This is what the Windmill is all about, according to owner Tom Potter. “We try to create an atmosphere for relaxed dining,” he says. Tom and his wife, Weezie, own the restaurant building at 213 S. Third St. January and February were slow, Potter says, but things are moving faster now. He has plans to feature more dinner theater in the upstairs facility.
He has made arrangements for Fire Hall performances in May, and UND Burtness Theatre productions in July and August. The Rotters also plan to feature Southwest nights in the Garden Court this summer. They also are thinking of country nights, which will include dance lessons.
The Windmill serves lunch and dinners from Tuesday through Saturday. Reuben sandwiches, quiche and pasta are bestsellers at noon. The New York steak and roast ducks are favorites of dinner customers.
Boondocks Lounge, on the lower level, opens at 4:30 P.M. Tuesday through Saturday, featuring different music each night and karaoke on Thursday.
The Windmill is no longer in business.
Even Without Quiche, Lunch at Passages Is Grade A
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MAY 5, 1993
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“We’re out of quiche, our special for today,” the waiter said.
“Oh, you’re breaking my heart,” Vern Sandstrom said.
That set the stage for lunch Friday at Passages in the Radisson Hotel in Fargo. Timothy, the waiter, could appreciate the fact that some men still don’t like quiche.
We met Daughter Gail (DG), who was there for a conference, and her new in-laws, Vern and Hildy Sandstrom of Fargo.
Our waiter was the jovial sort. He was patient and sympathetic when Constant Companion (CC) went into a long harangue about how he needs horseradish to go with his bean soup. Timothy brought the horseradish and marveled at the way CC put it in his cup of Knickerbocker bean soup. With the soup, CC had a half a ham sandwich ($4.25 for the combo).
The Sandstroms ordered turkey sandwiches ($5.25), which were served with potato salad and garnished with red onion and tomato on a leaf of lettuce. You get your choice here of white, whole wheat, rye or nine-grain bread.
DG ordered a spinach salad ($6.95), so I did likewise. She usually knows what’s good. And it was. There were thick slices of lean, white, smoked turkey on fresh spinach leaves. The salad was topped with marinated mushrooms in a warm mustard dressing. It was served with freshly baked miniature loaves of French bread. With it, butter, embellished with a sprig of parsley. We had coffee later. It was excellent: strong and hot and served from a small pewter pot.
Passages is one of my favorite spots in North Dakota. I like it because it is upscale—first class.
And sometimes, you feel like being ushered to a table with a sparkling white cloth, ice water in goblets, big cloth napkins, waiters in black and white and soft music in the background.
That’s Passages.
It’s located on the second floor of the downtown Radisson. There’s lots of glass, allowing you to look down to the lobby and over toward the second floor lounge. There are big copper planters holding green vines and small pots with green vines on each table. There is a floral design in the native carpeting and green hanging lamps over some areas.
The restaurant, for this area, tends to be pricey. Sous chef Roger Teegarden says, “We try to make it worthwhile by flying in fresh fish and making special sauces.” On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Passages features Atlantic salmon. It’s a specialty, along with the grilled New York Sirloin and a barbecued pork tenderloin, guaranteed to melt in your mouth.
The restaurant also has a dessert menu for those who aren’t limited by low-fat diets. You can choose from the likes of chocolate truffle torte, Frangelico cheesecake and chocolate raspberry decadence.
Passages continues to operate at the Radisson in Fargo.
Noel’s Spices Up Legion with Indian-Pakistani Fare
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AUGUST 11, 1993
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Tender tandoori chicken delicately flavored with fresh herbs and spices, vegetable curry and shrimp masala: These are some of the offerings on a special Indian-Pakistani menu featured by Noel’s Cuisine in the American Legion Club in East Grand Forks.
The food is so authentic that it is drawing raves from people who have tasted it in the past month.
On Saturday afternoon, I found Chef Noel Singha in the kitchen, wearing a white chef cap and apron. He was getting ready for Saturday night dinners and took time off to talk over a cup of tea.
Singha and his wife, Caryn, leased the dining room from the Legion in April and added the Indian-Pakistani menu four weeks ago. It’s an exciting addition to their regular menu.
A native of Pakistan, Singha says he came to Grand Forks a year ago, partly because he has a brother, Dr. Ebenezer Singha, who is associated with the UND Family Practice Center. Singha had extensive experience as a chef in his own country. After leaving Pakistan in 1961, he went to London, where he was manager of Dean’s takeout store, which offers Indian fare. In 1981, he came to the United States and operated restaurants in Pittsburgh.
So, it was only natural that he would end up in the restaurant business when he came to Grand Forks. He worked for a while at Perkins before leasing the restaurant from the Legion. The facility has separate doors from the Legion Club and is open to the public.
Some evenings half of the customers in the dining room will ask for Indian food. Other nights, there will be only two or three orders. But people who have a hankering for curry and the bread called naan are finding their way to the restaurant. Some of them are from UND, and others are people of Indian and Pakistani background who live in this area. Others are people who like a switch from the usual salad bar, baked potato and steak when they go out to dinner.
Today, in fact, Noel is making 100 samosas to be served at 3 P.M. Thursday, during the afternoon coffee break at the International Centre at UND. Samosas are pastries stuffed with peas and potatoes.
He uses fresh herbs and spices in his cooking. His peloe rice is made with lamb that is cooked until tender with fresh garlic, ginger and other spices. “Then, we take the lamb out and fry it. We add basmati rice that is aged 10 to 15 years. It is the best in the world,” he says.
Preparation of Indian recipes is time-consuming, and Singha has to get some of his ingredients in Winnipeg or Chicago. Both Noel and Caryn do the cooking. With his meals he serves naan bread, made with self-rising flour with some added yeast and shortening.
He says, “Some people have the idea that curry is too hot, but it shouldn’t be that way. If you use it carefully, it adds flavor. If you use too much, you don’t get the taste.”
With that much introduction, we went to dinner Saturday night. I ordered a set meal of rice and chickpea curry, chicken tandoori, a kebab and naan for $7.95. Constant Companion ordered mincemeat curry ($5.50), served with mint sauce, sahita and a choice of peloe rice, paratha or naan.
We needed translation of some of these terms. And even though we didn’t understand it all, we enjoyed every bite of the food. In fact, I felt a little sorry for the people who were going to the salad bar and eating the usual Saturday night fare.
This food is worthy of all the accolades it is getting. It is authentic, nicely flavored and filling, and the price is right for such unique food. The service is good and the waitresses are friendly. There is an open kitchen, which, to me, is always reassuring.
It would be better if the foods featured on the special menu came with a description. It would be nice too, if the restaurant had a more cozy feel. As it is, the dining tables are set at the edge of a large dance floor. But then, the glowing candles add warmth. So, too, do the red paper placemats and red napkins.
The very thought of the tandoori chicken makes me want to go back again soon—and often.
Mexican Village Buffet Is an Adventure in Cuisine
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NOVEMBER 3, 1993
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Out of a cold, blustery, wet Thursday evening we came into Mexican Village on South Washington
Street. It was a good choice. The music was playing, and the salsa that came with the customary chips was nicely flavored.
The carpeting is a deep red and contrasts nicely with white adobe-style walls. There are wrought iron planters on the walls with artificial red flowers in them. Waitresses wear black narrow-legged trousers and black boleros with white shirts. They look professional.
Kristi, our waitress, told us she had been at Mexican Village for four years. We noticed that she was acquainted with most of the customers and was chatting with them as they came in. Mexican Village is that kind of place. Rather small. Rather quiet. Friendly. In some ways, it is a carefully kept secret.
The Mexican food served here is much to my liking. The prices are most reasonable. There are luncheon specials for $1.95 and $2.95. Evening specials range from $3.95 to $5.95. The beverage is extra.
I like the menu because it is simple, straightforward and well-arranged. You can open it up and see at a glance what the offerings are. You don’t have to fight your way through a bunch of cute sayings on five or six pages.
Here, the first page lists customary appetizers: chalupas, tostadas, tacos and enchiladas. The middle part shows dinners, burritos and specialties, including the chimichanga, the chi-chi and the Mexican pizza. There also are submarines, American and seafood choices listed for those who do not want Mexican fare.
The restaurant does some of its best business when it serves a buffet on Saturday evenings. This sampling of Mexican foods gives customers a chance to get acquainted with them and guides them in ordering at other times.
I looked over the menu and was fascinated by the Norwegian taco ($3.25) as well as the Mexican pizza, which I ordered. I asked for the small version ($3.50) and got a crisp flour tortilla, topped with melted cheese, onion, tomatoes, ripe olives and green pepper. It was good to the last bite and just about the right amount.
Constant Companion ordered an all-meat burrito in the medium size for $3.50. You also can get a small burrito or a large burrito for a dollar less or a dollar more. He could have eaten more, but he was remembering we still had a piece of apple pie at home.
The restaurant deserves pluses for its food, reasonable prices, and good service. The paper napkins are fairly good—a couple of notches better than the skimpy kind. The restrooms are located, as the sign says, out back. But the long hallway is nicely painted with a couple of plants to improve the decor. And when you get there, the facilities are clean and adequate.
Diners Shouldn’t Tarry If Going Out to Applebee’s
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DECEMBER 29, 1993
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We were glad we approached Applebee’s at 5 P.M. for supper rather than waiting until 6 P.M. By then it was buzzing, and people were waiting for tables. It’s been that way ever since the new restaurant opened in Grand Forks.
We made a second sojourn to Applebee’s two days later with Gail, Dale Sandstrom and Little Jack, who were here for Christmas. We went in at 11:30 A.M. to be early for lunch. And again, we were glad we were there before the rush. How long the honeymoon will last is anyone’s guess.
On our first visit, we assured our waiter we didn’t want any draft beer—even if it was a bargain. What Constant Companion wanted was Canadian and water, and what I wanted was a glass of dry white wine.
Because I had heard people saying how good it is, I ordered the grilled chicken Caesar salad ($5.69). CC ordered a Gyro sandwich (4.99). It’s pronounced to sound like “hero,” I guess. It’s thin slices of meat, and onions, rolled in pita bread with shredded lettuce and tomatoes. Now, CC doesn’t exactly like tomatoes, but he wasn’t about to pick them out of a pita pocket. So he ate them, and by golly, he pronounced this sandwich “very good.”
My salad was excellent. The seasoning was just right, and there was a nice smoky flavor to the slices of char-broiled chicken breast. Served with the salad were two small slices of just-right garlic toast.
This is my kind of place, I told CC. I enjoy going somewhere full of action, where you can order just what you want to eat. I especially like the way sandwiches are offered on the menu with fries for 99 cents extra. All too often, customers are expected to order a sandwich with fries and pay for them whether they want them or not.
On our second visit, CC had a rerun of the Gyro sandwich. I chose chili and a half sub sandwich.
Our Bismarckers went the cheeseburger, fry and salad route. Little Jack had a “girled” cheese sandwich and fries. DS enjoyed a fudge brownie sundae for dessert.
The place itself is inviting, with colorful Tiffany lamps, oak woodwork, brass rails and brick accents. The decor, in tones of cranberry and green, is sporty, with memorabilia from Red River and Central High schools. There’s a section devoted to UND athletics and others supporting Minnesota Twins, Vikings and Timberwolves.
There is so much to see at Applebee’s. There are railroad crossings, old cars and hubcaps and a section of old movies and movie stars as well as a musical theme in the atrium. It borders on being “busy,” but Applebee’s wants to have a sporty and casual concept and the feel of a neighborhood place.
Applebee’s has 105 full and part-time employees. It’s the third and largest Applebee’s to open in North Dakota. The others are at Minot and Bismarck. A fourth Applebee’s will open in 1994, in Fargo.
Halstad’s Kaffe Huset Epitomizes Small-Town Cafes
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JULY 27, 1994
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HALSTAD, Minn.—The specialty hamburger at the Kaffe Huset in this Minnesota town is called Jotunheimen. It’s named after Norway’s highest mountain range and described on the menu as “a juicy hamburger topped with a mountain of sautéed mushrooms and onions, melted Swiss cheese served open-faced on a slice of whole wheat bread capped with sour cream.”
So I said, “Bring it on. Only hold the sour cream and skip the french fries.”
The hamburger was indeed good and indeed juicy, but it came with less than a mountain of mushrooms and onions. With it, I had diet cola and a homemade cookie.
Constant Companion went light. He ordered only a Denver sandwich, which is listed on the new menu that just came out this week as $3.50. My sandwich was $4.25.
We had visited Kaffe Huset three years ago at the suggestion of a reader. It was so good we wanted to go back and see how things are going. We were glad we planned it that way the minute we entered the restaurant. The first thing you see is a case of baked goods, and that puts you in the mood for a meal. The midday special was a roast pork dinner with mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, soup or salad and a freshly baked dinner roll for $4.25. The cafe also has homemade pie for $1.50 a slice, $1.95 a la mode.
The menu is well-designed, with dark blue print that is easy to read. The children’s section is labeled “For Little Ole or Lena.” The menu has a sprinkling of Norwegian sayings such as “En kaffe kopp vil friske opp,” which means, “A cup of coffee will freshen you.” The menu features appetizers, hamburgers, salads. They range in price from $5.45 to $10.95. White curtains on the big front window help create the homey ambiences in Kaffe Huset. Restrooms are spacious and clean.
Mike Cook, who used to be a disc jockey at KYCK in Grand Forks, has a most appropriate name for his current role as cook at the cafe. His wife, Joanne, is a waitress. She also bakes fresh pies—crust and all—and keeps track of how many she sells on the calendar. She says it’s about 60 a month. The Cooks took over operation of the cafe two years ago from Joe Noel. He operates Noel’s Super Valu across the street and found that handling the cafe and grocery store was too much.
As we drove away from Halstad looking for the right route to Alexandria, Minn., I remembered one of the sayings on the Kaffe Huset menu. “Det kjelper life a skynde seg nor man er pa gal vei.” In other words, “It doesn’t pay to hurry when you are on the wrong road.”
Kaffe Huset no longer operates in Halstad, Minnesota.
Al’s Grill Awaits Discovery in Corner of Parrot’s Cay
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sp; OCTOBER 5, 1994
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The sign on the doors says Parrot’s Cay, latitude 47 degrees, longitude 97 degrees. Inside, the music of Jimmy Buffett is playing on the jukebox, and a few people are visiting at the wine and beer bar in the center of tavern. Over at the right, in a little alcove, you find Al’s Grill. It’s been operating for a couple of months, and people seem pleased with themselves for discovering it.
It took me a while to get into the swing of things. I had to learn, in the first place, that a cay is a little island. So this place with parrots all around is supposed to be a little island in the south side of Grand Forks. It’s on 36th Avenue South, near Water World. And I suppose I should have guessed that Grand Forks is at a latitude of 47 degrees and longitude 97.
Al’s Grill has a short, uncomplicated menu of sandwiches and appetizers. And for lunch, there are salads. Al is Al Decker, who, after 16 years with the telephone company, has teamed up with owner Mark Johnson to provide the food service in the Parrot’s Cay.
Al’s Grill seems to be taking off. It’s another in the lineup of small places with a coffeehouse- or publike ambience that are gaining popularity around Grand Forks.
We made two visits to Al’s Grill during the past week. The first time in, late one afternoon, I tried the shrimp basket. It includes three hand-breaded jumbo shrimp with onion rings for $4.95. People who say Al has the best onion rings in town might just be right. The onions are covered with a light breading, made to order, and come close to those served at the old A&W. The shrimp, also with light breading, were super. They were enhanced by a sharp cocktail sauce with a tantalizing taste of horseradish. So tantalizing that I want to go back for another round of shrimp.
Grand Forks: A History of American Dining in 128 Reviews Page 11