Archive for August, 2009

Hey, Hey, Hey! Monte’s is Back!

Friday, August 28th, 2009

Monte’s of Faribault is back under new ownership and doing well.  Dh and I were out with friends when they mentioned they thought Monte’s was opened for lunch.
We called them on the spot and found that they had hours til 9PM.  We were already entrenched at Kurry Kabob’s and really enjoying our dinners or all four of us would have high tailed it down there.
So, tonight, dh and I were downtown at the guild which was closed,  and then to Faribault for a possible lawn mower purchase.  We decided to stop by and have a late night snack just to blog it.

Dh had the sirloin steak, baked potato and summer veggies with salad for $16,  We both had bread and olive oil with balsamic vinegar reduction as part of a house gift, and I had the white chicken chili and crab cake sandwich for $10.  The chili was excellent and spurred  me on to making my own version sometime soon, and the crab was very nicely done.  Fresh lemon, fried onion, bacon and a nice little mound of arugula topped the crab.  I enjoyed my time there immensely as they have a fabulous staff and they retained the comfortable decor of the old Monte’s.   This time it’s a little cheaper, a few more choices and not all the pretention of trying to be like N’awlins, dawlin!

Monte’s Steak House

www.montessteakhouse.com

31 Third Street NE
Faribault, MN 55021
(507) 333-9393

Posted in Bright's 2009 Restaurant Blog, Bright's Minnesota Restaurant Blog, Handicapped Accessible Restaurants | No Comments »

Flying Over Northfield

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Last Monday morning I was fortunate enough to enjoy a airplane ride over Northfield where I could see such remarkable attractions as the public swimming pool, Malt-O-Meal-the company, Cannon River, Northfield Golf Course, St. Olaf and Carleton Colleges and their perspective wind turbines, dozens of silent train cars, city parks and aprox. 5,000 or so dwellings. And oh, the new Peggy Prowse Bridge really stood out!

My dh had business down in Chicago and he had to come in late at night, so he could not land at Stanton Airfield, where he rents the plane, because it has no runway lights. That eventually meant a ride for me from Faribault to Stanton on a perfect morning. What’s more, it all ties in to my restaurant and food blog as he brought with him an Aurelio’s pizza from Illinois. This is a small chain of pizza houses that offer some of the best pizza I have ever eaten. We used to go to the one in Homewood, Il whenever we were out visiting. and were patient enough to wait in line.   The restaurant was in a converted mansion and was filled with booths in nooks and crannies,  stained glass,  t-shirt shop, arcade  games, lower and upper floor dining..something for everyone in the family.

The one thing aurelio’s does differently  is use a blend of cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Kind of  like real Italian cooks  do when they make pizza, using whatever they happen to have on han . You can hardly go wrong with that approach on pizza or in mac and cheese. At least that is true for me with the basic seven, cheddar, mozzarella, swiss, provolone, Gouda, Edam, or Jarlsberg.

Anyway,  I really enjoyed my flown in pizza,  saving part in the freezer so I can enjoy it again.

Just as I started writing this blog, a friend came over with some cannolis from Byerly’s in Apple Valley. For those of you who have not met this delightful dessert, it is a ricota (or marscapone cheese) piped into  a crisp pastry tube and topped with pistacio and sometimes chocolate bits on the open ends. It is very, very good and sweet and super fattening. These weren’t as good as the one’s I remember in Chicago at an old time Italian restaurant called Salerno’s on the near north side, but they were as close as I have seen in years. I guess it’s just hard to find  an Italian grandma to make cannoli for everyone in the area out of love.

We also found that people can order things like baked goods on line at Byerly’s and they will respond with a confirmation.

recipe link;
http://www.pastrysampler.com/Questions_and_Answers/cannoli.htm

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Twofer

Sunday, August 2nd, 2009

Even I can offer a good bargain during these soon to be over but not soon enough tough economic times.  As of late, dh and I have been again to La Eskina where I had a deliciousio Tortas, which is a Mexican sandwich on a squarish bun that has been purposely burnt, kinda of like the grill marks on the inside of bread sandwiches that people are so fond of these days.  The tortas have the grill marks on the crusted part of the bun.  It’s more for the eye than the tastebuds.  Charcoal is pretty tasteless really, once you get over the black pebbly part of it, it’s not all that.  But the chicken, avocado, tomato, lettuce and onion sandwich I requested was so good and so big, I didn’t eat for a day and a half after that.  It was about 5 dollars and worth every penny of it. The folks over there don’t skimp on any ingredient and I like that about them.  Dh had his usual already.  Once he likes something that’s all he’ll order for decades.  How could I girl like me be married to such a stick in the mud, I just don’t know.  Right now, he is flying back an airplane from the OshKosh Air Show that got left there by someone who had to leave early. So maybe he’s not that much of a stick in the mud.  Really, he and my puppy are the loves of my life and they alternate and jockey for position number one constantly. No, I’m kidding.  Anyway….

We went over to Mill Street Tavern yesterday and also visited the nearby newly built up Cannon Falls Waterfalls and wan pond that enhance the new hiking and biking path.  We noticed the Cannon Falls bike and boat rental shop and looked at their website when we got back.  Wow, you can rent a bicycle built for two there, too.  (Notice how I wove a reference to the title into this blog?) We also delighted at the sight of a lovely family of swans with a few teenager swanlets or whatever they are called these days, and two lovely adult heart halves swans behaving in particularly swannish manner. Picture perfect, except we didn’t have our camera, so we go back next week. :)

Cob = Male Swan, Pen = Female Swan, Cygent = Baby Swan, Flock = Group of Swans

I am not blogging Mill Street Tavern because I did not enjoy the leathery wild caught salmon and so on sandwich I forced down as everything else was very good including dh’s chicken and bacon wrap.

Thanks for reading my blog and allowing for my silliness.  It’s just that kind of day for me.

Posted in Bright's 2009 Restaurant Blog, Bright's Minnesota Restaurant Blog, Handicapped Accessible Restaurants, Just for FUN! | No Comments »