Honey-Jam Café – Bolingbrook, IL

We were in Bolingbrook, visiting some family and thought we’d go out for some breakfast. I’m not always a breakfast person, but when I go out, I like to make it count. Plus, I was with my niece and nephews, so I like to remind them and make sure they know that I’m the crazy uncle.  

Everyone appeared to be ordering safe, so I channeled my inner 5-year-old and ordered the most ridiculous thing on the menu. A giant waffle covered in strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, graham crackers, whipped cream, Fruity Pebbles, and a healthy covering of frosting. It’s like a waffle circus on a plate. 

And when the niece and nephews (and my in-laws) saw this thing come out, I knew I had succeeded in reminding them that my version of culinary genius is a little different than most folks’. Mission accomplished. Also, this thing was really damn good. Full disclosure: this monstrosity did not need syrup. hahaha

Honey-Jam Café

120 E. Boughton Road

Bolingbrook, IL 60440

www.honeyjamcafe.com

Mallards – Inver Grove Heights, MN

I love going to a restaurant that changes my made-up incorrect perception of a place – Mallards did just that. I’m not sure what I expected, honestly. It was somewhere between Oceanaire and Applebee’s – but no one could give me a good description of the atmosphere, nor the food, so I thought I’d better check it out.

D.Rough and I were out on an adventure and decided since it was on the way home, we should pay Mallard’s a visit. There was a short 20-30 minute wait, since it was a Saturday night. Thankfully, it gave us some time to take in the whole atmosphere I mentioned before and then also, there a pull tabs, so D got to win us some money – which then she used to buy more pull tabs which were NOT winners. The inside of the place is much nicer than Applebee’s and is really well-lit inside. Sort of a nautical theme without being like a pretentious yacht club (my apologies to those yacht clubs who aren’t pretentious). A good mix of dress here, from jeans and sports jerseys to suits and ties. The restaurant is split into a bar area and a dining area, with the regular sports TVs in the bar area and plenty of service in the dining area. I thought I’d point it out, since some restaurants are struggling on staffing – this place didn’t seem to be suffering and al the staff were knocking it out of the park on the service side of things. 

 

We got seated near the bar, so we had a good angle on everything. We had a lovely server and she gave us a handwritten beer/tap list and a cocktail menu. A really great cocktail menu, especially in the “boat drink” department. Tough to decide, so we went with the Island Punch and a Mai Tai. The Island Punch was coconut rum, banana liqueur, and pineapple juice. A little heavy on the banana liqueur, but I was good with it since it wasn’t too overpowering. I'd get it again, for sure – I just like to give people a heads up. The Mai Tai was a really solid showing and even came in a mermaid tiki mug, which gets it bonus points. 

 

The menu is really impressive. Lots of different choices to peruse and in some cases, made it a challenge to nail down. We decided to get a little adventurous and order the Seafood Campechana for an appetizer. This is a Mexican-style dip, with seasoned shrimp, crab, avocado and pico, served with housemade tortilla chips. This ended up being one of the best decisions of the night – top-notch appetizer. It made us want a 5-gallon bucket of the stuff, but it gave us plenty to – as an appetizer should – get us in the mood to eat more stuff. We really liked this a lot. 

 

D is a lobster roll fan from way back, and this is one of the things that Mallards is known for, so that was an easy decision. She was really pleased with this, also. This roll is served cold (but on a toasted warm roll/bun) with mayo and some melted butter – also fries. Butter is a welcome addition to any plate, and D was happy to use it up. The lobster was good and the roll, also good. We’ve had some lobster rolls on the coast that were life-changing, but this one stands up for a Midwest showing. Definitely worth getting again. And, the fries were seasoned and double-fried, so we’re both a fan of those. 

It took me a bit to decide on my dinner – too many things I wanted to try. But I finally went with the Baramundi Rodrigo – seared sea bass with a citrus and cilantro pesto and that was on a healthy bed of coconut lime risotto. The sea bass was much better than I expected, and I’m sure it is because I’ve had some weird versions of this. But, that citrus pesto was awesome and it was perfectly cooked. But, the star of the night for the whole order was the coconut lime risotto. This was almost like a lime curry and light and fluffy. If they offered this as a side, I’d get this with absolutely everything. One of the best risottos I’ve ever had. 

 

Overall, we were really glad we went here. I think both of us were really pleasantly surprised at the service and the quality of the food, and also the choices on the menu (and cocktail menu). One thing D and I both agreed on was that now that we’ve had success with these dishes, it makes us feel more comfortable with some of the other adventurous things on the menu. Time to get crazy! It’s really close to our house, so now that we know how good it is, we may end up being regular visitors to this gem. There are four locations in the metro, so I’m sure you live close to one – go check them out. 

 

Mallards

5681 Blaine Ave.

Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076

www.mallardsmn.com

 

Miss Phay Café – Davenport, IA

Visiting my folks in the Quad Cities, we heard a couple of people tell us we needed to check out Miss Phay Café in downtown Davenport. We had been to that specific location before, but it was a few different things before its current and amazing new restaurant. 

The menu has quite a few things on it, and from a number of categories. Very thorough! And also, great descriptions of things, so people not as familiar with Thai food would be able to tell what most of the ingredients are. We had a tough time deciding, but we narrowed it down. We were a little bummed we were headed to a wedding that evening, since the cocktail menu is really impressive. We may have to go back just for drinks. 

 

We (obviously) started with the red pork summer rolls. Vermicelli noodles, thin-sliced pork, carrot, mint and a peanut hoisin sauce. It’s hard to get these wrong, but these were definitely better than average. We always threaten to order one set for each of us, but we never do. Maybe we should consider that again when we find fresh rolls this good.

D got the combo vermicelli salad. It’s got a little bit of everything in it: beef, chicken, shrimp, lettuce, cucumber, bean sprouts, pickles, herbs, peanuts, and even a crispy spring roll. The shrimp was definitely one of the more flavorful we’ve had. Really great flavor in both the chicken and the beef, and the other flavors were bright and fresh. A really solid choice.

 

I got the Green Curry Noodles with Chicken, which came with bamboo, basil, kra chai (which is sort of like ginger), and served with vermicelli noodles. Really a deep and flavorful curry. Glad I got this one. I (for once) didn’t finish the bowl and ended up taking some back to the hotel with me. Mainly, just because it was so good, I wanted another go at it. This was a really amazing curry. 

 

As we found out, pretty much anything on the menu is going to be delicious. Be adventurous and get something different if you go here. I’m sure the pad thai is absolutely stellar, but there are so many fantastic other dishes available here. The folks working are really helpful and friendly and we’re looking forward to going back here again when we’re in town.

 

Miss Phay Café

512 Brady Street

Davenport, IA 52801

www.missphaycafe.com

 

Tom’s Burned Down Café – Madeline Island (Technically La Pointe, WI)

I’m not sure this place really needs my review, but I loved this place so much, I am just making sure it doesn’t slip under anyone’s radar. 

Tom’s is a magical wonderland filled with booze. Imagine if you will, the perfect three-way marriage of pirate ship, junkyard, and circus tent, then fill it with bizarre but loveable characters and fill them full of booze and drama. This establishment is literally the only open on the entire island after the last ferry leaves for mainland Wisconsin (which is 7pm – I’m NOT kidding). So, the whole island shuts down, leaving Tom’s to stand alone in the Madeline Island after-hours entertainment scene.

There are so many things I love about this place. There is a huge number of seating options for its patrons: benches, indoor chairs, outdoor chairs, stools, steps, boxes, crates, etc. Just find a spot where there isn’t a human and park yourself there. When you’re finished with your beverage, there are a bunch of bins or boxes for you to throw the receptacle into – bottles, cans, cups, etc. Just do your best. There is a full bar, with lots of booze and different kinds of beers. But they also seem to have some sort of pre-made mixed punches or other types of drinks that are mainly booze. Great idea! There’s also a trailer parked in the “front” of the building that is clearly plumbed for booze or a soda gun that is probably an overflow bar. I was bummed that it wasn’t running when we were there. And there’s just a LOT to look at on the walls, ceiling, and floor. 

 

If you want to have a good time, just guy yourself a drink and sit down and watch the show. People from all walks of life are here co-mingling and having a good time. Don’t pass judgement, just sit back and be amused. 

 

And if you really want an experience, go to various review sites and read all the complaining reviews about it (clearly written by Karens) and make a mental note so you can look for those things when you go there. The complaints aren’t wrong, but those very things people are complaining about are what actually make this place magical. Yes, the bartenders aren’t going to be your best friend. Yes, the entire place looks like it’s being held together with duct tape and license plates. Yes, you might feel dirtier AFTER you go to the restroom than before you went in. But all of these are what makes this place special. 

 

You can thank me later after you go here.

 

Tom’s Burned Down Cafe

274 Chebomnicon Road

La Pointe, WI 54850

Tom’s Burned Down Cafe

Wendy's Breakfast Croissant Sammich

Yes, I know Wendy's has had breakfast sandwiches since 2019, but I finally got around to eating one. And I'm posting it here, in case I forget and need to be reminded at some point in the future - I'm not getting any younger and the memory is starting to fade...

Full disclosure: I'm a die hard Burger King Croissan'Wich (or Crow Sammich, as I call them) fan from way back. Nothing in the fast food breakfast world can touch this. So, obviously, I compare all breakfast items to this. I knew Wendy's had rolled out a similar sandwich, and I knew I needed to compare and contrast them. 

The Wendy's breakfast sandwich is very similar to Burger King - Croissant for a bun, sausage, egg, and cheese. Yes, the croissants are very similar - light and flaky and fun of delicious butter/grease. The sausage  patty is probably from a different company, but it isn't noticeably different in seasoning or flavor. The egg is basically an egg - yes, the Wendy's one is sort of a two-colored ordeal to make it look real, while the Burger King egg is more of a square shaped omelet. The only real difference is the type of cheese. Wendy's uses a slice of Swiss cheese, and the Burger King one uses a slice of American cheese. So it kind of comes down to personal preference on these, honestly. Some people don't like the slight funk of Swiss cheese and some people don't believe that American cheese is actually cheese. So it's up to you. 

The bottom line is that they're EXTREMELY similar. I'll still give a slight edge to Burger King for nostalgia's sake, but it's good to know that if there's really a breakfast sandwich emergency, I can get what I need at Wendy's.

World Famous Momo – West St. Paul, MN

Well, since I’m (semi) back in action on the food front, I figured I should re-start with an awesome new place in my own city that deserves some recognition. World Famous Momo popped up in an old check cashing location right on the main drag in West St. Paul. 

First off, what is a Momo? It’s a Nepalese dumpling stuffed with some sort of meat and vegetables. Then, they steam it (or fry it) so it’s piping hot, and served with a sort of pureed tomato-based sauce. Now you know.

The inside of the restaurant is spacious, but hopefully to set the stage for more indoor dining once it’s a little safer – I’m looking forward to all of these things. The menu is limited, but don’t let that deter you. What they’ve got on the menu, they have perfected, so you won’t be disappointed. 

 

D.Rough and I got an order of steamed Momo, a potato samosa, and a mango lassi – to go, since we were on our working-from-home lunch break. The guy working the front desk was very conversational and we chatted while our food was being made by his father in law back in the kitchen. It didn’t take too long, which is awesome. But know they this food is made to order and not prepared ahead of time, so just be a little patient – it’s worth it. 

 

The Momo was awesome. Very delicious chicken and vegetable filling inside and the pouch was not doughy at all – steamed perfectly. They’re right in that middle size where it’s a really big one-biter or a two-biter that more dainty. I’m looking forward to also trying the fried version of these to compare them accurately. 

 

The potato samosas were really fantastic. Fried little hand-pies filled with seasoned potatoes and served with some sort of tamarind sauce. I’m not usually a tamarind guy, but the sauce in this case was really great. Really crunchy and tasty. 

 

Mango Lassi is always good – it’s like a mango smoothie, so what’s not to like. We drank a whole bunch of it before I realized we didn’t get a good picture, so my apologies on that. But it was really great. 

 

Overall, this food is something you’ve been missing in your life (unless you have spent a lot of time in Nepal). I didn’t even know I needed this, but I’m glad we’ve got a place right down the street from us. Really friendly characters working and creating delicious food. Can’t wait for you to check this out and support this small business!

 

Photo credits: D.Rough

 

World Famous Momo

1318 S. Robert Street

West St. Paul, MN 55118

World Famous Momo

Back In Action - Mostly

It’s been a long time, friends. I’ve missed forcing my culinary opinions down your throats for the past year and a half. But I’m glad to be back and enjoying a much more reasonable amount of food from restaurants, safely. Please keep in mind that businesses, especially restaurants and bars, are struggling, so I will do my best to keep this all positive and not throw people under the bus. I understand that restaurants can’t put their best foot forward when packaging things for take-away and with limited staff, there are changes in kitchen and service standards. I can deal with that, without any problem at all. Just wanted to level set with ya’ll.