Perron's Sul Lago- Prior Lake, MN

After hearing about Perron’s Sul Lago from an old co-worker a few years ago, this has been a restaurant I have been meaning to check out for a while. Then on Thanksgiving my cousin-in-law mentioned it and so I decided this would be the next restaurant we check out. Greg and I had a nice date night last night which began with Perron’s for dinner. We had a reservation for 7:30 but were ready to go early and figured we would have a drink at the bar if we could not get in early.

Perron’s Sul Lago is located in the main level of a building that is connected to condos or apartments. The sign was subtle and we wouldn’t have seen if it we weren’t looking for it. When we walked in the small bar was to the left and the dining room was to the right. We were seated in a cozy and small booth. The restaurant was decorated beautifully and is a perfect setting for a nice date or a work dinner. Perron’s is only open for dinner from what I gathered.

Greg and I split the side Caesar salad which consisted of about four bites each, it was very small. The dressing was different than any other Caesar I have had before. It was good though. For dinner I ordered cheese ravioli with meat sauce and Greg got the sausage and peppers pasta. Both of our meals were very good. I tried a couple of their feature martinis, thin mint and chocolate. They were both delicious. Greg had a couple of their bottled seasonal beers.

For some reason this restaurant’s website is not working. It is unfortunate since you are not able to look at the menu online at all. We really didn’t know exactly what to expect other than what I have heard from people I know, that it is sort of expensive and has really good food. If you read the reviews online this restaurant has been hyped up greatly. I thought our food was very good and I really enjoyed it but I am not sure if I enjoyed it as much as the people in the reviews. I would need try some of their other entrees such as the meats to get a better opinion overall.

This was a great restaurant for a date night and I would definitely go back again. The prices of the meat entrees were on the expensive side with the filet in the mid $30’s. If it wasn’t from hearing about this restaurant from people I know, I would not have known it existed and I have never seen it advertised. I hope they get their website up and running so people can learn more about the restaurant before they visit. I apologize for not taking any pictures of this restaurant. The outside didn’t warrant any pictures, I only saw the sign when we drove by and then I forgot about it when the food came :)


Date of visit: Friday 12/2/2011- 6:45 pm
First time here: Yes
Total of bill before tip: $81.03 (2 martinis, 1 Captain, 3 beers, ravioli and sausage and peppers pasta)
Recommended: Yes

Kami Japanese Steakhouse- Apple Valley, MN

A few months ago I purchased a Groupon coupon for Kami Japanese Steakhouse. My Groupon was about to expire so my husband and I figured we better get over there so another coupon didn’t go to waste.

Kami is located on the first floor of a little strip mall/office building. It was a little quiet since everything else was closed due to the fact it was a Sunday night. We were greeted by the host who asked if we would like to do the all you can eat sushi and steak or if we would like to do the hibachi grill. We were both a little tired since we had a wedding the day before and didn’t necessarily feel like being entertained by a hibachi chef if we didn’t have to be, so we figured we should check and see if we could eat the hibachi food without sitting at the hibachi grill. Due to a policy change this wasn’t an option any longer. We knew this may be the case so we were just fine with it.

The host informed us that we would be sat in approximately 15 minutes. It seemed as though this restaurant waits until the hibachi table is full before seating instead of having a partial table, which makes sense to me. We took a seat in the lobby which was in the same room as the bar and waited for them to bring us back.

The hibachi grill area seemed pretty much like all of the others except here they had 4 grills (two clusters) in one room. The group we were sat next to was sort of quiet so that paired with the closed off room was a little awkward at first. Our server was very friendly and made sure to check and see if we had any coupons and I think the majority of the couples at our table did.

I ordered an amaretto sour and Greg ordered a Japanese beer, Kirin. Unfortunately I don’t have any pictures of my whole meal since I pretty much just ate everything as it was cooked and placed in front of me. The dinners here included soup, a salad (a little smaller than I am used to seeing), noodles, shrimp, vegetables and rice (or the option to upgrade to fried rice). For dinner I chose the filet and Greg got the filet and chicken combo. We both upgraded to fried rice. Our hibachi chef was great. He did the typical hibachi tricks but also threw one in that I hadn’t seen before, throwing the fried rice bowl around including behind him. It was impressive.


The food here had a little more flavor than the other hibachi restaurants I have been to recently. We were both really pleased with our meals. I had a little food left over for lunch the next day but of course it wasn’t nearly as good the second day. As we all know, hibachi restaurants are expensive but you do get a lot of food for your money so it sort of balances out. The prices seemed to be right in line with Osaka’s and other comparable restaurants. I would definitely recommend dining at Kami Japanese Steakhouse. I think the quality and flavor were great and it is nice having another hibachi restaurant in the suburbs.

Date of visit: Sunday 11/13/2011- 6:30 pm
First time here: Yes
Total of bill before tip: $74.22- $40 coupon = $34.22 (amaretto sour, beer, Filet Mignon & Chicken, Filet Mignon and 2 fried rice upgrades.
Recommended: Yes
http://kamifinedine.com/index.html

Burger Jones- Burnsville, MN

First off I would like to apologize for slacking with my reviews. Between switching jobs, working more nights and having a few busy weekends there was obviously quite a break there. Hopefully I can get back on track and keep the reviews coming.

Two friends and I went to the Burger Jones in Burnsville. Neither of my friends had been there before and have been wanting to check it out. We felt like sticking close to home so this was the perfect spot for us to visit.

The burgers and sandwiches do not come with a side at Burger Jones so we started out with the Tri-Fry Tasting Platter which includes French fries, sweet potato fries and parmesan waffle fries. This came with three dipping sauces of our choice so we decided on the chipotle aioli, smoky bbq and avocado mayo. Our favorite was the chipotle aioli which reminded us of seasoned sour cream. We didn’t really care for the regular French fries so if you order a side of fries with your meal I would suggest one of the other two options (our favorite was the waffle fries).

Tammy ordered the mushroom swiss burger and Carrie got the turkey club burger. They both really liked their burgers and seemed impressed with Burger Jones overall. I ordered the bacon cheeseburger. The burger was in line with what I have experienced in the past, pretty good. My only complaint about the burger was the bun itself. I feel it could have been fresher. The top of the bun seemed sort of dry and hard. Other than that it was a decent burger. I still feel the burgers from Five Guys and the Savage Legion are better and are significantly cheaper.

One negative thing I have heard about Burger Jones is that the prices are pretty high especially considering the burgers do not come with a side. For example, my bacon cheeseburger was $9.99. When we have gone in the past there were usually a couple drinks on the tab which definitely hiked our totals up. Skipping the cocktails this time definitely helped.

Overall I think Burger Jones is a fun place to go to dinner every once in a while. Obviously I wouldn’t want to go often because there are a lot of other places where you can get a much better value.

Date of visit: Saturday 11/5/2011- 7:00 pm
First time here: No
Total of bill before tip: Approximately $46.00
Recommended: Yes
http://burgerjones.com/index.php

Sorry for the poor picture quality once again, I had to use my phone camera.

Mancini's Char House & Lounge- St. Paul, MN

Every few months my old Lifetime co-workers and I get together with our spouses and we rotate which couple plans the get together. It was our turn this time and after Greg and I went to Mancini’s Char House & Lounge about a month ago and fell in love with it, we figured it would be a great place to get together.

Turns out the night we went was abnormally busy and even though this restaurant is HUGE we still had to wait about a hour and a half. We just hung out in the lounge, had a few drinks and caught up with each other. They play live music Wednesdays through Saturdays too so you can either enjoy the music before dinner if you eat late like we did or check out the lounge afterwards and could even do some dancing if you are up for it. Mancini’s décor makes you feel like you are stepping back in time. I love restaurants with character so I think this is awesome.

At Mancini’s they give you a relish tray and the pickles, tomatoes and peppers that are on there are extra delicious. I don’t like to eat tomatoes straight up but compromised by trying one on a piece of bread out of the bread basket. It was yummy! We were obviously pretty hungry by the time we got sat since it was after 8:30 so we inhaled the relish tray, bread and our salads. The guys even got creative and dipped their bread in the juices left on the relish tray, don’t ask…

Our table ordered two 12 oz. filet mignons, two 8 oz. filet mignons, the beef kabob and a NY Strip. I had one of the smaller filets. It is the same thing I got last time and it was delicious once again. They butterfly it there (without asking) and it is cooked exactly as I like (I order it medium). This is my favorite filet to date. Everyone else that had the filets really liked them also. My husband had the kabobs and enjoyed them overall but had one piece that was a little tough. He had enough leftover to make a steak omelet the next day. Brian ordered the NY strip and liked that also, this is one of their signature items. I had the vegetables with mine and those were great too!


Last time we were at Mancini’s one of the owners came around to see how everything was. He did this again which I think is really impressive. I love when managers are involved and want to ensure everyone is enjoying their meal. Thumbs up on that one!

After we were done eating Rachel mentioned I should have taken a picture of the relish tray but needless to say, ours was devoured so… a few of them had their eyes on the table next to us that had just left and went over to bogart their leftover relish tray. Not only did we take a picture of it but my husband figured he may as well take some of those delicious tomatoes for his omelet also and of course emptied the rest of our bread basket into his to go container. Jacking the other table’s relish tray was pretty funny and was a good way to end the evening (notice there are no pickles left).

Overall I think Mancini’s is amazing and is a great value for your money. With your steak you get the relish tray, the bread basket, a salad and a potato or vegetables. I would highly recommend anyone and everyone I know to check it out. Dinner and some live music would make for a fun date night or get together with friends. If you have been to Mancini’s but it has been a while, I would encourage you to go back. If you check it out make sure to add your comments below.

Date of visit: Wednesday 10/15/2011- 7:30 pm
First time here: No
Total of bill before tip: $55.81 (Beef Kabob, Small Filet, Coke, Captain)
Recommended: Yes
Website: http://mancinis.com/index.html

Tilia- Minneapolis, MN

My friend Raya and I were planning a double date and she suggested we check out Tilia. I read some of the online reviews and was very eager to try this restaurant. The first thing I noticed was it was a little hard to find due to the fact there is not a sign for the building. There is simply a window decal which makes it hard to spot while driving by. The restaurant is on the small side and does not take reservations so it fills up quickly. I was early and was able to get a great table for us.

They have a great beer list which allows people to sample some new, fun beers. I originally wanted a glass of wine but couldn’t rationalize paying $10 for a glass of wine when the wine I buy in the store is less than that for a whole bottle. I decided to go with a diet coke. I ended up ordering a glass of $4 wine after Raya ordered one and I tried a sip since I wasn’t sure what kind it was, turned out it was pretty good.

We started out with the grilled bread with prosciutto & fresh mozzarella appetizer. I loved it. It was so delicious. I could have eaten 2 orders of it myself. The menu here is on the smaller side so I had my dinner narrowed down to two pastas and ended up choosing the small size of the tagliatelle pasta. It was… okay. I really didn’t feel there was anything special about it. Plus there were additional items in there that were not mentioned on the menu and I really had no idea what they were. Raya got the squash caramelle pasta and I liked hers a lot more. We should have switched since afterwards we realized we liked each other’s better than our own. Oh well! The boys got the reuben and the fish taco torta. The guys seemed to be happy with their meals. I also stole a few of our friend’s French fries and they were pretty good however they were less than impressed with the fry sauce that came with it. It didn’t have much flavor at all.


Overall this restaurant was cute, the waitresses were friendly and we had a great experience. I just left feeling a little under impressed with my meal but it could have been that I just ordered the wrong thing. I would definitely go back if someone suggested it and would just be sure to order something different.

Date of visit: Wednesday 10/5/2011- 6:00 pm
First time here: Yes
Total of bill before tip: $50 (2 beers, soda, glass of wine, appetizer, fish torta and small pasta)
Recommended: Yes
Website: http://tiliampls.com/

Best Cheap Burgers Around: Dan Patch American Legion- Savage, MN

If you are looking for a good deal on a hamburger you have to go to the Dan Patch American Legion in Savage. I don’t know how they cook these burgers but they do something magical to them. If you check out the Legion’s burgers make sure to go on a Monday night. The burgers are only $1.50 + $.50 for each topping so you have yourself a $2.00 cheeseburger. Plus, it is only $.50 for fries. While the burgers are great the fries are pretty good but nothing amazingly awesome. Not only do you get to enjoy a burger but they also have Bingo on Monday nights so that adds a little extra incentive to hit up the Legion on Monday nights.

I originally ordered one of these hamburgers only because they were so cheap. I didn't used to be a big burger girl but these burgers opened my eyes to the world of burgers. Since I initially tried one here, I have had a few elsewhere and have been on the quest for the best burger around. These burgers are pretty darn close. They aren’t outrageously huge so if you have a big appetite I would definitely get two. The only other burger I have found that I enjoy just as much if not possibly more would be Five Guys Burgers & Fries. I am putting the Legion and Five Guys at a tie for the best burgers around, thus far.

Over the past few months the Legion has done some rearranging, upgrades and remodeling to the interior of the building. It still isn’t anything fancy but they have definitely made some improvements. They have other awesome food deals different nights of the week such as cheap sloppy joes, wings and tacos. Other than Heggie’s Pizzas I haven’t had any of their other food yet. If you have tried any of their other items make sure to let us know what you thought!

Date of visit: Monday October 4th- 6:15 pm
First time here: No
Total of bill before tip: $6.?? (2 cheeseburger baskets and one soda). I must have thrown the receipt so I don’t have the exact amount.
Recommended: Yes
Website: http://savageamericanlegion.com/

Kick Off

I am so excited to start a restaurant review blog!

The first thing you may be wondering is what qualifies me to write a blog about restaurants? Well… nothing. I am not an acclaimed writer (no need to point out my poor writing skills) and I don’t have advanced culinary training, but this girl LOVES to eat! Plus, my friends were the ones who suggested it so if nothing else I know I will have three followers :) This picture was taken when this idea originated.

This blog is for the average person such as myself who appreciates a great meal and may be wanting to see someone else’s opinion before they check out a restaurant themself. My goal is to keep trying new places but of course I will be going back to my favorites. In those situations I will be checking for consistency and hopefully try some new menu items.

As previously mentioned, I am not a professional blogger (YET) so if you have any suggestions please share them with me.

Rudy's Redeye Grill- Lakeville, MN

My husband and I visited Rudy's Redeye Grill in Lakeville. I had a coupon that I purchased online and have heard great things about this place so we decided to check it out. For some reason I assume this place specialized in steak (which they may) but we were planning on having steak the next day for our anniversary so we agreed we would try something different.

When I walked into the restaurant I noticed the restaurant was beautiful and darker than some due to the dark red walls and dark wood. The first thing I saw when I sat down was the gigantic bar. It was the longest bar I have seen in a restaurant other than Primetime but that is a whole different deal.

I love when restaurants have a drink menu so you can try some of their creations. They had a drink on there that caught my attention; it was a Colorado Bulldog with caramel vodka. Sign me up! This thing was delicious. I would have loved it if it had a little more coke in it but that is my personal preference.

We decided to get an appetizer. Greg was leaking towards the bull bites but I really wanted to try something different (remember, no steak??). We finally agreed on the bacon wrapped jalapenos. I have never had poppers before (ever) so I was really excited to try them. Holy crap, my mouth was on fire! Thanks to those things the second half of my Bulldog was gone before I knew it. My husband thought the bacon could have been cooked more since it wasn't crispy at all. After eating two of these things I had to throw in the towel. As previously mentioned I haven't had these before so I can't compare them to other places but was obviously bummed I wasn't able to eat any more of them because they were too hot. I love food with a little kick but this was too much for my wimpy ass.

For dinner I decided on the Prime Rib French Dip and loved that I was able to get fresh fruit for my side. I love French dips but haven't had one recently. This was a good one, I would probably give it a 7-8 out of 10. The bread was soft, meat was the perfect thickness and the au jus was tasty also. My husband decided on the Chicken Pot Pie. This was also flavorful but was a little soupier than we are used to. His meal came with a side and he chose the Caesar salad. This was actually a really good salad, one of the better ones I have had reccently. We were also served warm bread with butter that was flavored with something delicious but we couldn't put our finger on it. We both had enough food left over for lunch the next day which is always a bonus.

Their menu reminded us of Bonfire's minus the Southwestern items. Normally I would have been tempted to order the filet mignon so I checked out the price of that and was surprised. It was definitely a little higher than I am used to seeing, $10.01 more than Chianti's for the same size piece of meat. I will have to try it sometime to see how it compares since I love the filet at Chianti. With that being said, I will definitely be back to Rudy’s again. Our food was really good and I loved the feel of this restaurant. There were SO many things on the menu that we would love to try.

Date of visit: Saturday 9/17/2011- 6:30 pm
First time here: Yes
Total of bill before tip: $58.80 (1 beer, 1 Bulldog, poppers, Captain Diet, French Dip and Pot Pie).
Recommended: Yes
Website: http://rrglakeville.com/

Sorry for the poor picture quality on this one.