Brass Rail - Grande, MN

I’ve driven by this small restaurant and bar a bunch of times when headed up north to the lake. I wasn’t sure what it looked like inside (was it more bar-like or more restaurant-like?) but I knew they were known for their broasted chicken. I’m a fan of broasted chicken, but I haven’t had it in a long time. I finally convinced D that we needed to stop there recently, and it was a great decision.

 

The inside is decidedly more restaurant-like than we expected. It’s almost like a little country diner. Checkerboard patterns all around and lots of nick-nacks and history. All the servers are really friendly and the people eating there seem to be regulars, for the most part. Yet, we didn’t feel like outsiders when we walked in – sometimes, that’s a fear of these small-town establishments. 

 

The menu is really full of delicious sounding things. But we knew we wanted the chicken. I went with the ¼ chicken (dark meat) and D went with the ¼ chicken (light meat). Plus, we knew we needed some cheese curds. And because, I hadn’t seen it in liquor stores for a while, or on a restaurant menu ever, I got a lime-a-rita. Hahaha

 

The curds came out and were exactly what we expected. They came with some sort of dipping sauce – probably ranch or sour cream based, but we didn’t care. We were just shoveling them into our mouth holes. Super good.

All of the chicken dinners come with coleslaw, but I’ve never seen it served like they do at the Brass Rail. The server brings out a massive tray of coleslaw for what looks like the entire restaurant (as it turns out, everyone orders the chicken dinners here, so that makes sense). Everyone gets a cup (not a little cup, either) of coleslaw with a fork stuck in the top. Simple, but something you’ll remember – and apparently tell people about if you have a blog. Thankfully, the coleslaw is really good. I did think it was a little weird to have a coleslaw appetizer, but I’m guessing normal people wait for their dinners to arrive to eat theirs. 

 

The chicken is every bit as good as you’d expect it. Lots of people don’t even know what broasted chicken is, but it’s basically pressure-fried chicken. Pressure cookers are a dangerous kitchen contraption meat to seal in juices and then they fry it at the same time. I don’t understand the science behind it – I just eat it. The dark ¼ chicken dinner comes with a thigh and a drumstick, buttered toast and a side, which I got onion rings. It also comes with a bowl of mashed potatoes and gravy, like a cereal bowl sized situation. This is a seriously heavy meal, in case you were wondering. The chicken is superb. Super crunchy and juicy, which is a hard combination, I understand. It’s really the star of the show. The rest of the stuff is solid, but the chicken is where it’s at. 

 

It’s clear these cooks know their way around a fryer, which I respect. Generous portions and a broad menu also help push this place up the ladder of places we’ll hit on the way up north again. Looking forward to our next stop at the Brass Rail.

CrunCheesse Korean Hot Dog – Minneapolis, MN (Dinkytown)

 

A friend of mine recommended this place, but had described it in such a way that I thought I may have imagined it or made it up in some dream I had. But sure enough, this place actually exists (and it sounds like they’re trying to make a franchise go of it, since the original one is in Las Vegas – where other crazy dream-like scenarios happen). Note: I also just looked and have discovered that CrunCheese in Las Vegas is a block away from one of my favorite tiki bars – The Golden Tiki – so I’ll have to make that combo the next time I’m in Sin City.

 

What is a Korean hot dog, you might ask? Well, it’s actually a corn dog (known as a gamja hot dog), so it’s a standard-type hot dog in a batter. So, yes, Americans would call it a corn dog. The batter is dairy free – at least at CrunCheese – and you can get it with a variety of toppings and sauces. That’s the basic explanation, just so we’re all on the same page. You know how when you get Korean chicken wings at a restaurant, they’re like chicken wings you’re used to and then they’re fried like 30 seconds longer to make sure they’re EXTRA crispy? Yeah, these corndogs are like this. But the variations are pretty slick. 

 

You can get a plain corn dog, sure. But why would you when you can get one that’s got some pizzazz? You can get them half hot dog and half cheese stick (mozzarella or cheddar) – keep in mind this half and half version is like top-half cheese and bottom-half hot dog, so you won’t get both flavors in one bite. Or entirely cheese on the inside. Or you can get them with sausage. Or with a squid ink batter. Or with a premium hot dog – likely pandering to American’s refined palate hahaha. Or with a rice cake instead of a hot dog.

 

Once you get the insides figured out, then you have to determine what’s on the outside. You can get the entire thing rolled in cubed potatoes or cubed sweet potatoes (for an upcharge that’s totally worth it). Think of it like you’re at the state fair or some street market in Korea. You want the full experience, so get the add-on. Then, while they’re frying up your magical corn dog, you can stand and stare at the list of sauces they have available to slather your crispy corn dog in. I should have taken a photo of them, so you could see them all. It’s an impressive list. Yes, they do have ketchup and mustard and even honey mustard, but go right past those. Consider cheese mustard, hot sauce, sweet chili, or garlic parmesan. Then you can continue the adventure by adding different dry seasonings to that – parmesan cheese powder, cheddar cheese dust, or honey butter seasoning. Probably a few that I’m missing. 

 

I went with a mozzarella and sausage covered hot dog, rolled in potato cubes, and then covered with sweet chili sauce. And it was truly the right choice. And, like I assumed earlier, like a dream I had, but this was real life. Super crunchy potatoes and batter, cooked perfectly. The hot dog is pretty much a hot dog, so I’m not going to wax poetic on flavor profiles and nuances of textures. I’ve never had chili sauce on a corndog before but now I’m a convert. It’s just really amazingly good. I’m looking forward to going back and trying some of the other combinations. 

 

I wrote way too long about this corndog, but I really wanted you all to pick up what I’m throwing down on this one. You’re going to want to go to Dinkytown (or better yet, LAS VEGAS) and pick up a couple of these for your family. One was plenty for one person, even me, once you get all the attachments and accoutrements. So, keep that in mind. But, you won’t be sorry, no matter you get there. It’s a super small and efficient shop – order at the counter, go outside and wait until they call your number, go inside and tell the cashier how you want your corn dog finished off, and then pay the person. Easy.

Armored Gardens - Davenport, IA

BIL is a beer guy, so and I’ve heard him talk about this place in Davenport, IA that has a boatload of taps AND good food. Not sure why I haven't been before this point, but D and I made a point to go check it out when we were in town visiting my family. 

 

The beer menu is extensive. Literally, like 100 beers (maybe just shy when we were there, due to a keg or two running out the previous night). Good craft beers mostly. I was in the mood for beer, but D was in the mood for a fancy cocktail of some sort. She found the first drink on the cocktail menu and didn’t even go past it. Pineapple Tiki Punch, and when she found out they’d serve it in a giant palm tree cup, she had to have it. She’s the best.

 

The food menu is also pretty serious. Think of it like a very advanced snack bar where you order at the window and then they’ll give you a number and run it out to you. D decided we could split a Buffalo Chicken Salad and I have a weakness for fried samplers, so I picked “The Box” – which apparently is the best sampler in the whole world. It’s got 2 pretzels, 3 chicken tenders, 5 mini corn dogs, 2 chicken philly eggrolls, and French fries. More brown food, yes, thank you.

 

We headed outside to the beautiful patio (along with a ton of other folks who had just gotten done with a practice run for the local big-deal race we have in the Quad Cities each year – the Bix 7), and our food showed up pretty quickly after that. Meanwhile, people were walking past and taking pictures and asking about the giant palm tree glass that D was drinking from. 

 

The Buffalo Chicken Salad was pretty immense. TONs of buffalo chicken on top or lettuce, bacon, tomato, fried onions, and blue cheese dressing. We were both eating it and both really enjoyed this option. It ALMOST felt like we were eating something healthy, what with the lettuce and all.

The Box was really the killer item, though. It comes out in a pizza type box with the words “The Box” on it, so it’s hard to mistake it. We opened it up pretty quickly, so our crispy stuff didn’t get steamed and soggy and we must have done it right, since everything was really delicious and crispy. The pretzels were fantastic and came with dipping sauces. In fact, we weren’t exactly sure which sauces went with which items, so we just improvised and figured out what worked best for us. The chicken strips were super meaty and crispy. The corn dogs were really fun. The chicken philly eggrolls were really damn good, and the fries were also still crispy. 

 

This place tends to draw the younger crowd, which makes it fun and energetic. There’s a lot nearby in downtown Davenport, so I know we’ll be close enough to pop by again really soon. Even better food and beer selection than I expected, so now I’m all fired up about going back there!

Armored Gardens

Barker's Bar & Grill - Hudson, WI

 

D had stopped into this place with a friend a couple weeks back and said we needed to go here and eat some of the stuff that she has tried. It’s a really fun little bar and grill in downtown Hudson. We were spending the night nearby, so it seemed to work out perfectly for us. 

 

The menu has a lot of things on it, and I always ask the server what the place is known for when I go to a new place. She said the wings were one of the best sellers – and also why D wanted to come back here. So there it was, I guess we’re getting the wings! Now to decide which of the many sauce options we were in the mood for. We went with Bree’s Knees Wings – sweet, tangy, and spicy with honey, lemon, and Nashville hot chicken flavors. It’s really hard to go wrong with that kind of profile. 

 

We also decided to split the Casino el Camino Burger – Louisiana hot sauce, cayenne pepper, crumbled blue cheese, caramelized onions, chopped celery, lettuce and tomato. All of those things were going to work out nicely for us. 

 

The wings were actually pretty damn good – definitely noteworthy. Lots of meat on them, but the flavors in the sauce were pretty killer. You could definitely taste everything on the list and it was the perfect mix of sweet and spicy. Very much like D, I would absolutely go back here again and get an order or seven of these Bree’s Knees Wings.

 

The Casino el Camino burger was a good burger. Not life changing, and maybe I had my hopes set too high, but it needed something to make it pop a little. Again, not a flop or anything, but if they can make killer wing sauce, they’ll be able to figure out how to make this burger stand out above the rest. I’m not sorry I ordered it, but the next time I go back to Barker’s, I’ll try a different burger or sandwich and know that it’ll be better than average bar and grill food. 

 

The server was super helpful and friendly and made sure we had everything we needed. Really made it a fun night for us.

 

Looking forward to our next trip back to Barker’s!

Pro-Choice Potluck at Hai Hai - Minneapolis, MN

I don’t always post “reviews” (I use that term very loosely) for once in a lifetime experiences that you’ll never get to duplicate, because sometimes it comes off as bragging or something. But, in this case, I’m going to rave about an event that we went to that was pretty amazing.

After Roe v Wade was overturned recently, Hai Hai decided to host an event to raise money for reproductive rights and awareness. They called their closest chef friends and asked then to whip up a potluck-style dish that would bring some folks in for a fundraiser. They has so much interest that they needed to host two separate dates. Both of these dates sold out in under a day and we were lucky enough to buy some tickets.

The putluck brunches were both held at Hai Hai on July 31^st and also August 14. Some chefs made food for both dates, but it was a difficult decision on which date to pick because some of our favorite chefs were only cooking at one of the days. The events raised over $50,000 for Just the Pill and Whole Woman’s Health Alliance. There was also a raffle with multiple really cool prizes from local businesses that also support reproductive rights. Also, great work by DJ Keezy, who really nailed the songlist and got many people up from their chairs and dancing.

 

We started with some fancy cocktails that were also in partnership with some local restaurants like Hai Hai, Hola Arepa, and Meteor. There were also some N/A cocktails from Tres Leches and Hi-Lo Diner, but we were in the mood for some full-alcohol coctails. 

 

When you read this food list, though, you’re going to be very mad that you weren’t there enjoying these delicious dishes. 

 

·      MEKONG SALAD I Chef Christina Nguyen I Hai Hai

Lao sausage, tom yum coconut milk dressing, herbs, peanuts

·      BRAISED CORN I Chef Alex Roberts I Alma

on the cob with whole spice coconut sauce

·      JAHPCHAE I Chef Ann Kim I Pizzeria Lola

sesame-soy dressed sweet potato noodles with marinated vegetables

·      EMPANADAS DE HUMITA I Chef Daniel Del Prado I Martina

creamed corn & provolone with chimichurri

·      BUDIN AZTECA I Chef Gustavo Romero I Nixta

Mexican lasagna with layered corn tortillas, chicken tinga, queso chihuahua, nopales salad

·      SMOKED CHICKEN LARB I Chef James Winberg I Travail

with sweet rice, shiso vinaigrette, herbs

·      SPICY SPINACH PANEER I Chef Janene Holig | Hot Indian Foods

coconut rice, mint-cucumber raita

·      BIRRIA ENCHILADAS I Chef Jon Wipfli I Animales BBQ Co

Braised beef, adobo, cheese, salsa, corn tortillas

·      ALBONDIGAS I Chef Jorge Guzman | Petite Leon

en mole poblano with sesame seeds

·      BORICUA “ARROZ CON POLLO" I Chef Nettie Colon I Red Hen Gastrolab

Puerto Rican rice with chicken, Longaniza sausage & pigeon peas

·      CHICKEN SKEWERS I Chefs Nikki & Brian Podgorski I The Salsa Collaborative

mojo marinated chicken thighs with deep fried plantain

·      PAN-FRIED DUMPLING | Chef Peter Bian | Saturday Dumpling Club

with brisket, carrot & onion, Chinese vinegar chili crisp sauce

·      MINI PRETZEL DOG I Chef Sun Cowles | Create Catering

with kimchi scallion ranch

·      SAVORY DOUGHSCUIT I Chef Tim Niver | Muccis

with tomato tartare and chèvre vinaigrette

·      STRAWBERRY PANNA COTTA | Chef Katie Elsing | Lynhall

with roasted plum & salted white chocolate crumb

·      PASSION FRUIT DIVA CAKE I Chef Zoè Francois | Zoe Bakes

almond jaconde cake, passionfruit buttercream, blackberry, ganache & toasted meringue

 

In the food line, I didn’t tell a single chef “no thank you” – just put them anywhere on my plate that you can find room. It ended up being a really impressive display of food. I felt like it would be MORE rude to tell someone you didn’t want the one thing that they brought to the potluck. Plus, I REALLY love to eat and I didn’t want to miss anything stellar.

It’s basically impossible to rank these in order of my favorite, since I’ve changed my mind about 20 times on what was the best. Just know that ZERO of these dishes were bad. In fact, none of them were even ho-hum or average. They were all fantastic. I can probably narrow it down to the best five dishes that I can determine as of me sitting on my couch right now writing this. So, in no particular order, I’ll list five of my above-and-beyond favorites:

·      Mekong Salad

·      Albondigas

·      Spicy Spinach Paneer

·      Savory Doughscuit

·      Strawberry Panna Cotta

·      (And yes, I’ve already gone back and edited this list – DAMMMIT! They were all so good!)

 

We didn’t end up winning anything in the raffle, but honestly, this was one of the best ways to kick off a Sunday that we’ve had in quite some time. I know the pandemic isn’t over, but it really is nice to ease into social events like this again. Of course, now the bar is set really high and we’ll never be able to assemble quite a lineup like this again, unless it’s at some spectacular event like this one. All the people working the event were having a good time; all the chefs and food servers were having a good time; all the people eating and drinking were having a good time. It just made you feel good!

 

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Sippi's American Grill & Craft Beer - Davenport, IA

 

I’ve driven by Sippi’s maybe not a hundred times, but it’s getting close to that number, and I’ve never stopped. While D and I were in town, we were in that neck of the woods and thought we should check it out. It’s a bar and grill, but they’ve also got some fancier things on the menu. Lots of tvs for the sportfolks, but also plenty of outside patio space for you to get out and enjoy the elements. Pretty diverse clientele inside – some fancier folks, but plenty of shorts and jerseys to be seen throughout.

 

The menu does have some interesting items on it, but we were in the mood for something hearty. D ordered the Cajun Catfish Filets and sweet potato fries, and it came with soup or salad and she went with baked potato soup. I got the Taste of the South Burger with Shells and Cheese as my side. We talked ourselves out of wings to start, since we realized it was going to be plenty of food. 

 

The baked potato soup came out first and was actually quite good. Really thick and hearty without being super flour-filled. Lots of potatoes and black pepper, which is exactly how I like my baked potatoes anyway! We wanted hearty food, and we were getting hearty food.

The food came out quickly and we were really impressed with the portions. There was a mound of sweet potato fries, which were really delicious – although they weren’t crispy at all. I know this is one of those things that’s hard to achieve, so I always cut a little slack. But they were just fine. The catfish was actually the best thing of the night. Really good seasoning, although not spicy at all. Really light and flaky fish and the breading was just about perfect. Crunchy and not greasy. Great job on these catfish filets. I’m not sure if they are Mississippi River caught or not, but it’s a safe bet going with catfish when you’re in the QCs.

 

The Taste of the South burgers was just ok. I might have gotten my hopes too high on this one – Burger with bacon, fried green tomato, Carolina BBQ sauce, and pepper jack. It was fine, but I couldn’t taste much of the ingredients – it ended up tasting like a cheeseburger to me. Maybe I ordered poorly on my part, but I wish I had something as awesome as D’s catfish. Hahaha. The shells and cheese were much better than the burger, so I was glad I went with those for the side. 

 

Overall, it was an average/fine meal. Nothing earth-shattering or reason to round up friends and family to go here, but if you’re in the neighborhood, it’ll get you where you need to go. The beer list is good, but I had literally had everything on the list, so it wasn’t anything crazy. 

 

http://www.sippisrestaurant.com 

Abarrotes Carrillo - Davenport, IA

 

I went here with some friends a while back and we had a really outstanding meal, so I knew I needed to take D here to try it for herself. Unfortunately, they had a large fire and had to rebuild for many months, so we had to wait. But now that they’re open, it’s even better than it was. 

 

The place is always hopping, so you may end up waiting for a table, especially evenings and weekends. We got seated right away and scoured the menu. Lots of traditional dishes that you’d recognize and then some specialties that not ever knows. We ended up ordering Costillas de Puerco (short pork ribs) with chili rojo. D got a chorizo taco and a huarache with adobada or marinated steak. 

 

I tried to get her to order a Pambazo, which is a sandwich similar to a traditional torta, but the bread is dipped and fried in enchilada sauce. I’ve only seen it a few restaurants, so I know it’s something special. But every one that I’ve tried has been amazing. Next time. 

 

They bring out chips and salsa to the table, and it’s plenty hot. Which reminded us that we hadn’t ordered anything to drink. At this restaurant you just go the cases along the wall and grab yourself something and tell the server what you got. It works out well for everyone. 

 

The chorizo taco was really flavorful. I’ve had some dud chorizo tacos in my day and this wasn’t one of them. Lots of flavor and it didn’t just taste like rendered fat/grease. Really good. 

The Costillas de Puerco were actually amazing. I never know the right way to eat it but I always de-bone first, and then can just scoop all my ingredients into the tortillas provided without fear of losing a tooth. The meat was ridiculously tender and deeply rich and the chili sauce had a ton of flavor. Homemade corn tortillas really brought the flavor to this dish, as well. Super happy with this dish.

 

D’s huarache was the highlight of the show. We weren’t expecting a quilt-sized tortilla stuff with ingredients, yet here we were. The steak flavor was really amazing (it helps that this restaurant is also a butcher shop and small market), and there was plenty of it in the dish. Again, that homemade tortilla wasn’t just massive, it was also thick and fluffy – borderline pancake. Go get this thing right away. 

 

This restaurant is now one of our go-to places in the Quad Cities. There are so many good Mexican restaurants in the Quad Cities that it takes a lot to stand out above the rest – but this one does. I’d recommend it very highly. 

 

Top five things about Abarrotes Carrillo

1.     Huarache

2.     Costillas de Puerco

3.     Chorizo taco

4.     Homemade tortillas

5.     I haven’t had the Pambazo here, but seeing it on the menu can only be a good thing!

 

https://m.facebook.com/abarrotescarrillo/