tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33276060065736833912024-03-19T17:57:47.844-05:00Bite and ChewExplorations of eating, drinking and a life that can be fueled thus . . .DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.comBlogger158125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-23730434278728946982014-06-29T20:05:00.001-05:002014-06-29T20:05:26.318-05:00Took a break from LGBT pride to do the Uptown Food Truck festival. Of course, the line is 1/2 a block long for Donut Burgers. #foodies #whywearefat #biteandchew<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img style='max-width:586px;' src='http://scontent-a.cdninstagram.com/hphotos-xaf1/t51.2885-15/10522207_816010548417477_1170162706_n.jpg'/><br/><br /><div>via Instagram http://ift.tt/1vlJUO4</div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-6904516218598525502014-01-16T21:17:00.001-06:002014-01-16T21:17:14.906-06:00Finally bought a proper molcajete and now seasoning it - this workout is no joke! #biteandchew<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img style='max-width:586px;' src='http://distilleryimage1.s3.amazonaws.com/faf1d9da7f2211e3b762129ab8378811_8.jpg'/><br/><br /><div>via Instagram http://ift.tt/K8s3Ka</div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-35436691813036530652014-01-04T14:07:00.001-06:002014-01-04T14:07:08.730-06:00Giving Nico's another try - much improved and the tacos are nice and spicy! Try the Pescado. #biteandchew<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img style='max-width:586px;' src='http://distilleryimage6.s3.amazonaws.com/1b9928da757a11e38215122b6fa72a6e_8.jpg'/><br/><br /><div>via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/iwm4f_GE7t/</div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-9131612213968593482013-12-06T06:17:00.001-06:002013-12-06T06:17:23.292-06:00Drunken noodles and choo chee red curry at Lemongrass Thai. "No view but tasty" in the Chiang Mai night bazaar area. #biteandchew #thaifood #food<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img style='max-width:586px;' src='http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/576eed3a5e6f11e3afcd12e97d8137d8_8.jpg'/><br/><br /><div>via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/hlGT82GE6d/</div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-20882100336814792072013-12-05T08:59:00.001-06:002013-12-05T08:59:30.796-06:00After a day of eating Thai food all day, sometimes you just need a pizza. Great suggestion from TripAdvisor. Street Pizza serves tasty thin crust pies just north of the big Chiang Mai night market. #biteandchew<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img style='max-width:586px;' src='http://distilleryimage9.s3.amazonaws.com/3e7b52145dbb11e3be7b127350eb0e37_8.jpg'/><br/><br /><div>via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/hiyxqBmE3h/</div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-57579142817483731062013-10-29T12:23:00.001-05:002013-10-29T12:23:41.125-05:00So this is what a Neiman Marcus cheeseburger is like #ladieswholunch #biteandchew<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img style='max-width:586px;' src='http://distilleryimage5.s3.amazonaws.com/28c28f3040bc11e3a2a322000ab69b6e_8.jpg'/><br/><br /><div>via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/gDxyOdGE11/</div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-28503420655939957202013-10-13T14:00:00.001-05:002013-10-13T14:00:09.700-05:00Another Sunday, another Bloody Mary. In MN, no BM is complete without a beer back! #biteandchew #brunch #minnesota<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img style='max-width:586px;' src='http://distilleryimage10.s3.amazonaws.com/1dfd07de343111e38c9e22000a9f308e_8.jpg'/><br/><br /><div>via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/farTJKGE2S/</div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-17127211561530290062012-11-03T21:16:00.001-05:002012-11-04T12:36:43.103-06:00Bread Babies<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<img src="http://distilleryimage0.s3.amazonaws.com/0c4dc7dc262511e2ae9122000a1f9aa7_7.jpg" style="max-width: 586px;" /><br />
<br />
<div>
via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/RlyTuDGE0Y/</div>
<br />
Doing a Día de los Muertos Party and they are serving "Bread Babies."<br />
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Babies. That you eat. Yep. </div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-17425432261157957562011-07-12T19:42:00.000-05:002011-07-12T19:42:01.565-05:00In a perfect world, lunch would be thus . . .<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZHyjdJIZN10_JPJKI5UAu0VMyjnLsBVBIswwLQnhgnokV06ni6SUhSiHPFTVqm5s3fbeOJTisYOoRKNQpO_0A1Wr4MWXe-kVf2uqsie4cOM_VTC3UEoCPQU5FuZKZ4CmqO_lXtNole40/s1600/Melon+Ham+and+Salad+at+La+Guerite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZHyjdJIZN10_JPJKI5UAu0VMyjnLsBVBIswwLQnhgnokV06ni6SUhSiHPFTVqm5s3fbeOJTisYOoRKNQpO_0A1Wr4MWXe-kVf2uqsie4cOM_VTC3UEoCPQU5FuZKZ4CmqO_lXtNole40/s320/Melon+Ham+and+Salad+at+La+Guerite.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Perfectly ripe slices of melon gently embracing succulent parma ham doused in port. Pair that with a crudo raw tuna and seaweed salad studded with chopped mangoes and one perfectly fried squash blossom. Oh - and it must be served on a heart-wrenchingly <a href="http://www.laguerite.fr/restaurant-cannes-english.html">picturesque island off the coast of Cannes in the south of France</a>. Too much?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIY0PFeBzTv_Uxw2G6uZ4bjDIexsg3n-Mb3ZCW9SiO7my1SRIFBdnFOdM1R2nCADXqpajbKgqjV_x0UBOtlWQyp1dmYsiy_9aCbwtvOscK_KVETqT5W_17cjnmQpj8gGsZN0nrPJCcV3-/s1600/Isle+La+Guerite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIY0PFeBzTv_Uxw2G6uZ4bjDIexsg3n-Mb3ZCW9SiO7my1SRIFBdnFOdM1R2nCADXqpajbKgqjV_x0UBOtlWQyp1dmYsiy_9aCbwtvOscK_KVETqT5W_17cjnmQpj8gGsZN0nrPJCcV3-/s320/Isle+La+Guerite.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-92184597338725547102011-07-10T21:06:00.005-05:002011-07-10T21:06:00.195-05:00Well, if you must eat scrambled eggs?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5QakQjJz5RJti8CsU2BFp2pjtFi1sbhFXGISccT3NEINoDx9AhaqRkjoIyXxunnjeoL7Mpq7OQu4vFiXjy9IrD9m6S_4Ug1mWhs5zQKlWX0ooOnT5o_p9Vwn7LE8KG3PPmdv7fZs8aTZ/s1600/Scrambled+Eggs+with+Shaved+Truffles+at+Cafe+Barbette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5QakQjJz5RJti8CsU2BFp2pjtFi1sbhFXGISccT3NEINoDx9AhaqRkjoIyXxunnjeoL7Mpq7OQu4vFiXjy9IrD9m6S_4Ug1mWhs5zQKlWX0ooOnT5o_p9Vwn7LE8KG3PPmdv7fZs8aTZ/s320/Scrambled+Eggs+with+Shaved+Truffles+at+Cafe+Barbette.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Scrambled eggs with shaved truffles and a grilled baguette at <a href="http://www.barbette.com/">Barbette</a> - my go-to for weekend brunch in the 'hood. Just what I need to wash down the fresh baked croissant with strawberry preserves.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-80493059483513719312011-07-08T20:59:00.000-05:002011-07-08T20:59:31.059-05:00Chatterbox Pub Bloody Mary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQKf5PuPatnUc4adplbyLnA7T92x_S09LnQOcA6czWCyT-oZzywOj6NKaj2UNnq7T8XOO1u3PIgi0DWt0Vx5sR6XQgk4hfn0JQUZoRs2K-ZgblxeiL5qVKIX-lL5ppH7tyQCtcrf7AY38/s1600/Chatterbox+Bloody+Mary+Feb+13+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQKf5PuPatnUc4adplbyLnA7T92x_S09LnQOcA6czWCyT-oZzywOj6NKaj2UNnq7T8XOO1u3PIgi0DWt0Vx5sR6XQgk4hfn0JQUZoRs2K-ZgblxeiL5qVKIX-lL5ppH7tyQCtcrf7AY38/s320/Chatterbox+Bloody+Mary+Feb+13+2010.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>In February of last year, we decided to stumble into <a href="http://www.chatterboxpub.net/">Chatterbox Pub</a> over in the<a href="http://corcoranneighborhood.org/"> Corcoran neighborhood</a> of Minneapolis for a cold dreary late Saturday afternoon lunch. We eschewed the board games and classic Atari play for some burgers and a towering good Bloody Mary at the bar with an antipasto-plate-on-a-stick shoved in it. Given their BMs are 1/2 off from 2 - 5pm every day, it was a wise choice on our part, I would say.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-63113697096844283472011-07-01T22:04:00.001-05:002011-07-01T22:04:41.007-05:00<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9kJ8tecs65Zkp9J8eRoJefYm7PHevY4QRuXcUxBAvo0Rc8thTw-DwFlR1lH9dFOAZtuQYsr4q3V-SMEzKG889tPpXqvY65y2CXRo4rmefWz96qMTC-As8OJomYR-V2TphDCsdzAVHDsTP/s1600/IMG_7971-781008.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9kJ8tecs65Zkp9J8eRoJefYm7PHevY4QRuXcUxBAvo0Rc8thTw-DwFlR1lH9dFOAZtuQYsr4q3V-SMEzKG889tPpXqvY65y2CXRo4rmefWz96qMTC-As8OJomYR-V2TphDCsdzAVHDsTP/s320/IMG_7971-781008.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624585582142113026" /></a></p>Smoked chicken and grilled romaine with petite peppers<div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-68807908909975246132011-06-27T19:52:00.000-05:002011-06-27T19:52:51.638-05:00Let me show you my pics . . .I find that I'm too busy these days to spend an hour pouring out my heart-felt notions about what I'm eating, cooking or generally craving. This should not be a surprise to anyone given the length between my last several posts.<br />
<br />
J the BF has suggested that I should stick with posting the pictures I take of the food I encounter. If I have the time for occasional commentary, then all the better. Here's a sample of the images I could be posting, if only I remembered what they were.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4JZNAXMNd6epeNyxy0v0pVftYFa7tgBkZvpZxJMQuKvxaDq3AkD-oKPn0myLTkv_-RK_RSFcv36-6AfdwBdodpMVgycdhfcfnNgdGzYkgoMQb3zXjqfiIAH3J9fjZ6Hl052lyVfeaAHL/s1600/Salad+Pie+Cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4JZNAXMNd6epeNyxy0v0pVftYFa7tgBkZvpZxJMQuKvxaDq3AkD-oKPn0myLTkv_-RK_RSFcv36-6AfdwBdodpMVgycdhfcfnNgdGzYkgoMQb3zXjqfiIAH3J9fjZ6Hl052lyVfeaAHL/s320/Salad+Pie+Cake.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiklqe7bsfx5pq82PVFvGctUcyp_Iz8Xw2wkmO1rsSp9THHA-TLYl50k5ORWfk7UMHyGvZMjnuHFLkCbQBzmxjB6kOEA1H03lxuJ_EcPTwQ9dBQ68pS4iCORHePWZ5Oz_QUyHKq9rjOjEc/s1600/Shaun+Crabcake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiklqe7bsfx5pq82PVFvGctUcyp_Iz8Xw2wkmO1rsSp9THHA-TLYl50k5ORWfk7UMHyGvZMjnuHFLkCbQBzmxjB6kOEA1H03lxuJ_EcPTwQ9dBQ68pS4iCORHePWZ5Oz_QUyHKq9rjOjEc/s320/Shaun+Crabcake.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidqr92W2bsg9R55P0CeDgO-vjwUmefWlfgq1b2UKpflCV8YGgwmMf9YJzES-0sKHid4lxjYbBGgXKVBAYVirsG7bAuDIvJDu2iJ1Ticqos7zZSjLKyL0oTFGuKrDRZ5Fn6jEMSImx1gnLk/s1600/Mussels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidqr92W2bsg9R55P0CeDgO-vjwUmefWlfgq1b2UKpflCV8YGgwmMf9YJzES-0sKHid4lxjYbBGgXKVBAYVirsG7bAuDIvJDu2iJ1Ticqos7zZSjLKyL0oTFGuKrDRZ5Fn6jEMSImx1gnLk/s320/Mussels.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUmpXmHtAnpypABtlDFF0eC0dvauXLpP4KKwG6BSu3tHFIIROdNhqXqdiLY59GIX6cv0E2_-6CKmOqLUi99Z9WJ4TtLz5mlCj0Q_5poB_LpPixdmkTru5vcf1OzvlFLNImEqhR78g4XpD/s1600/chicken+and+rice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUmpXmHtAnpypABtlDFF0eC0dvauXLpP4KKwG6BSu3tHFIIROdNhqXqdiLY59GIX6cv0E2_-6CKmOqLUi99Z9WJ4TtLz5mlCj0Q_5poB_LpPixdmkTru5vcf1OzvlFLNImEqhR78g4XpD/s320/chicken+and+rice.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-70771025513826485992011-05-18T07:10:00.005-05:002011-05-18T07:20:16.215-05:00Gilt getting in food? They will get me one way or another.I've been relatively good about not shopping up the enticing deals on fashion from Gilt Man, the daily trunk sale on dude duds from the <a href="http://www.gilt.com/">Gilt Group</a>. I may have a harder time with their new offering - <a href="http://www.gilttaste.com/">Gilt Taste</a>. The new site looks to be a combination of food editorial and offers on premium eats and treats. As they say on the site, " We hope to inspire you to discover ingredients, shop at the market, cook delicious recipes and taste new things."<br /><br />I got an invite in my email to visit their beta site this morning. $128 for 4 <a href="http://www.bryansfinefoods.com/category.php?cats_id=22">Flannery Beef</a> Private Reserve Boneless Ribeyes? Maybe I won't be shopping there daily (they offer a weekly email with their latest deals and news), but I will be curious to see what this becomes.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-89123016036396216562011-05-17T22:23:00.002-05:002011-05-17T22:26:22.531-05:00Try again - can I just start where I left off<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/dyshaun1975/BiteAndChew?authkey=Gv1sRgCKW6tM3akNHM5wE#5607891504347768658"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66WoMkpj9qLVlLAmkgODKrqZko12ciwk1qeVFsYVRQlYIZBIYZeWX_JIzvtWOPnimiyp7w812avRKKXzTKp1qQzcYa5ZeL0e0a4M3-QiAr9u1PnJ2J3sM9ulfPZgXamqNAmTDP3TgrZX4/s288/0.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" border="0" height="210" width="281" /></a></center><br />Technology is not my friend today, so seems like a good day to try to get back in to my blog. In the last year I've been biting, chewing and slurping in places near and far, but have been loathe to find the time to blog on it. So can I just start where I left off? We'll see . . . but some re-branding and a positioning refresh may be in order.<br /><br />Oh, BTW - if you are in Cancun, go to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.blogger.com/www.ladestileria.com.mx">La Destileria</a>. Touristy but the <a href="http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080824052734AARM2YO">arrachera</a> and the massive tequila menu are top rate. Puts a smile on my face every time.<br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-26823900491360395192010-09-06T21:19:00.005-05:002010-09-06T22:04:08.238-05:00Finally, Good Chinese in Uptown - Szechuan Spice<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ZDIDAb9-XK6nbCpVry7t0_PiDPgL5amqEtz_k4AzM-B81R4Ugs5SrSxU92zyX1HAHeoZElDqxivMk8qHmkixsg6ozNZAdrdABXY7lCgvwb4t4yVcsVCCl9ENd4JrqTnOCxUuKBo0hyphenhyphenPJ/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ZDIDAb9-XK6nbCpVry7t0_PiDPgL5amqEtz_k4AzM-B81R4Ugs5SrSxU92zyX1HAHeoZElDqxivMk8qHmkixsg6ozNZAdrdABXY7lCgvwb4t4yVcsVCCl9ENd4JrqTnOCxUuKBo0hyphenhyphenPJ/s320/photo.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513998008720332338" border="0" /></a><br />It took something monumental to get me out of my 6-month blogging drought - discovering a decent new Chinese restaurant in my neighborhood.<br /><br />Since coming to Minnesota 8 years ago, the only Chinese place that has captured my attention is the <a href="http://www.ourteahouse.com/">Tea House</a>. I'm always impressed with their food, if not the ambiance. While I always enjoy my meals there I've reached the point where in the summer, if I can't walk there, I'm not likely to eat there very often.<br /><br />Hungry and bored, I by-chance did a <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/szechuan-spice-minneapolis">Yelp</a> search from my house last week and noticed that a new place called Szechuan Spice had recently taken over the former location of <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/29/1433096/restaurant/Twin-Cities/Uptown/Zen-Asian-Contemporary-Cuisine-Minneapolis">Zen Fusion</a> (a place I only went to once with which I was bitterly disappointed) near the corner of Lyndale Ave and Lake Street. While I couldn't convince J the BF to go that evening (not in the mood) we committed to try it ASAP. After getting caught in a rain storm while walking around <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Calhoun">Lake Calhoun</a>, we decided it was time for something spicy so we stalked the 10 blocks through the rain to check this place out. So glad we did.<br /><br />We have been rocking the junk food all weekend so we thought we'd take it easy - if you call ordering three apps and an entree taking it easy. We started with 2 scallion pancakes - standard fare, but something we don't always see on the menu of other places. Take my word for it, you only need one pancake for 2 - 4 people. They were thicker than others I've had, but very crisp and tasty with the standard soy dipping sauce on the side.<br /><br />Next came the Juicy Mini Crab Buns which were more of a soupy dumpling than a bun. These reminded us of the soup-dumplings we have when we do Dim Sum at Yak Sing in San Francisco. Each dumpling is placed on a Chinese soup spoon. You pierce the dumpling and sip out the flavorful juice and then sprinkle a vinegar sauce on top before slurping down the crab-stuffed yummy morsel. Very fun to eat and this alone could have been dinner for the two of us.<br /><br />We rounded out the up-front with a bowl of meat stuffed dumplings in spicy sauce. The pile of treats were swimming in a mild sauce and topped with a sweet bean sauce. Very enjoyable, but not our favorite thing in the meal.<br /><br />For our main, we tried one of the chef's recommendations (i.e. the stuff on page 1 of the menu) the Double Pepper Chicken. The dish had wok crisp strips of chicken lightly glazed with a light salty-spicy sauce and sauteed with an almost intimidating amount of red dried and fresh jalapeno chillies. The flavor was amazing, but the heat crept up on us by the end of dinner. We washed it down with some hot tea to help us forget about our wet socks and pants. All-in-all, a wonderful dining experience.<br /><br />Szechuan Spice has only been open for about a month, but we hope our neighbors discover it soon and help them to thrive. They don't have an alcohol license yet, but that would be beside the point. The dining room needs some help to warm it up (maybe to break up the space) but overall, two thumbs up. We needed some new flavor in the 'hood.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-30738543620013370782010-03-03T16:55:00.003-06:002010-03-03T17:04:19.283-06:00Berries, Yogurt and a Flip Video Camera? The 1 Minute SmoothieFresh from vacation, I've been sent to a training to learn how to use the vast tools available to me as a marketing professional to leverage the speed of digital for learning and better branding. Today, our assignment was to create a video, upload it to YouTube and create a successful SEM campaign for it.<br /><br />The campaign is slow going a few hours in, but here's the video for your pleasure. First and (maybe the last time) you see me on YouTube . . . intentionally.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXnNoDazSv0">The 1-Minute Smoothie</a><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wXnNoDazSv0&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wXnNoDazSv0&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Be sure to add lots of honey to this recipe. It's pretty tart and not so tasty without it. A splash of tangerine or orange juice also goes a long way. If you come across my search ad on Google, please click on it - there's yet another iPod on the line.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-91076708039836472732010-02-13T11:53:00.004-06:002010-02-13T12:49:16.317-06:00Love and $10 cocktails - Early Valentine's Day at Bradstreet CrafthouseI don't know what is says about us when we make a tradition of re-scheduling Valentine's Day to fit our schedules. This tradition started when I was in business school and J was managing a political campaign in Atlanta. We figured <a href="http://www.theholidayspot.com/valentine/history_of_valentine.htm">Valentine's Day </a>is now one of the most commercially hyped observances out there, so we could celebrate it any day we wanted. I've been working 12+hour days 6 - 7 days a week since the winter holiday (thus the long gap in Bite&Chew posts) so the tradition continues.<br /><br />Given 2/14 fell on a Sunday, and most of our favorite restaurants only had openings at 4pm or 9:30pm that night, we opted to move it to Friday 2/12 and go relatively casual at <a href="http://bradstreetcrafthouse.com/">Bradstreet Crafthouse</a> at the <a href="http://www.graves601hotel.com/index.asp">601 Graves Hotel</a>. We've found that their menu of small plates can be touch and go, but has much of the refinement and finish that we enjoy at the more splurge-and-spend <a href="http://www.cosmosrestaurant.com/">Cosmos</a> upstairs. Whatever you feel about the food, the massive list of artisan cocktails, all for $10 each, is what gets us frozen Minnesotans excited - read on.<br /><br />We opted to sit at the bar overlooking the small but efficient open kitchen where we could observe and occasionally chat with the young and lanky cooks as they effortlessly grilled, sauced and garnished a tight array of platters, and trays. Amidst a gift exchange of a <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5134326/the-bacon-watch-always-knows-what-time-it-is">bacon watch</a> for me to go with my infamous <a href="http://www.fredflare.com/customer/product.php?productid=5045&cat=252">bacon wallet</a> and a quirky <a href="http://www.chumby.com/pages/chumby_one">Chumby One</a> for J to satiate his hunger for wi-fi gadgets, we enjoyed two courses of nibbles and cocktails.<br /><br />To start, we enjoyed a Mediterranean Platter of hummus, olives and marinated feta cheese as well as an order of the Polenta Fries with piquillo pepper sauce and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gremolata">gremolata</a>. Both were beautifully presented. The cheese and hummus were the stars, but the combo of the gremolata and sauce with the crispy strips of polenta was a little underwhelming. That didn't stop us from chomping it all down. I also didn't go too harsh on the food as I enjoyed a tasty and tart Gin Cocktail they call "Three Doors Down" - <a href="http://www.deathsdoorspirits.com/spirits.php">Death’s Door</a>, Lemon, <a href="http://www.drinkupny.com/Rothman_and_Winter_Pear_p/s0656.htm">Rothman & Winter Pear Liqueur</a>, <a href="http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1040025">Regans’ Orange Bitters</a> - whew! The bartenders at Bradstreet are some of the best in the Twin Cities, and it shows in every sip.<br /><br />For the main nosh, we opted for three dishes: Grilled Scallops with what looked to be a relish of edamame, cherry tomatoes and herbs, a Duck Confit Quesadilla with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raclette">Raclet Cheese</a> and Apple Kimchi, and a plate of buttery rich braised lamb ribs glazed with a sesame soy glaze and a snappy mustard. The ribs were our favorite part of the meal - melt in your mouth flavorful and the mustard was a perfect condiment. J didn't quite "get" what looked like a cold rice thingy that was served on the side, but it helped to cut through the richness of the meat. I washed the food down with my current favorite on the Bradsteet cocktail menu, a Black Walnut Old Fashioned - <a href="http://www.bulleitbourbon.com/gateway.aspx">Bulleit Bourbon</a>, <a href="http://chicagohappyhour.com/tvh/dem.html">Demerara Syrup</a>, <a href="http://athirstyspirit.com/2009/04/23/awww-nuts/">Nux Alpina</a>, <a href="http://italianfood.about.com/od/aperitifscoffee/r/blr0489.htm">Black Walnut Liqueur</a>, House Orange Bitters all served over a slow-melting perfectly shaped single baseball-sized sphere of ice - put that in your pipe and smoke it!<br /><br />Given I had been up since 4am and worked a 13 hour day, there was no dessert course, but we'll go back and catch that later.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-6079551148937130702010-01-08T22:03:00.001-06:002010-02-14T11:56:24.963-06:00Fried Organic Sweet Potato Pie with Ginger Ice Cream<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9HVPkYJyCWDe6rKDez5Eruow3agas-u3FCY8360-PYCjwFSPuH9K-lK99PMT70mwgUucVaH1Ig5cK9c3qCOHuusRUxIfrw__TGTdVBn7AZjrJvHcr97EGdh0cWubezphOStpUnWMgW434/s1600-h/photo-770313.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424586088563020610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9HVPkYJyCWDe6rKDez5Eruow3agas-u3FCY8360-PYCjwFSPuH9K-lK99PMT70mwgUucVaH1Ig5cK9c3qCOHuusRUxIfrw__TGTdVBn7AZjrJvHcr97EGdh0cWubezphOStpUnWMgW434/s320/photo-770313.jpg" /></a></p>Uh, yeah. <p>Eating this at <a href="http://www.shaunsrestaurant.com/">Shaun's </a>in Atlanta. It would have been better with my<br />recipe, but, had to try it.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-45620913248915891862010-01-01T23:24:00.008-06:002010-01-02T00:16:25.511-06:00Avoiding a drive to Wayzata - Bisquick Coconut Pancakes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhle5BLsR1trpkfCU0Lgo2iIuoGG3Jd_vIEuI040rZT4CCZPZTwf-jUqg0g9zKNqyejNJXBL1idIU-XSqpxxDVPKgSXuHV9eaqyFRVDX9i6pMHWUB4wHKL-R_RvFZWRe3qvDhYZ1CuThboV/s1600-h/DSC02683.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhle5BLsR1trpkfCU0Lgo2iIuoGG3Jd_vIEuI040rZT4CCZPZTwf-jUqg0g9zKNqyejNJXBL1idIU-XSqpxxDVPKgSXuHV9eaqyFRVDX9i6pMHWUB4wHKL-R_RvFZWRe3qvDhYZ1CuThboV/s320/DSC02683.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422019384966668930" border="0" /></a><br />Recently, I had a little knee surgery which took me off my feet for a few days. It was nothing serious and the recovery has been quick (thanks to lots of ice and some hard-core pain killers), but it kept me bound to the house for a few days. By day three of recovery, both JB and I were a little cabin crazy, so I hobbled into the car and we drove out to the <a href="http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/index.html">Original Pancake House</a> in <a href="http://www.wayzata.org/">Wayzata</a> to treat ourselves to our favorite breakfast treat - a short stack of coconut pancakes. Not all locations of <a href="http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/index.html">OPH</a> have them on the menu - so we have to go out of our way to get our fix.<br /><br />A week later, I was back on my feet and my pockets were much lighter after all the bills from surgeons, anesthesiologists, surgery centers and Wal-Greens (plus we had been eating take-out most days while I recovered) so it was time to get back into the kitchen. I still had those coconut pancakes on my mind. Given <a href="http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/bisquick/default.aspx">one of the businesses I manage</a> in my professional life is known and loved by millions for their <a href="http://www.bettycrocker.com/search/searchresults.aspx?terms=Bisquick-Pancakes-and-Waffles">great pancakes</a> (don't hate - I live and love my brands), I figured I should be able to come close with a home version.<br /><br />I am still optimizing the recipe so the version I made was so rich, it was hard to get through the whole short-stack of 3 pancakes. I'm suggesting you dilute the coconut milk with regular milk to keep the final product from being perhaps too indulgent. I can't say we won't ever need to go back to the <a href="http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/index.html">OPH</a>, but now I have another way to scratch that coconut itch without driving out to Wayzata.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bisquick Toasted Coconut Pancakes Recipe (for 2)</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Makes 6 - 7 pancakes</span><br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />1 Cup Original Bisquick mix<br />1 Tbsp Granulated sugar<br />1 tsp Baking powder<br />1/2 cup Sweetened flaked coconut<br />1 Egg<br />1/3 cup Light coconut milk<br />1/3 cup Skim milk* (more or less depending on how thick you like your batter)<br />1/2 tsp Vanilla extract<br />1/2 tsp Almond extract<br /><br /><br />Instructions:<br /><br />1) Toast coconut flakes in medium skillet on medium-low heat - tossing often - until lightly browned. Set aside to cool. Reserve 2 Tbsp to sprinkle on finished pancakes.<br /><br />2) Heat griddle pan to medium heat. Mix Bisquick, sugar, baking powder and most of the coconut flakes with a whisk in a medium bowl until blended.<br /><br />3) Add coconut milk and egg to dry mixture and beat well until blended. Thin batter with skim milk until batter is still thick, but pourable. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts.<br /><br />4) Grease heated pan. Pour pancakes on hot griddle in 1/4 cup spoonfuls (use an ice cream scoop if you have it) leaving a couple of inches between pancakes. When edges are dry and bubbles are appearing in the batter, turn pancakes over (about 3 minutes) Cook for 2 more minutes on other side until cooked through and golden.<br /><br />5) Stack 3 - 4 pancakes per plate. Top with butter and syrup as desired. Sprinkle with reserved coconut and serve immediately.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-62081647415102228532009-12-18T16:04:00.002-06:002009-12-18T16:36:02.937-06:00Baking up the night - cookie gift boxes for the officeEarlier this week, I completed my annual baking-night where I embarked to bake up some fresh treats to present to my employees and other key folks at the office in lieu of holiday cards or other trinkets. Last year, I took on a <a href="http://biteandchew.blogspot.com/2008/12/ugly-truth-of-holiday-baking.html">rather complicated set of recipes that kept me in the kitchen</a> well past 1am 2 nights in a row in order to crank out those goodies. While I see the sacrifice as part of the sweat equity that puts more meaning into the gifts, I only have so much energy and can't do late night activities that require dexterity and concentration as well as I used to think I could (I'm sure I can just more clearly see what an idiot I am at 1am).<br /><br />This year, I only had one night to get it all done, so I dispensed with anything that needed overnight chilling or would require fillings and multiple components. This meant skipping the awesome cookie recipes from my quasi mother-in-law (like <a href="http://biteandchew.blogspot.com/2008/12/ugly-truth-of-holiday-baking.html">date-nut pinwheels</a>) due to their labor intensity and my tendency to screw the recipes up along the way.<br /><br />I prepared last weekend by doing most of my grocery shopping, ensuring I had enough flour (I only use <a href="http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/gold-medal-flour/gold-medal-products.htm">Gold Medal Unbleached all-purpose</a>, since their profits pay my mortgage) and sugar on hand and getting my gift box materials together. I skipped the overpriced stuff at <a href="http://www.containerstore.com">Container Store</a>, and found perfectly good stuff at <a href="http://www.epartypaper.com/">Litin Paper</a> in North Minneapolis for cheap (gift boxes, bows, labels, etc). J found me some cello bags at <a href="http://www.target.com">Target</a> and that was just what I needed to save me from a frustrating night of wrapping things in Saran Wrap. Completion time this year from turning on the oven to packing the last box - 6 hours (8pm - 2am). At least it was all done in one night. This year's box had 4 items - links to the recipes follow:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/spiced-ginger-cookies">Spiced Ginger Cookies</a><br /><br /><a href="http://biteandchew.blogspot.com/2007/12/what-else-ya-gonna-do-with-2-sticks-of.html">Chocolate-Hazelnut Gooey Butter Cakes</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.natalieskillercuisine.com/2009/06/perfect-chocolate-chip-cookies-srsly.html">Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies</a> (J the BF ate 6 of these in the first hour they came out of the oven)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chocolate-shortbread-cookies">Chocolate Shortbread Cookies</a><br /><br />All boxes were well received by the lucky 12 who got one this year. I hope the 12th person sees hers. She may have left for the holidays by the time I put it on her desk. Otherwise, she will have a nasty surprise awaiting her in January.<br /><br />Happy holidays.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-51299863145505795552009-12-15T18:19:00.001-06:002010-02-14T12:03:38.098-06:00Yes, your meat can be too thick - Butterflied Pork Chops with Fig-Pinot Noir Glaze<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfs1sRT2uKgTasKOImEJVqELeCprDBabTHOYlqgc35DFpS9GYZRwDFvzr5uzDCDa0ezqwXp4NyVxf3On80PEnqGlcbpqGjQq1HQuBZFbAaKEA1VhXJOpE2HwDtCX4PRJwpHCgMLHu33Kt/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415309732450869842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfs1sRT2uKgTasKOImEJVqELeCprDBabTHOYlqgc35DFpS9GYZRwDFvzr5uzDCDa0ezqwXp4NyVxf3On80PEnqGlcbpqGjQq1HQuBZFbAaKEA1VhXJOpE2HwDtCX4PRJwpHCgMLHu33Kt/s320/photo.jpg" /></a><br />When you are faced with the stress of getting dinner on the table in a hurry after a late night at work, you tend to run into little challenges. I recently stumbled home around 8pm after a full day determined to pound out a quick simple meal based on whatever happened to be in the fridge. My only meat option on hand - double thick boneless pork chops - would ordinarily take about 30 minutes to cook due to their size. I wanted to cut the time in half, so I tried my hand at <a href="http://videos.tasteofhome.com/video/Butterfly-Meat">butterflying</a>.<br /><br />Its a simple idea, but one that I don't do often due to my lack of confidence with my own knife skills. Take a thick piece of meat, cut through it at it's hemisphere (parallel to the board) to within 1/2 an inch of the opposite edge and open it up. Suddenly, you have something thinner and faster cooking. After successfully opening up my chops, I needed to figure out how to put some flavor in the boring other white meat. J the BF suggested <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/pork-chops-with-golden-apple-sauce-recipe/index.html">smothering them in onions and serving them with apple sauce</a> - a classic presentation, but this was my one moment to be creative for the day, so I decided to take a little more risk. I found a cheap bottle of <a href="http://www.winepros.org/wine101/grape_profiles/pinot.htm">Pinot Noir</a> in the wine rack and a jar of fig preserves in the fridge. I even had a few shallots on hand. Combined with simple spinach salad, I had an easy, but elegant meal, on the table relatively quickly. Here is the recipe as I recall it, but you may need to play with the amounts to get the flavor balanced to your taste.<br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><br />Butterflied Pork Chops with Fig & Pinot Noir Glaze</span><br /><br />Ingredients:<br /><br />2 1.5 - 2 inch thick Boneless Pork Chops - Butterflied<br />1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper<br />Kosher Salt and Coarse Ground Pepper (to taste)<br />2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil<br />1 medium Shallot - finely diced<br />1/2 cup Pinot Noir wine<br />2-3 TBLS Fig Preserves<br />1 tsp dark brown sugar<br />2 tsp Dijon Mustard<br /><br />Process:<br /><br />1) Season Pork Chops with cayenne, salt and pepper<br /><br />2) Heat Olive Oil in medium saute pan on medium-high heat<br /><br />3) Pan cook Pork Chops until both sides are well browned and meat is done (aim 145 for medium - 160 for well done is preferred from a safety angle) - about 7 minutes/side. Place cooked chops on a platter and tent with foil<br /><br />4) Stir the shallots in the hot pan for about 1 minute until softened and slightly browned. Pour in the wine and scrape pan to de-glaze and remove browned bits from pan.<br /><br />5) Stir in the fig preserves, brown sugar and the mustard until melted and dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce liquid by half until slightly thick glaze forms. Reduce heat; Season sauce with salt and pepper.<br /><br />6) Place chops and any reserved juices from the platter into the pan with the glaze. Turn the chops a few times to coat and heat for about 2 minutes.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Serve with sauce spooned over the meat and enjoy.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-33969398010401022822009-12-13T10:28:00.004-06:002009-12-14T21:04:13.681-06:00So that's what became of Jitters - Honey, a new bar in NordeastWhile I'm contemplating cutting back on things like cocktails and bar food for a while, I have to take note of new places to visit nonetheless. Reading my "<a href="http://www.startribune.com/">Strib</a>", I noticed this <a href="http://tinyurl.com/y9vz5ms">review</a> for <a href="http://www.honeympls.com/">Honey</a>, a recently-opened basement club that has taken the place of Jitters underneath <a href="http://www.chiangmaithai.com/">Chiang Mai Thai's</a> new Asian outpost <a href="http://www.gingerhop.com/">Ginger Hop</a>. While I never went to Jitters often, I liked it's dark exposed walls and the feeling of drinking in some underground club.<br /><br />According the Tom Horgen (the reviewer) this may mark a continued resurgence of a somewhat classier bar/restaurant row for Nordeast Minneapolis in contrast to the area's many dive bars. I am already a fan of the incumbent establishments like Keegan's, Butcher Block, Punch, Nye's, and Whitey's so this will give even more reason's to trip across the river to nosh and sip. Since they have "chocolate flights" on the menu, J the BF would be more than happy to stay out a little later for cocktails.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-52910649408722049242009-12-09T20:19:00.001-06:002009-12-13T10:42:10.135-06:00After work Tequila at Barrio<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6sRnlL9-TUGX1QnsaCtFJkisq8GPi63gjXmktCT5BnO-KbeQ6hymivwSxABbY5Iku5OceCq-dUZFZzCNh5sdwGcPZ8vkQ2h17WzcpoAzIU_qTLfBsPTUOJ2RePh6mZEz8ZY8CTwFopy3/s1600-h/bm-image-728548.jpe"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6sRnlL9-TUGX1QnsaCtFJkisq8GPi63gjXmktCT5BnO-KbeQ6hymivwSxABbY5Iku5OceCq-dUZFZzCNh5sdwGcPZ8vkQ2h17WzcpoAzIU_qTLfBsPTUOJ2RePh6mZEz8ZY8CTwFopy3/s320/bm-image-728548.jpe" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413423293237514498" border="0" /></a></p>It doesn't take much to get me to say yes to <a href="http://www.barriotequila.com/">Barrio</a> - my favorite tequila bar in town so here I am with co-workers for an impromptu cocktail. As we speak I am enjoying a great reposado <a href="http://www.cazadores.com/entry.aspx?prv=False">Cazadores</a> with the worst Sangrita I have ever tasted. It's a weeknight so 1 and done.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3327606006573683391.post-89918951828919862032009-12-08T18:54:00.001-06:002009-12-08T18:54:00.212-06:00Hail to the Ham Shop! C.G. Ham's<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPve-8473D-OK346NxQH4BhS76UjDpNPsu8KDsFhLPrRFdnOpnq1zNVAux8coBl-Xyz8Vm2xo3etm6T26hDxQur5jufXaxwfqtrW52xCz3moX0FHRnrqB4YsxmWY8b-uSPwop3o3P_Z5eJ/s1600-h/IMG_0260.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPve-8473D-OK346NxQH4BhS76UjDpNPsu8KDsFhLPrRFdnOpnq1zNVAux8coBl-Xyz8Vm2xo3etm6T26hDxQur5jufXaxwfqtrW52xCz3moX0FHRnrqB4YsxmWY8b-uSPwop3o3P_Z5eJ/s320/IMG_0260.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412667424836683538" border="0" /></a><br />When J the BF finds something that he really likes to eat, he gets obsessive about it. For years, he harassed me about his favorite spot for lunch - a deli in a strip mall out in Minnetonka that he kept referring to as "The Ham Shop." I was skeptical - in places like Spain, they have crazy joints like <a href="http://www.museodeljamon.es/">El Museo del Jamon</a> which are massive emporiums to ham and other porky curiosities and you can get some decent bocadillos there, but we don't live in Madrid. On the other side are typical American places like <a href="http://www.honeybakedham.com/">Honey Baked Ham </a>where people go for feast meats pre-cooked, sliced, spiced and ready to stuff down the gullets of your family. Nevertheless, not a place I would go for a good sandwich.<br /><br />Turns out, what he called "The Ham Shop" is actually <a href="http://www.cghams.com/index.htm">C.G. Ham's </a>- a local specialty meat place that happens to also churn out some hella-good sandwiches. Once I was finally convinced to try it, I started singing praises to "The Ham Shop." While there are tons of perfectly good places for lunch in my neighborhood, it doesn't take much arm twisting to get me to drive the 10 miles out to the 'burbs on a Saturday afternoon for one of their unbelievable deli creations.<br /><br />J, true to his obsessive nature, is addicted to "The Unforgettable" and never veers from ordering it - fresh multigrain bread stuffed with roast turkey, bacon and avocado enriched with sunflower cream cheese spread, tomato and spinach. I have been sampling from their hot and grilled sandwich array - a couple of weeks ago, I enjoyed the beauty pictured here called "Fire in the Belly" - hot corned beef and pastrami with melted pepper jack cheese and spicy mustard on a freshly baked hoagie roll that melts in your mouth. They have a good selection of deli salads and fresh baked desserts as well, but I'm usually happy with the little peppermint patty candies that come with the sandwiches.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Posted by DM & Bite&Chew @ biteandchew.blogspot.com</div>DMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07275401365111072999noreply@blogger.com0