The Lowbrow

The Lowbrow has slowly become my favorite restaurant in the Twin Cities. I've been going there almost every week or so for the past couple months, and if I've been remiss in writing up a review it's because I've been too busy eating their food to write about how good it is. Now, you'll notice I haven't said the Lowbrow is the best restaurant in the Twin Cities, nor that they have the best food or the most exceptional service: They simply have great food, good service, and an exceptional atmosphere that all adds up to the place that has become my first choice almost any time I'm hungry or just want to sit and get a beer. And I have no regrets about that.

I usually come to the Lowbrow for happy hour, since it's pretty great. They have a nice selection of (mostly) local taps for three bucks, similarly priced glasses of wine, and half price nachos which are fantastic and plentiful even if you just get the half-sized portion. I also really love their happy hour for another reason: It's just outside of Uptown (where I live), so it's usually not too crowded, it's never full of hipsters, frat boys, drunk girls, or just plain douches (no offense to Uptown! As I said, I live there and I love it... but you know...), and it's also a nice bike ride so I can trick myself into getting nachos and a couple beers and still think I'm getting some exercise.

My usual routine is to go to Comic Book College on Wednesday afternoon when their new stuff comes out, then take whatever I got over to Lowbrow where I read comics, drink a couple of Fulton Sweet Child of Vines, and usually get some nachos. During happy hour (3pm-5pm weekdays) the nachos are about three bucks, which is the price of a beer. You can also add on beef or pork or order a side of guacamole for an extra charge, but they don't need it. The nachos are pretty much perfect as is, and the salsa it comes with is fantastic... but I do sometimes get meat because meat makes everything better. But forget about the guacamole, since it's not that good. It was kind of bland and overly thick for my tastes. I don't know if they make their own guacamole or buy another brand, but it's the only thing I've ever tried here that was unspectacular.

Sometimes I skip the nachos (or just come for dinner) and get a burger. Their menu says they use "100% grass-fed Minnesota beef," and while that's all well and good, all I know is that they taste fantastic and come perfectly cooked. Anybody who has read my reviews of burger joints before knows that I love my burgers medium rare and rant and rave when a restaurant can't seem to cook a burger properly. The Lowbrow doesn't have this problem, and every burger I've ordered has come perfectly cooked every time. It always shocks me how rare it is to be able to get a burger that isn't... well...  medium rare. And this isn't because some restaurants are afraid of food-born illness, it's just because lots of places don't know how to cook a burger to order, or -- and I don't know if this is better or worse -- just don't care. The Lowbrow cares, and that's one of the main reasons I keep coming back. I also really love their buns, which are soft and tasty and seem freshly baked. It also shocks me how many places get fancy with their buns and use breads that are all but impossible to bite into, but I don't want to start off on another rant...

The burger I get most often is The Fire Breather, which is "chili rubbed with chipotle gouda, sauteed jalapenos, and spicy mayo." If that doesn't sound good to you, you're crazy. And if it does sound good to you, it's actually even better than you think. This would be on my list of the five or so best burgers I've ever had. I've had their other burgers as well, and they're all good because the quality is in the meat and the preparation, but the Fire Breather is definitely my favorite.

However, I've been off cheese lately (in my attempt to last the entire month of July without eating any cheese or drinking any milk), so I've been branching out. I could order the Fire Breather without cheese, of course, but what would be the point? It's sort of like this upcoming Jason Bourne movie starring Jeremy Renner in the lead. I'm sure it will be a good movie, but I'll just rewatch the ones with Matt Damon, thank you very much. Anyway, I've also had their pulled pork sandwich a few times, and it's pretty great, but it's not going to replace something you'd get at a local, dedicated BBQ joint. But it's still a darn good sandwich. Even better is their homemade fish sticks, which is basically just their version of fish and chips. Nobody who doesn't live here would believe me when I say this, but Minneapolis has somehow become something of a mecca for amazing fish and chips, and these more than stack up to the best I've had here. They are smaller and more "stick like," but the fish itself is fresh and perfectly cooked, and the batter is very light so you can really taste how good the fish is. They come with a fantastic house-made tartar sauce, and the waiter even brought along a bottle of malt vinegar before I could even ask, which is always a sign that a place means business.

Oh, and everything comes with fries, and if I haven't mentioned that already, it's only because I was saving the best for last. Here's all I'll say: fresh, house-cut, and perfect.

And the place is just cool, with a huge mural on the wall that some people might find garish but I think it's awesome. The colors are all muted earth tones, the wall paper and art is kitschy without being annoying, and the bar is topped with hundreds of laminated baseball cards. There's a nice selection of tables and booths, and even some tables out front on the sidewalk if you're into that sort of thing. I usually go for a booth, but I've sat outside when I was with people who wanted to be outside, and while I prefer a patio to sidewalk seating, the sidewalk is wide enough that it wasn't a problem.

So... that's the Lowbrow. Just go check it out already, and if you come on a Wednesday around 4:00 and see a bearded guy in the corner reading a comic book, come say hi.

George and the Dragon Pub

I really wanted to love this place, so I was a little disappointed when I merely liked it a whole lot. But considering the fact that they've only been open two weeks, George and the Dragon Pub is off to a great start and has the potential to turn my strong affection all the way toward true love.

GandD is located on the corner of 50th and Bryant, sandwiched between Patina and the Malt Shop in the location that used to be Black Bird. Forgetting the fire that took down Black Bird and Patina, this is a fantastic location for a restaurant and it's in the middle of a neighborhood that has severely been lacking a great local pub. I'm happy to say that GandD has in just two weeks proven itself to be a very good local pub, bordering on great. If you're looking for a beer, the selection is fantastic, with a range including a few local breweries like Summit, Brau Brothers, and Fulton, and some more distant but still nice breweries like Old Speckled Hen. Personally, I'd choose Bass over Old Speckled Hen, but all in all it's a great selection of beers and the older, bald-headed waiter (sorry!) was clearly knowledgeable and excited to answer any questions or offer recommendations.  He wasn't my waiter, but I enjoyed watching his interactions with the tables around me.

They also have a wine list that looks pretty extensive and well rounded, but I don't know nothing about wines so I can't comment. But my friend did get some wine, and it came in a really neat looking glass, so there's that.

The food menu didn't excite me quite as much as the beer menu, but it didn't let me down either. It seemed to be one of those menus that looks great at first glance, but as you read the descriptions, you start to notice things that just sound weird, with almost every selection having at least one ingredient that just sounds... off. Like the cheeseburger that comes with frizzled leeks. Or the Banh Mi with green beans. And while it is definitely cool to have a menu that combines traditional Irish pub fare like Bangers & Mash with more exotic choices like the aforementioned Banh Mi, it will be interesting to see how it goes over in South Minneapolis... a city where people actually consider something like a Banh Mi to be "exotic."

But enough about the menu: Let's get to the actual review already.

I arrived right at 3:00 on a Wednesday afternoon, since that's when they're happy hour begins. I knew this not because it's posted either on their website or Facebook page, but because I had to email them to ask. Happy hour is from 3-5, Monday-Thursday, offering $3.00 taps and certain discounted glasses of wine. No discounted appetizers, which I found disappointing, but the waitress did offer to bring a different menu just for munchies. First piece of advice for George: Don't have a separate, secret menu for cheaper, smaller plates. Just have a couple discounted apps for Happy Hour.


I started with a glass of the Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA and an order of Onion Rings. The beer was fantastic and the onion rings were exceptional. The rings were big and thickly coated, but still oniony and not greasy at all. They came with a side of some kind of chipotle mayo that was pretty good but not all together amazing. But the onion rings themselves were pretty great and well worth the trip. I mean... if you love onion rings, that is.

I probably could've been satisfied on just the onion rings alone since they were big and plentiful, but I only ate half because I wanted to order something else to make this more than just a review of a plate of onion rings. I really wanted a burger, but the only one that really sounded appealing was the plain version with just tomato and arugula, so I ordered the Banh Mi instead because I wanted to be adventurous and really see what this kitchen can do. Not everybody can make an exceptional burger, but a bad burger is still a burger. A bad Banh Mi, on the other hand, is a disaster.

This one wasn't a disaster, but it wasn't the best I've ever had... but that doesn't mean it wasn't high on the list. The first couple bites were a little off, but then I took the green beans out and it got a whole lot better. I like green beans as much as anybody, but as a side, not as a part of a sandwich. They just are too oddly shaped, awkwardly more crunchy than anything else in the sandwich, and just have a flavor that didn't exactly overpower the other elements on the bread, but it didn't compliment them either. The pork was fantastic with a really nice, interesting flavor, and seemed to be shredded instead of a big chunk which I liked and made it easy to eat. Then there was a nice wasabi mayo, daikon, and pickled carrots. This was a very good sandwich... but take off the green beans.

Unfortunately, the french fries (or "handmade chips") that came on the side left a lot to be desired. They were clearly fresh and hand-chopped, but they just weren't cooked enough so they were soggy and just unappealing. They were thick, which I love, but that just made them all the worse because they seemed limp and flaccid. And I'm talking about french fries here, people! When I go back -- and I will, because bad french fries aside, the place was great -- I'll ask them to make my fries extra crispy. But too be sure, I shouldn't have to do that, since the chef should know already that long, limp, undercooked fries are such a disappointment they can knock a perfect A+ down to a B. Sorry to talk so long about fries, but these had the potential to be just as amazing as the onion rings, but they really fell flat.

About the service I can honestly say that it was both good and bad, since the first server's shift ended midway though the meal so she handed us off to somebody else. I didn't catch anybody's name, but the first young lady was attentive -- but not too attentive, which can be annoying -- helpful, and very friendly. I started out alone just to read and have a beer or two, and she mostly left me alone, coming along only when I wanted her to, which seemed to border on the supernatural. The next guy was fine, but bland and a little too slow and attentive, even forgetting to bring my friend's wine until she asked him about it. But to be fair, when I first arrived there were maybe two other people in the place, but toward the end it was close to filling to capacity, so the difference in service quality had a lot to do with that as well.

I also met the owner Frederico Navarro, who was very friendly and likable. I was reading a comic book, and he came over and asked what it was, then told me he's a big fan of Moebius, so we chatted about him for a bit. I liked the guy and respected his ability to know exactly when to come over and introduce himself, and then when to exit the conversation so he could attend to his job and I could get back to my comic.

So all of this was my long, round about way of saying I really liked my first happy hour / dinner at George and the Dragon, but they still have a bit more work to do before it officially becomes my favorite place to hang out. It's right on my bike route to and from work, so if they ever fix those fries and make the service quality a little more consistent, I'll definitely want to become a regular.

I say... check it out.

Happy Hour: Common Roots

Went to Happy Hour this evening at Common Roots Cafe, a great place to get a locally brewed beer and some great, fresh appetizers and entrees with food supplied from local farmers.

Today I got a new beer called Camo from Lucid Brewing, a place that I was told was a new brewer based in Minnetonka. I actually first tried this a couple days ago, but came back again for more because I thought it was fantastic.

Here's the description from their website:

Description: Our version of Imperial Pale Ale is as drinkable as beers with half its alcohol prowess.  Be careful because at 9% alcohol, this beer will sneak up on you fast!

Lucid CAMO use a combination of the citrus, floral, and pine characteristic from Cascade, Amarillo, Summit, and Centennial hops give this beer a floral hop nose and significant hop flavor. We kept this one as pale as possible and let the hops carry the weight without losing balance. This beer finishes dry and clean creating a refreshing, and very drinkable beer.

Food Pairings:  The intense citrus hop flavor goes great with smoked meats, and spicy dishes.  Pair with a strong blue and cheddar cheeses for appetizers or desserts.

Anyway, I don't know about all that. I just thought it was a really good beer that was crisp with just the right amount of bitterness. Also, it definitely has a high alcohol content because I just had a couple before I felt... happy, if you know what I'm saying. These things will get you drunk.

I paired my beer with their Soft Pretzels, that came as advertised. They were soft, hot, and served alongside a cup of some kind of cheese sauce. They weren't huge, but of a pretty good size and came in a pair.

Lyndale Tap House

The signature item at The Lyndale Tap House is their Pit Beef, which the menu describes as a "Baltimore tradition." Now, I went to college in Baltimore, lived there for about five years, and I've never heard of Pit Beef. I used to eat crabcakes by the ton, and I've cut my fingers more times than I can even remember tearing into some steamed crabs -- all while listening to the music of David Byrne, watching the movies of Barry Levinson and John Waters, and tuning in to every episode of Homicide -- but pit beef? News to me.

Which pisses me off because if the pit beef at Lyndale Tap is even half as "traditional" as they claim, I spent those fives years in Baltimore missing out like a sucker. I can't speak for what you'd find in the city of Baltimore, but the pit beef at Lyndale Tape in Uptown Minneapolis Minnesota is off the hook!

The Lyndale Tape House is located in the building that used to be J.P.'s Bistro, a restaurant that everybody claims was amazing, but I never got around to trying. Why would I go to a place that's right across the street from The Herkimer? I almost never even tried this place, because everytime I'd try, I'd just end up across the street. It actually took me a while to even realize it was a restaurant, because the upstairs houses some chiropractor that has a much bigger sign than this restaurant. They really need to get a bigger sign out from that makes it obvious it's a restaurant. But the sign on the side of the building says "Pit Beef" in big, neon letters, which is what convinced me to finally give it a try. I love beef, cooked in a pit or otherwise.

And, as I said above, the pit beef is awesome. It's... beef... that's cooked in a pit... I guess. It's kind of similar to brisket, though not quite as sweet or as tender, with a really powerful, smokey flavor. The Pit Beef sandwich I got was just the regular, which comes smothered with horseradish sauce and onions. I ordered it rare, which my girlfriend thought was gross and wouldn't eat it, but I thought it was perfect. The fries that accompanied the sandwich were fresh, hand-cut, and fantastic. Already on the table was a house-made hot sauce and malt vinnegar, both of which should already be on every table in the entire world -- even coffee tables.

I'm sure the other food is good too, but I wouldn't know since every time I've gone I've gotten the pit beef, and so has everybody else I'm with. It could be the only thing on the menu and I'd still give the place a rave review.

And since the name is Lyndale Tap House, they'd better have a pretty good selection of taps in the house. I'm happy to say they do, even though I've read many vexing reviews of the place that argue to the contrary. Looking over their menu, I count about 17 beers on tap, which is an especially impressive number considering how they are all very good selections. Also, all of their taps are half price during happy hour. How anybody could complain about a beer selection that offers Rocky's Revenge for three bucks or so is beyond me.

Also, I've always had the same waitress who is very charming and looks just like a young Marisa Tomei. I'm not saying that anybody should go to a restaurant just because one of the waitresses looks like Marisa Tomei, but I am saying that more restaurants should hire waitresses who look like Marisa Tomei. It just seems to make the food taste better.

The highest compliment I can pay Lyndale Tap House is that, even though it's directly across the street from my favorite restaurant, I have still managed to go there on more than one occasion. In fact, I even once meant to go to Herkimer, but actually ended up going to Lyndale Tap. What can I say? It brings me back to my days in Baltimore.

The Herkimer

The Herkimer is probably my favorite restaurant in the Twin Cities.

I've actually been a fan of Herkimer since before I even moved to Minnesota. It was down the street from where my sister Tanya lived, so we'd go there whenever I'd fly in to visit. Herkimer was also the place where my girlfriend Shannon and I spent many of our first dates together. So I have fond memories and a warm spot in my heart for the place. But I'm not a sentimental man, and good memories and nostalgic feelings will only get a restaurant so far. No... I go to Herkimer because the beer is great and the food is fantastic.

I'm a simple man. I like burgers, fries, and beer, all of which Herkimer does as well -- if not better -- than any other place in town. And since we're talking about the Midwest -- which has to be one of the major meat and potato capitals of the world, that places it pretty high up among the best I've ever had anywhere. Their burgers are big, juicy, and varied, including a Cajun burger, mushroom and swiss, and a bunch more. I usually get the "Deluxe Mac," which is basically just a Big Mac but with an actually good patty of meat covered with their own version of special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, etc. It's incredible. I also usually order my burger rare, because for whatever reason that's the only way to get them served medium rare. So if you are as particular as I am, keep that little nitpick in mind.

And if burgers aren't your thing, the menu is a lot more extensive than you'd expect to find at most bars. The fish and chips are also fantastic, as are the "tres tacos," which come with a chicken, beef, and pork tacos. I also recommend the pulled pork sandwich. Their pork isn't quite as flavorful as you'd get in a straight up BBQ joint, but for Minnesotan pulled pork, it ain't bad. I don't know what to recommend if you're a vegetarian. I'm sure they have options, I just have never taken the time to care about any of them. I'm always too busy deciding what kind of burger I want to shove in my face.

Their sweet potato fries have garnered numerous awards and achieved much acclaim here in the Twin Cities... and rightly so, though I prefer normal french fries. The sweet potato fries are fantastic to be sure -- and they come with some kind of special, tangy ketchup that is awesome -- but they are a little too sweet to perfectly compliment a burger, in my humble opinion. Luckily for me, their fries are also fantastic. They are thin cut, no frills, french fries with plenty of flavor and just the right amount of crunch. And they are also cheaper, since they come with most of the entrees while the sweet variety are a couple bucks extra.

And be sure to wash down your meal with one of the fantastic German style lagers brewed on site. The Herkimer isn't just a bar, but a brewpub, where all of their beers are brewed just a few yards from where their food is cooked. One wall is actually a giant window looking in on some giant vats that... do something to brew or store beer, I suppose. I honestly know nothing about the production of beer, other than that the vats at Herkimer look impression and the flavors of their beers are wonderful. They have a rotating selection on tap, but they always have a wide enough selection that you'll be able to find something that suits your tastes. And come between 3 and 6 or 10 and close for 2 for 1s and discounted appetizers.

So... the Herkimer. I apologize if this is one of my more boring reviews, but there isn't much to say about this place beyond "this is good, this is also good, and this is good too..." It's my favorite restaurant and I've yet to meet any other person in Minneapolis who hasn't shared my passion for their great food and excellent beers. The highest praise I can say about this place is that just thinking about their name alone is enough to make me hungry.

The CC Club

Shannon and I went to The CC Club for dinner the other night after much deliberation and discussion. We had been there before for drinks with some friends a while ago and had a dismal experience. Horrible service, a dank, dirty atmosphere, and too many loud, obnoxious drunks. But maybe dinner time would be better? And... it was. But I still don't know if I ever need to go there again.

We walked in a few minutes past 7:00pm and were stopped by a guy sitting at the first booth eating a platter of tacos. He demanded to see our IDs, so he was either a bouncer or just a guy who loves eating tacos and looking at strangers' drivers licenses. Either way, it was a little weird to show an ID just to get into a pub at dinner time. So if you're 20 years old and just want a burger, move along, son. No luck eating here. And then, after were sat down at a booth near the center of the room, a waitress took our drink order and then asked if we were going to be paying by cash or credit. When I said it was going to be credit, she said she would need my card upfront in order to open a tab. Again, this was dinner time. Being forced to open a tab or pay immediately is a policy that makes sense later at night when there are drunk people demanding drinks, but it hardly seems necessary when you're sitting at a table and ordering dinner. But, whatever, that's their policy and it's their right to enforce it.

The drink specials were a few different mediocre taps for 3 bucks a piece, which is pretty much the norm for an Uptown Happy Hour, though their happy hour runs until 11pm most nights which is pretty cool.

I got the chicken tender basket, which came with a generous six pieces of chicken, fries, cole slaw, toast (?), and a choice of either barbecue sauce, honey mustard, or both. Honestly, who's not going to choose both when given that kind of option? The menu boasted that the tenders are the "best in town," and while I probably wouldn't go so far as to say that's accurate, I certainly can't think of any that are better. They were darn good chicken tenders. The fries were good as well, but nothing memorable or all that special. They were just fries. The toast was toast, and I surprised myself by eating both pieces and kind of wanted more. I can't comment on the cole slaw because I don't eat that crap.

Shannon got a patty melt, which was also pretty good as far as these things go. It was a good, greasy burger smushed between two pieces of bread, and smothered with onions and cheese. CC Club is one of those places where the burgers only come with potato chips for some reason, so if you want fries you'll have to pay extra. But at least the chips were quite good. I'm not sure if they were from a bag or home made, but if they were home made I wouldn't be surprised.

Service was perfunctory without being all that good or all that bad. She was there when we needed her and was probably nice enough, but not so nice that I really remember. Shannon did spill half a glass of beer, however, and the waitress was nice enough to bring her a new one free of charge. At least... we think it was free. We never actually got an itemized so that kind of remains a mystery, but I'm pretty sure it was free. Anyway, that tipped the service over the line past perfunctory to actually being good. So there you go.

All things considered, the CC Club has good bar food, but I don't think it compares with the Bulldog which is right across the street, nor does it hold a candle to The Herkimer or the Uptown Bar, all of which have exceptional bar food and much better ambiance. But CC Club is definitely the cheapest of the four, and it is certainly good enough for at least one visit, but I don't feel the need to go back. It's the kind of place I probably wouldn't visit of my own volition, but if a friend wanted to, I'd definitely be up for some chicken tenders and toast. But I'm still not gonna eat the cole slaw.

3 out of 5

The Bulldog

My girlfriend lives right around the corner from The Bulldog, so I always suggest it when we're thinking about what to do for dinner. I suggest it not only because it's so close, but because their bar food is fantastic and they have a ridiculously large selection of beers on tap and in bottles. Shannon usually shoots it down because the service is pretty bad, the space is dark and dingy, and the entire atmosphere is generally unappealing and uncomfortable.

And... we're both right.

Sure, Bulldog isn't going to win any rave reviews for their atmosphere, which most definitely is very dingy (her word for the place, not mine, but there's really no better adjective to describe it). If you wanted to be charitable, you could say the Bulldog is "charming" and and leave it at that, but we all know what that means. It's just a dark, dingy, windowless room with a bunch of high tables lining the walls around the bar. The enclosed patio is a little better, but it's where the smokers go so having actual light is the trade-0ff for the disgusting smell of cigarettes while you eat and drink.

The service is occasionally friendly but usually very slow, but that's ok because at least it's never been rude.

But enough about the atmosphere. Nobody goes to a bar for atmosphere. If you want atmosphere, go to a "restaurant," your royal highness. I go to a bar to drink and eat, and the Bulldog more than delivers. To begin with, their menu is longer and more varied than any bar menu has to be. If you can't find something on their that makes your mouth water, then you don't deserve to eat. Standouts include the amazing Chicago Style Italian Beef Sandwich, the Fish & Chips (you know they're good because there's already malt vinegar on the table), or the extensive selection of hot dogs. But you'll probably just end up getting a hamburger, which is fine because they're awesome. The Bulldog is the kind of restaurant that when you order a burger medium rare, it will actually come medium rare, not well done. (*cough* Herkimer *cough*)

And how can you not love any restaurant that has deviled eggs on their appetizer menu? I've never ordered them, but only because I don't want to risk getting drunk after deviled eggs were the last thing I've eaten. But I'm sure they're very good.

The beer menu is just as long as their food menu, and has a mixture of stuff that sounds fancy and expensive with, you know, stuff I actually order. Happy hour is every day from 3-7 and gets you $1 off taps and bottles. It's not the best happy hour in town, but it's better than nothing and it's long enough to make it worth coming here during dinner time.

At the end of the day, the Bulldog would be just another dingy dive, but they've managed to make themselves standout as something special because of their extensive menu and outstanding food. And to be fair, whenever I do convince Shannon to eat there, she admits that the food is good and the atmosphere isn't that bad. But it would be nice if they, you know, had a window.

4 out of 5