won’t mention because what I’m about to say is, I just don’t like them as much.  Whew~  It feels so good to get that off my chest.  I’ve been carrying this shame for three long years!  The point of my confession this morning is this…back to Bread & Pickle…I love, love, LOVE their lattes!  So, on mornings when I have a tad extra leisure time, you can find me there instead of at, ahem, that other place.  There’s one more thing I love about the a.m. at B&P and you can read about it here.  There isn’t a better way to enjoy life in this fine city of ours on a warm, sunny, summer morning than sitting lakeside for a few moments sipping one of their lattes and munching on one of their sammys. Consider it my morning sun salutation.  You should give it a whirl.

Can’t make it in the a.m. for a little java meditation?  Come later for a burger and some perfectly crisp fries.  Other than said lattes, I consider myself a fry foodie.   If I’m going to indulge, they better be good.  Fries should be crisp on the outside, not too greasy, and you should still be able to tell that they were made from a fresh potato on the inside.  They should be soft and full of spud splendor, but don’t forget that “crisp on the outside” part…soggy won’t cut it.  And they should be salted, but not too much.  They shouldn’t be overpowered for the seasoning.  Let the potatoey goodness shine, people…I don’t want a salt lick.  That said, Bread & Pickle has got it down.  Their fries are near perfection and I have been seen sitting on the edge of the wall out front, feet dangling down toward the waters of Lake Harriet, city ducks swirling around me, and partaking in a bag of these beauties.

So, now that the birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, and the sun is (sometimes) shining in the six-one-two, you can enjoy any of the above during the following hours.  Welcome back, B&P…I’ve missed you~

Open M-F 11am-7pm and Sat & Sun 7am-7pm through April 29th. Open 7am-9pm daily starting April 30th

Hour(s) of Happiness

It’s the beginning of a new week, which means it’s time to mention a hidden or not so hidden good happy hour special!

This week I bring to you…<drumroll>….French Meadow Cafe!

Their Hours of Happiness are Monday through Thursday 3-5 p.m.

My favorite pick:  Happy Hour fish tacos ($5), glass of Happy Hour white wine ($3).  Okay, let’s be real…make that Happy Hour white wine x2 ($6), and one of The Chocolate Chip cookies on your way out the door ($2).  If you don’t mind being a slight pain in the ass, ask them to heat it up a little bit.  Warm cookies are so much better.

Anyway, once you try those perfectly crunchy, slightly spicy little fish tacos you will want to write to me, so feel free to save postage and just post all thank yous below.  Seriously.

The cha-ching:  For $13 plus a generous tip for your fine server, you just bought yourself this week’s happiness.  Salud!

P.S.  Did you know that French Meadow Bakery was the first certified organic bakery in the U.S.!?  Neither did I, but their website here told me so.

Saturday Brew Review

As luck would have it, as I was walking out the door yesterday to head over and check out Harriet Brewing, I saw a Facebook notice from South Lyndale Liquors that said anyone interested in beer should swing through after 4 p.m. for a taste of something.  Hmm…it piqued my interest and I had the time so off I went.

Turns out yesterday was the release of Leech Lake Brewing in liquor stores and my friends at SLL had the goods.  I got to taste the Imperial Pale Ale they’ve dubbed 3 Sheets, as well as their Scottish Ale, Loch Leech Monster.

3 Sheets is an easy to drink double IPA, smoothed out by a maltiness that was surprising for the type of beer, which made it even more surprising when I heard that it packs a 10.5% A.B.V. punch, and 100 IBUs!  I would have never guessed it and I now know where they got the title.  This could be a dangerous beer to have stocked in my beer fridge.  Thumbs up.

Loch Leech Monster is more of a traditional Scottish Ale.  I never considered myself a fan of Scottish Ales until I first tasted Scotty Karate by Dark Horse.  I still don’t lean toward Scottish Ales as my regular go-to beer of choice, but once in a while they sure do hit the spot, and Loch Leech is a good one.  Definitely worth trying and after sampling (and purchasing) both, as well as Leech Lake’s Blindside Pale Ale, it makes me damn happy that I’ve got regular access to a cabin not too far from good old Walker, MN.  Rumor has it, Leech Lake Brewing is looking to open a brewery-slash-bar right downtown soon and I’ll be there!

Next up, Harriet Brewing.  Now, I’ve been hearing about Harriet Brewing for a long time now, like this year old mention from Heavy Table.  I’ve had the opportunity to try a few of their beers around town, which I thought were good.  Not fantastic, but good.  Yesterday was the first time, however, that I got a chance to see for myself what all the hoopla is about.   Jason Walker, who wrote that Heavy Table piece last year said that being in the back of the brewery is “like being a guest in (owner) Jason Soward’s house”, and he was dead on.  In fact, my co-drinker and I were discussing how it brought back memories of many different house parties we’d each attended over the years.   With some funky art on the walls, a turntable spinning, some peeps playing some game that involved a hammer and nails and a big tree stump, and the bonus of Home Street Home food truck, you would never notice that you are actually standing in an alley off the corner of Minnehaha Ave and Lake Street.  And the mix of people and opportunity for people watching?  One of the best.  No contest.  In fact, we had fun making up various beginnings of jokes for the rest of the evening that included “A hippie and a pregnant lady walk in to a bar” and “An Amish dude and a Packer fan walk in to a bar…with a baby”.  Both true sightings.  Okay, maybe the guy wasn’t really Amish, but the beard and suspenders said he was.  Anyway…oh yeah….the beer.  We had the West Side IPA and the Divine Oculust Belgian-style Golden Strong.  My Saturday night partner in crime really liked them both.  I wouldn’t say I didn’t like them, but neither one really moved me to want another.  Then again, if a friend called me up tomorrow and asked if I wanted to head over to the brewery, I wouldnt’ say no.  We also didn’t agree on which one we liked best, though truly we’re not comparing apples to apples because they are two different styles of beer.  Overall what do we “like” though?  He picked the Divine and I picked the West Side.

Onward we march.  Now maybe not as straight, but there was more beer to be had on this fine Saturday evening.

Being in the neighborhood, we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to check out what was on tap over at The Blue Nile, and yet another opportunity to make up our own joke.  This one went “An athiest and a drunk homeless dude walk in to a bar…”  and so did we.  Order up!  Ommegang’s Art of Darkness, a sample of New Belgium’s Cocoa Mole’ Ale, and a Surly Furious because I love it.

Art of Darkness is a unique, deliciously drinkable ale.   It’s got some unexpected carbonation to it, paired with a smooth maltiness.  At 8.7% A.B.V., it’s no weakling, but it goes down easy.

You don’t get much more unique than New Belgium’s Cocoa Mole’.  I’m not sure I could drink an entire 12oz pour, which is how they come at The Blue Nile, but the sample was divine.  Unbelievably chocolatey, with a little cinnamon, and some spice that packs a little punch.  I’d share one with a friend, but in my opinion 12oz. of it would take it from divine to my usual description of “that’s too much”.  It’s like loving tiramisu as much as I do, but then eating an entire damn thing instead of one serving.  Wait.  Maybe a bad reference.  I think I could do that….but drink a 12 ouncer of Cocoa Mole?  Nah.

I don’t need to say anything about my Furious, do I?  It’s a love that many of us already share.

This brought me to the end of my Saturday night opportunities for bad jokes and good beer.   With that, I bid a mostly fond adieu with a Cheers to you…be you athiest, Amish, drunk, pregnant or all of the above.

Sun Street Breads

Sun Street Breads and I have a long and storied history, unbeknownst to SSB, though, so that sort of makes me a stalker?

Anyway, Sun Street Breads and I first met a couple of years ago over at the Kingfield Farmers Market.  The Kingfield Sourdough caught my eye, winked at me, and I took it home.  It truly is a delightful sourdough.  I continued to pursue it on the weekends and was never disappointed.

Next, my lovely moved even closer to me with the opening of Sun Street Breads on the corner of 46th & Nicollet.  Of course I had to pay a visit, but feeling like I needed a change, I passed up my sweetheart sourdough and instead purchased a savory scone.  I wasn’t impressed.   Just goes to show you that cheaters never win.  I was a little put off since I had schlepped a 1 year old with me for numerous, screaming and unhappy blocks (her, not me), so when neither of us dug the scone, I gotta admit, I was pissed.  This time I schlepped numerous screaming, unappy blocks (me and her) and in a fantastically  Minnesotan, true Norwegian fashion, I declared that I was sitting shiva.  In fact, I’m pretty sure I shook my fist in the air and yelled “You’re dead to me, Sun Street!  Dead, I say!”

Later that week a good friend went for breakfast and called me from the cafe to tell me that I’d lost my mind and I must give them another chance because the biscuits were “to die!”  I hung up on her.  She repeated this attempt to sway me on 2 more occasions but I was bound and determined not to cave.

I lasted until 2 weeks ago when, in a hurry and starving I drove past Sun Street and realized I had a choice of either trying one of their lunch sammys or going to Subway.  I caved.

Since I was responsible for feeding others, our entire order consisted of a grilled cheese ($7), and 2 Kingfield Gobblers ($9/ea.).  The grilled cheese was exactly as it should be.  Buttery, a little bit crisp, and just the right amount of cheese for a lunch.  The Kingfield Gobblers are a sort of basic turkey sammy.  Nothing special and honestly, I think $9 is a little steep.   However, both sandwiches were good enough that last night I decided I would try them again for dinner.  So much for shiva.  Then again, I am a Minnesota Norwegian, so what do I know about shiva rules?

Turns out I showed up just in time to enjoy the newly released Spring Menu, which you can find out more about here.   Our table shared an order of the Tostones & Mojo ($5).  Now, I’ve had bad tostones, and I’ve had mediocre tostones, but these were delish.  Perfectly crisp, just a little bit salty and the mojo?  I could drink that shizzit.  Now we’re gettin’ somewhere!  Perhaps I was wrong, Sun Street.  Can you ever forgive me?  I’d like to resume our little love affair, especially since I also found that you have Fulton’s Sweet Child O’ Vine on tap.

I also got a chance to try the Shorewich ($12).  Mmm…a lightly crunchy cornmeal outside, and melt-in-your mouth cod on the inside.  Perfectly cooked, slightly peppery from the spiced coating and really, quite good.  Also up, the Phoenix ($10), which is a good vegetarian option.  I didn’t really “get” the charred celery, but it was interesting.  I’ve never seen it anywhere else, so I’m gonna say “nicely done” just for originality.  The toasted baguette was crunchy and chewy and good, though the inside of your mouth will curse you for the evening, which is always the case with those good baguette sandwiches, right?  The walnut spread mixed in with the goat cheese made it hearty and filling and comforting.

I also know a secret which is only a secret if you, like me, refuse to go there and find out the deets, but here ya go anyway….they have fun little buckets of kid’s toys to keep the little ones occupied, they have a decent little kid’s menu, and the servers are fabulous.

I’m happy to say that I’m prepared to resume my relationship with Sun Street.  I’m glad to have you back, my pretty.

The Cha-Ching:

Dinners from around $10-$16

Appetizers around $6

Lunch Sandwiches around $9

My opinion is that lunch options are decent to a little steep, dinner prices are good.