Grand Forks: A History of American Dining in 128 Reviews

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Grand Forks: A History of American Dining in 128 Reviews Page 8

by Marilyn Hagerty


  There’s a lot I like about the Royal Fork. The ambience is pleasant and homey. It’s a good place for families and for people serious about eating. While it’s probably the largest restaurant in Grand Forks, it’s relatively quiet and orderly. There is a crew of people keeping the food line clean, clearing trays and even pouring coffee. And the place is attractive. There are large colored photographs of food on the walls. The green carpet has a geometric design. There is a lot of light wood latticework and frosted glass above the row of booths, dividing smoking and nonsmoking sections.

  Scott Heilman has been manager for three years. He says volume is the key to keeping the large selection of food at a low cost. And volume he gets: In July and August last year, the Royal Fork served 50,000 people. That’s as many as the total population of Grand Forks.

  One of the hottest items is the shrimp on Friday nights. Tuesdays are family nights, when children’s meals are 10 cents for each year of their age. Once every six weeks, the Royal Fork has a special for senior citizens. It’s 50 cents off on a meal.

  Heilman’s been wearing a happy smile ever since the Sunday opening law was passed. It’s been a boon to business, which was slack on Sundays in an empty mall.

  With Lights Down Low, Pantry Turns into Le Pantre for Dinner

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  APRIL 3, 1991

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  The lights are turned down low, candles flicker on the tables, and there are folk songs and ballads two evenings each weeks in Le Pantre, in downtown Grand Forks. What’s more, reasonably priced dinners are served in this cozy, homey atmosphere.

  The Pantry, a good place for lunch, turns into Le Pantre, a dining room with French flavor, at 5 P.M. And the dinners are outstanding.

  We were there Friday evening. The orange roughy dinner I ordered was one of the best meals I have had on the Eatbeat for a long time. I was more than pleased. I was impressed.

  Orange roughy was one of the Friday specials, for $8.95. The entree was preceded by an iceberg lettuce salad, served nicely on a glass plate with a vinaigrette dressing that was excellent. The orange roughy seemed to be poached with spices. It was soft, tender and tasty, and served with a twice-baked potato. Also on the plate were candied potato strips and broccoli, still green and crisp. There was also a large lemon wedge cut like a flower.

  For me, it was a Good Friday blessing to have broccoli that was still vivid green—not overcooked and mushy. The whole wheat buns, still warm from the oven, were an unexpected pleasure. The whole meal was next to perfection.

  Where else, except Sanders, I wondered, can you go in the Grand Forks area for a complete top-rate meal like this?

  With me were Constant Companion (CC), who ordered lasagna for $5.75, and Daughter Gail (DG). She had just driven in from Bismarck with Little Jack (LJ) and ordered filet mignon ($12.75).

  The lasagna is one of five entrees served with a green salad and herbed garlic toast. CC found the meal much to his liking. As DG was eating her filet, she said, “When I do eat beef, I want it to be as good as this.”

  There were a half dozen other tables occupied while we were in the restaurant. We sat back and enjoyed the singing of Ron Franz, who entertains Friday evenings. On Saturday evenings, there is music by Scott Julin.

  Le Pantre features homemade desserts, which included a gorgeous chocolate layer cake along with several versions of elegant cheesecake. This is extra, of course, and we declined. But the desserts would put a festive cap on a meal here. Or they would be great if you just came in for coffee and a sweet fix while listening to music. Le Pantre is a gem of a restaurant on a street that is quiet in the evenings. How well it will go is still to be seen.

  Warren LeClerc, the owner and manager of The Pantry, says dinner business during the week is often nil or next to it. Weekends are better, but not bustling. Still, he takes a positive approach. He has passed the 3½-year mark in business, trying to present an international style of food in Grand Forks. If he can’t make things work one way, he tries another.

  He reaches out for catering business and has hosted group events in the restaurant. He takes food out. Next week he will face the challenge of serving a dinner to 800 UND students at the Civic Auditorium during Greek Week. On Mother’s Day, he will begin serving a Sunday brunch.

  Soon, he will be serving sandwiches to downtown business places. He figures if the business doesn’t come in to him, he will go out and get it.

  Lunch business is good at The Pantry, LeClerc says, but he needs more than one meal to show a profit. The Pantry has distinguished itself with its blue plate specials at noon as well as sandwiches, salads, soups and home-baked items.

  CC and I stopped at The Pantry Thursday for lunch. We both ordered fettuccine carbonara, which was the blue plate special for $4.95. It was a hearty main dish, with three cheeses, and flavored with herbs. The noodles were nice, long and al dente. With it, there was garlic bread, much better than the stuff you usually get in cafes.

  The Pantry has some shortcomings. With Thursday’s lunch, I was served a rather ordinary iceberg lettuce salad with too much creamy dressing on it. At times, the service seems disorganized. On Thursday, there was an unusually long delay in serving one of the two blue plate specials we ordered. But then, in France, things are a bit disorganized and everything always works out.

  Marilyn says that The Pantry is “long gone from the Grand Forks restaurant scene.”

  Señor Howard’s Menu Features Pizza and Mexican Foods

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  MAY 29, 1991

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  We drove into the parking lot of Señor Howard’s Pizza and Mexican Cantina and Constant Companion said, “They’ve changed the entryway.”

  This is the restaurant at 2551 S. Columbia Road that originally was La Farmers Inn. It has been changing its identity from strictly Mexican food to include Howard’s Pizza, under the ownership of Frank Basting.

  We stepped inside the new side door, which is more convenient. Once inside, we could see that the restaurant has been redesigned with four dining areas. The feeling is cozier. The menu is larger. South-of-the-border music was playing softly in the background and we were seated.

  We studied the menu. First page, all pizza. Next page, appetizers and a la carte Mexican selection. Center section, Mexican fare. Next page, sandwiches, side orders, desserts, beverages.

  Next page, American dinners, submarines, and buckets of chicken, fish, ribs, shrimp. Last page, spirits and special drinks.

  All of this takes a while. Eventually, CC ordered a beef fajitas dinner ($7.95). I ordered a cheese tostada ($2.75) and a beef taco ($1.95) from the a la carte section. With it, I ordered cola. He ordered a beer.

  It was just a little after noon on Thursday, and there was a stream of people in and out. This is a relatively peaceful and quiet place to eat. Our booth, with seats covered in orange, was roomy. Dark wood is used in latticework dividers and in the wainscoting. The restaurant still has the colorful hanging lamps and along the wall, the same desert mural.

  Our waitress was courteous, but the service was on the slow side. “Maybe,” I told CC, “the service is snappier if you order the specials.” But our wait wasn’t too long. We didn’t mind anyway, because we had a big basket of warm chips and nice hot salsa to dip them in.

  When the food arrived, CC found the fajitas hard to eat, but the flavor good. I felt the same way about my tostada and taco. The meat was nicely flavored. The cheese had a good sharp taste. It was the lettuce that bothered me. It was shredded in rather large pieces that were hard to eat. What I like with Mexican food is crisp lettuce, finely chopped. (Picky, picky, picky.)

  A family nearby ordered the luncheon special, a potato burrito. This is described on the menu as a “gently warmed flour tortilla filled with Red River Valley potatoes and seasoned pure beef, smothered with melted cheese and red gravy. Topped with lettuce and tomatoes.” It’s regularly $4.25.

  With the new menu, owner Frank Basting says business is up 50 percent. He�
�s been holding a grand opening this month. On Thursday, there will be a drawing for prizes. Basting says his menu has almost everything on it, except Chinese food. He’s still working with his staff to get used to preparing the varied items, but he believes it’s shaping up.

  He took over the restaurant in 1988. In February, he added Howard’s Pizza. This was a logical step, since he formerly was part of a family operation that sold Howard’s Pizza, in Grand Forks. Howard’s was the first pizza to come to the Grand Forks area. It was introduced here in 1957 by Howard Guckenberg. The Bastings bought the business in 1975 and continued it here.

  Basting is proud of Howard’s pizza because, he says, “It’s our crust, our sauce. It’s all homemade, every ounce. There’s no premade sauces.”

  Along with the restaurant, the establishment has a lounge and casino. This area is set off from the dining rooms and entered through a separate door.

  Señor Howard’s no longer operates in Grand Forks.

  Steak, Lobster Combo Stars in Bronze Boot Repertoire

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  JUNE 26, 1991

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  “Where have all of the years gone?” I asked Constant Companion as we settled into a booth in the Bronze Boot to celebrate our 42nd wedding anniversary.

  “Dunno,” he said.

  We got talking about the past 34 years we have spent in Grand Forks. When we came here in 1957, the Bronze Boot was the only supper club. Other choices for dining included the Golden Hour, the Dacotah Hotel and Ryan Hotel dining rooms. And Whitey’s, of course.

  As times have changed, the Bronze Boot—as well as Whitey’s—has remained a constant on the dining scene. You can count on good food and reasonable prices. We felt the Boot was a good choice for an early dinner and a low-key celebration. We were not disappointed.

  The Bronze Boot established its reputation as a gathering place for farmers and people from town. Customers come back faithfully to the midday smorgasbord, to the back bar and to the main dining room. You can find good buys on the menu if you want a quick supper before a movie or a game.

  In the past two years, the Bronze Boot has taken on a more upscale look, in its effort to shed the western image. It was strictly western decor when it opened in 1957. Inside, it’s still dark, but more shiny and plushy. Restroom facilities are vastly improved.

  We began our celebration last Wednesday with a toast in the lounge, which is far more attractive than it used to be. In the first place, it’s more cozy—not so barny. We moved into the main dining room, which is more upscale, with its mauve and forest green decor. It’s nicely arranged on two levels with railing and booths around the edges. Art work in ornate, gold-looking frames is reminiscent of old masters.

  Our waitress was Trudy, one of the “pros” who serve food at the Boot. And an experienced waitress makes a difference in how much I enjoy dining out. In the first place, she gave us time to finish our appetizers. CC had wild rice soup, and I had tomato juice.

  Then, she brought on the spinach salads. As she did, she lit a flame under the drawn butter that was to go with my lobster and steak special ($12.50). I had heard people talking about this dinner, and I can see now what they mean. It’s a real deal. The sirloin steak was juicy and long on flavor. The lobster was fluffy and just the right amount.

  CC ordered barbecued loin back pork ribs ($8.75) and found them much to his liking. In the first place, the ribs were very well done. That is, the fat was cooked out of them. And the barbecue sauce was served on the side. My baked potato was great. His hash browns were done to a crispy brown on both sides. Our meal was most satisfying.

  Waitresses at the Boot wear black trousers and black vests with black bow ties and white shirts.

  We wondered why the cocktail waitress who works in the dining room wore such a brief outfit.

  While it might be appropriate in the lounge, it seems a little out of character in the dining room.

  We were among the first people in the dining room—after all, we started before six o’clock. We watched the booths and tables fill up. And we watched two chickens turn around above the open pit broiler in the center of the dining room. A friend of mine says she wonders if anyone ever orders those chickens.

  Trudy did not push the desserts, but the Bronze Boot has some interesting items. Among them are cheesecakes, and an item called the “Big Blitz,” which is patterned after a Snicker’s bar. Some people like to round out a celebration with something gooey. Usually CC and I skip dessert out of respect for our cholesterol readings, but I couldn’t pass up coffee and a mint at the end of the meal. The coffee was served in the Boot’s new clear cups with pedestals. And believe it or not, the coffee does taste better in them.

  Inge’s Bavarian Cuisine Offers German Specialties

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  JULY 3, 1991

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  “Welcome to Inge’s Bavarian Cuisine,” says the sign out front. Beneath the sign, there are red and white flowers. Above the sign, pink plastic pennants flutter in the breeze.

  Grand Forks now has a restaurant with a German accent, so we paid it a visit last week. The building is familiar. It was originally a Country Kitchen, located in the center of a clump of motels in the northwestern corner of the city. It has had a succession of different owners. The latest are Inge and Casper Bartizal. And they hope to make a go of it by specializing in German fare.

  It was fairly quiet inside at 6 P.M., June 24, except for the German music that was playing softly. The restaurant is clean. It has lace valances with pink hearts on the windows. There are shiny pink place mats on the tables and dainty baskets of flowers on the walls. A black, red and yellow German flag and the U.S. flag greet you.

  The menu is short and sweet and to the point. Since we wanted to try the German food, Constant Companion ordered wiener schnitzel for $7. I ordered a schnitzel sandwich for $3.50 and a cup of pancake soup, 75 cents.

  Unfortunately, our waitress didn’t tell us about the daily specials, which are printed on a separate sheet. We didn’t know about them and we failed to notice the chalkboard announcement on our way in, so we were limited in choice.

  My soup was interesting, although it was too salty. The pancake slices were good and not at all soggy from sitting in the soup. Our schnitzels turned out to be breaded and deep-fried pork. With his meal, CC had a salad, which was so-so. And he had German potato salad. The servings were large—more than we could eat.

  There is a dainty dessert menu showing Black Forest and Bavarian cheese tortes, strawberry tarts and two other items our waitress couldn’t identify. The desserts range in price from $1.50 to $2.

  Later, Inge told me that she and her husband have put all the money they could scrape up into the restaurant. They are determined to succeed, even though the credit rating has slipped with a series of changes in ownership. She says they have to pay their bills for supplies as they go. But since opening May 22, she is encouraged. So encouraged, in fact that she has given up her job at Simplot in order to give her full attention to the restaurant. Her husband, Casper Bartizal, retired from the Air Force, is working for Grand Forks Security Services.

  The couple met when he was in Europe with the Air Force. She was born in Portland, but had been living in Bavaria. She worked in the food business in Europe and completed courses in restaurant management there. She has been in this area for the past 10 years and formerly was employed in the bowling lanes at Grand Forks Air Force Base.

  Inge is proud of the German pancakes she serves in the morning and the spaetzle noodles she makes daily. She says she works with fresh meats from local suppliers.

  Inge’s Bavarian Cuisine no longer operates in Grand Forks.

  Beaver’s Brings Potatoes and Gravy to East Grand Forks

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  JULY 31, 1991

  * * *

  The prices are moderate. The surroundings are homey. The service is good. On three recent visits to Beaver’s Family Restaurant in East Grand Forks, we found the food ranging from so-so to
super.

  The sign in front of Beaver’s boasts the best soup in town. We tried the soup on our first visit to the restaurant July 20, when we ordered the special for $3.75, which was soup and a Denver sandwich. My vegetable-beef soup was very good, loaded with distinguishable chunks of carrots, celery, cabbage and tomatoes. Constant Companion’s turkey noodle soup was thick and nice, but far too salty. The Denver sandwiches were extra good. The fluffy scrambled eggs had just the right amount of diced ham and onion for taste.

  With those sandwiches in mind, we ordered Denver sandwiches Sunday evening. This time, the sandwiches turned out to be a thin layer of egg wrapped around a dripping collection of ham, pepper, onion and other vegetables. The taste was only OK. The sandwich was messy.

  On the other hand, we had a great experience at Beaver’s when we ordered the hot beef sandwich special for $3.75 Friday. The meat was lean, tasty and so tender you could cut it with a fork. The mashed potatoes were perfect, and the gravy had a thin consistency and homemade taste. Beaver’s boasts of using real potatoes—not flakes—and making its own gravy.

  Service is snappy. Waitresses are friendly, nimble and well-trained.

  The new beige figured wallpaper and blue valances on the windows create a cozy feeling. The restaurant is spacious, with four or five dining areas. You don’t feel squashed in. Booths have glass extensions above them with a pattern of embossed wheat. It’s a nice touch and provides a little privacy.

  Owner Steve Novak, whose nickname is Beaver, says he listens to people. He likes constructive criticism. He’s serious about the customer comment cards on each table. Novak has been operating the restaurant in East Grand Forks since April 1. He says considering the construction work on the highway this summer, things are going well—better than he had projected.

 

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