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Grand Forks: A History of American Dining in 128 Reviews

Page 20

by Marilyn Hagerty


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  SEPTEMBER 19, 2007

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  Hoa Rodriguez, who operates the new North Side Cafe on Gateway Drive, claims she makes the best egg rolls in town. She makes 300 of them Wednesday evenings for the Thursday special of egg rolls and chow mein. In the course of a week, she often makes between 700 and 800 egg rolls to fill special orders and meet the restaurant’s needs.

  Her plump egg rolls are filled with ground beef, celery, onion, carrots and cabbage that she chops in the cafe’s gleaming new kitchen. They are encased in an eggshell wrap and come fresh from the deep fryer. Unlike most egg rolls of today, they have never been frozen.

  When Rodriguez told me about her egg rolls, I ordered a couple of them for a trial. I was eating with the Rev. William Sherman (WS) and Delores Hackenberg (DH). Before long, the egg rolls came out of the kitchen accompanied by a serving of a mild plum sauce. DH and I gave an approving nod, and WS said he would vouch for Hoa’s claim they are good.

  The taste test was on a Wednesday in September. On Thursday, I went back for the luncheon special of egg roll and chicken chow mein ($5.95) and found it to be substantial. The chicken is nice and tender and the celery and cabbage slices large enough to be discernible.

  The dish tends to be bland, but you easily can heighten the taste by adding soy sauce that comes along on the side. I also asked for some hot mustard to go with my egg roll. And I quickly found out that a little touch of this mustard is more than enough. It was a good thing Rodriguez warned that it is “hot-hot-hot.”

  The cafe has a menu similar to other truck stop or travel restaurants near Interstate 29. Breakfast offerings are extensive and are served all day. Dinners include liver and onion ($7.75) and a chicken-fried steak dinner topped with white gravy ($7.95). There are hamburgers and buffalo burgers. The sandwich list includes hot beef, turkey or pork sandwiches served with mashed potatoes and gravy or french fries ($5.95). Nine salads on the menu are served with dinner rolls and butter.

  The servers wear crisp white shirts and black trousers, and the staff is the strength of the North Side restaurant. So, too, is the presence of Rodriguez, who greets and talks to customers and keeps an eye on everything. She bakes carrot cake and makes bread pudding once a week along with the pies she turns out almost daily.

  The vegetable beef soup is as good as any I’ve ever eaten. I tried a cup of it on my first of three visits and wished I had ordered a bowl. The beef was lean and tender. There was a nice tomato base to it, and fresh-tasting green beans, corn, celery and carrots.

  With all the pluses, there are a few minuses. The napkins wrapped around the tableware are very thin and small. The glasses are plastic. Service is on the slow side at times, although the waitresses work together to keep up. An orange slice or some garnish would add appeal to breakfast plates.

  North Side Cafe continues to operate in Grand Forks.

  Blue Moose’s Creative Menu Changes with the Seasons

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  SEPTEMBER 26, 2007

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  Home-style roast beef dinners and sandwiches and cheese fondue will be newcomers to the Blue Moose menu with the changing season. The bar and grill on restaurant row in East Grand Forks has a unique menu that seems to consistently draw good business for lunch as well as for dinner, with items such as Norwegian barbecued ribs with a sweet, smoky but mild sauce.

  The restaurant was remodeled earlier this year and now is more inviting. Two blue moose grace a nicely landscaped area at the Second Street entrance. On the other side, an outdoor balcony overlooks the Red River. Inside, the decor still is north woods style. The interior is finished with logs and light wood.

  Our group of past and present neighbors recently chose the Moose for lunch. The soups for the day were French onion, which always is available, along with beef-barley and pork and bean soup. I chose the beef-barley soup with something called buffalo salad, and fruit. Instead of the buffalo meat I was expecting, it turned out to be buffalo-wings-style chicken. The soup I had was rich in flavor but oily on top.

  I was sitting next to Marilyn Lundberg (ML) and Jan Wendell (JW), who were impressed by the coarse Italian ciabatta bread on which JW’s walleye sandwich was served. And JW, who doesn’t usually eat all the bread, finished every bit of it. ML ordered a Sunset Lime Chicken salad, which she had tried at a previous trip to the Moose. She likes the tangy lime cilantro marinade and the lime tortilla chips that go with it.

  All in all, the Moose was a good choice for lunch. Everyone seemed well satisfied. I especially like the way my lunch was presented on a triangle-shaped plate. The place rates an A for coming up with minidesserts as a choice in the lunch combos.

  Along with the pluses, there are some minuses. The variety and the creativity are strengths of the new menu, but it is enormous, and hard to figure everything out at first reading. For years, the Moose had a shorter menu, in a newspaper format. Our group of eight was seated in the new lounge area, but unfortunately, we were right next to the door. The breeze was too cool when people came in or out of the balcony. And there were the inevitable flies of September. Before long, the door will be closed for the winter and shouldn’t be a problem.

  The Moose has become an institution in East Grand Forks, along with Whitey’s. The Moose started out on the south side of DeMers Avenue, but it had to move after the Flood of 1997, closing for 40 days and 40 nights, owner-manager Dave Homstad said. “They were building the dike on the wrong side of us.” The whole building—except for the kitchen—then was moved to its present location.

  The location along restaurant row has been good for the Blue Moose. Homstad credits some of the good business from the coming of Cabela’s to East Grand Forks. He also is looking forward to business that should come from the new theater operation in the nearby mall.

  New Bowl Meals Prove to Be Very Popular at KFC

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  FEBRUARY 13, 2008

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  I pulled in between two red pickups in the parking lot of KFC, or Kentucky Fried Chicken, on South Washington Street and went inside to eat dinner around 2 P.M. on a recent Sunday. I was thinking of the bowl meals I have seen advertised, but I was drawn to a Value Meal that I could tailor to suit my fancy. I ordered a piece of chicken breast with an extra-crispy crust and sides of mashed potatoes and gravy and coleslaw. Also included was a baking powder biscuit with tiny packets of margarine and honey. I had water for my beverage. The cost was $4.80 including tax.

  Service was quick. I picked up my plastic tableware and napkins and chose one of two tall tables with high-stool chairs in the newly refurbished dining area. People were coming in and out, picking up buckets of chicken and bags of chicken wings. The people eating inside were having full meals. At one table, two young men were sharing a bucket of wings.

  My food was good. It was hot. I soon discovered I would rather have plain crust than crispy, so I peeled the crisp coating away from the chicken. The chicken was moist, tender and very tasty. The mashed potatoes and gravy were perfect, and the portion was adequate. The coleslaw was the best I have run across. The cabbage was finely chopped with a few carrots. The vinegar and oil dressing is made with sugar and a tad of Miracle Whip, and there was a nice taste of celery seed. However, the biscuit was not as good as it looked. While it was golden brown, it still seemed doughy on the inside.

  KFC has been in Grand Forks since 1966 and is one of 5,000 in the U.S. And there are KFCs all over the world. Manager Rick Hanson says the relatively new bowl meals are very popular. KFC sells 75 to 80 of them daily. They are meals in a bowl layered with the customer’s choice of potatoes, corn, chicken, gravy and cheese. Other popular items are chicken strips and boneless wings, and pot pies sell well in cold weather.

  Takeout an is important part of the business. Eight-piece chicken meals are much in demand. The chicken goes out for $10.49, or $17.99 when it includes side orders and biscuits. The side choices are potatoes, veggies, baked beans and coleslaw.

  A refu
rbishing of the Washington Street KFC was completed in September. The exterior is done in earth tones of brown and tan with the bright red and blue accents of KFC now used worldwide. Inside, the brown, beige and gold theme is used, with a few red booths in the corner of the light and bright seating area that is surrounded by large paneled windows.

  The local KFC has 34 full- and part-time employees. The people at the counter wear red and blue shirts, and their hair is restrained by caps. Tables were being wiped regularly with a sanitizer solution, helping to create a clean feel in the dining area. Kentucky Fried Chicken was founded by Colonel Harland Sanders in 1952 and has become a well-known institution with headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky.

  KFC continues to operate in Grand Forks.

  Tavern United Would Make an English Pub Proud

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  FEBRUARY 20, 2008

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  It’s rather dark inside Tavern United in Grand Forks’ new Canad Inn, and there are small, skinny hanging lamps here and there. You can settle in wherever you feel comfortable. So, three of us found a table and looked over the menu recently on a Saturday evening. We wanted to try some of the English pub fare offered in one of three separate restaurants in the big Canad Inn of Grand Forks.

  Our waitress, who was wearing a skirt that looked like a kilt, was very helpful. She answered our questions about the English Toasties (toasted sandwiches) and English Classic entrees on the menu and gave us plenty of time to make up our minds.

  I toyed with the idea of ordering the Yorkshire Pudding Bowl, but I tried that once on a trip to England and didn’t care much for it. So, I figured it might be too English. There also was Molly Malone’s Meatloaf and O’Malley’s Beef Stew.

  I ended up ordering Bailey’s Bangers and Mash. This got me a couple of banger sausages on a bed of garlic red-skinned smashed potatoes with a brown onion gravy and the chef’s vegetable of the day. That turned out to be a nice serving of broccoli that was done just right. All of this was $8, and it was an ample meal.

  My friends tried Beer Battered Halibut and Chips and a Classic Reuben sandwich from the English Toasties section of the menu. The halibut was reminiscent of that served years ago by Mrs. Oliver in the downtown Golden Hour Cafe. The English cut chips that came with it would be called french fries by most of us; but these had a slightly different, wide cut. The halibut was $14, but as suggested on the menu, we got a half-order for $10, and that was a large serving.

  The corned beef was piled high, as the menu promised, on the Classic Reuben sandwich, and the marble rye bread was toasted to a golden crisp. It came with English cut chips and a tossed salad ($9).

  Tavern United goes an extra step in its presentation of food. My plate of bangers and mashed potatoes was decorated with a sprig of rosemary and a few thin slices of red cabbage to make it more inviting. The chips and halibut came in a basket with a lining of waxed paper that had a newspaper pattern on it, thus carrying out the British tradition of serving fish and chips wrapped in a newspaper.

  Dining is informal, and items from the pub snacks menu seem to be popular. Choices on the long list include baby calamari, mini-burger stacks, bite-sized morsels of halibut and mussels in a spicy chipotle sauce.

  Tavern United is large, with seating around the bar as well as in an area where there are dart and pool games going on in the evening. Background music is classic rock, played through a satellite radio system.

  And since it’s a pub, the ales and beers are important. Tavern United serves Guinness, Smithwick’s and Samuel Adams ales and others in schooners and pints. The establishment also boasts the coldest beer in North Dakota, which was a pilot project of Coors in Canada.

  Since its opening last year, the Pub has become a well-known gathering place. In good weather, many customers prefer sitting out in front on the patio area. Along with Tavern United, the Canad Inn also houses Aaltos Family Garden Buffet and ’l Bistro Mediterranean eatery.

  Tavern United, a small chain based in Canada, continues to operate in Grand Forks.

  Greater Grand Forks Offers Diners a Variety of Restaurants

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  MARCH 26, 2008

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  “What’s your favorite restaurant?”

  That’s the question I get fairly often from readers of the Eatbeat. And I am at a loss to name any one favorite place. It depends on what I am seeking. I like the light breakfast at Perkins. I would go to Al’s for meatloaf and to North Side Cafe for egg rolls. I think the liver pâté at Whitey’s is very good. I like the waiters at Sanders. Very proper, you know. ’l Bistro at Canad Inn has some very nice items. I could go on and on.

  Grand Forks has an eclectic array of eating places. And I try to describe them so that readers can get an idea of the choices. I also describe restaurants in area towns and sometimes in cities I visit on my travels.

  In the past, I have said this is not New York City, and I am not a critic. This is Grand Forks, and I am a reporter. I have attended sessions on writing reviews at conventions of newspaper food editors. I regularly read restaurant reviews in major newspapers.

  In the beginning, this restaurant column was called Out to Lunch. Then, it branched out into the Eatbeat. It started out in the food section and moved briefly to the entertainment section. And in recent years, it is back on the Wednesday food page.

  I visit restaurants at my own personal expense. Sometimes, owners offer to take my check, but I do not accept free meals or free food. When I explain that would not be professional and would not leave me feeling free to write what I think, they say they understand. They usually appreciate that.

  First of all, I concentrate on the food. I try to describe the taste and the quality. I take note of the place and describe the ambience and the surroundings. I like to tell of the specials. I often check the restroom because I think it indicates the condition of the establishment. I try to point out the pluses and minuses of a visit to each restaurant.

  Then, after I have eaten, I often talk to the manager or call them on the telephone. That way I am sure of my impressions, and I can get the facts about the staff and the business. Sometimes, these visits turn up interesting sidelights on the restaurant or the people involved in it.

  Friends and acquaintances often talk of things they like or dislike about restaurants. One friend goes crazy when she sees a restaurant employee wipe the seat of a booth or a chair and then use the same cloth to wipe the table. Some people don’t like to be called “you guys.” Some people complain about food not being hot enough. At times, it is annoying when diners are asked over and over again if everything is all right. One man I know is put off by servers who have hair flowing all over with no attempt at restraints. He likes a cap or a ponytail.

  Some of my pet peeves are plastic glasses that have grown weary from the dishwasher and napkins that are so skimpy it takes four or five to do the job of one good-quality napkin. I like fairly good quality tableware. It doesn’t have to be Royal Danish silver, though.

  Most servers are more than considerate. Most of them are quite friendly and go the extra mile. They split orders. They hand out take-home boxes. Servers have their wish lists, too. They would like it if people would pay attention when they describe the specials and not keep asking over and over again. They would like people to order, and not to try to be comedians. They appreciate proper tips. One local restaurateur says the 10 percent tipper is a vanishing breed. Guides talk of 20 percent tips, but 15 percent seems not too shabby around here.

  Tasty Smoked Salmon Salad Draws People to Suite 49

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  OCTOBER 1, 2008

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  Salmon and avocado salad draws me back to Suite 49, near Ralph Engelstad Arena. This salad is made with tossed greens and laced with artichoke hearts, capers and slices of avocados. Then it’s topped with the house smoked salmon and served with a choice of dressing. I like the raspberry vinaigrette, although I notice others choose honey mustard, ranch or French.

  The f
ull salad is $9. Half a salad is $6, and I find that just the right amount—especially if you order a side of focaccia bread for 50 cents.

  Suite 49 has been part of the Grand Forks restaurant scene for the past four years. It opened around the time of the World Juniors Hockey Tournament in 2005. And this fall, Chef Nathan Sheppard is making seasonal changes in the menu. He is going into comfort food that he thinks most people identify with and appreciate when the days get colder. One is a Cuban sandwich made with pulled pork and topped with tarragon coleslaw. It’s designed to be a balance of crunchy and sweet. He also will bring on a baked macaroni and cheese dish that will be basic but still upscale. He promises it will be “warm and gooey” with a three-cheese sauce tossed with the noodles, and a crisp cheddar and mozzarella topping.

  Sheppard also is redoing some Suite 49 classics such as cedar plank roasted salmon, which will have a tarragon dill crème fraiche sauce. He is coming up with totally different desserts, including Kaffir lime panna cotta. And he is testing a chocolate Irish cream cake that will be heavy and dense.

  Sheppard has a kitchen staff of 12. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Portland, Ore., he is a native of Grand Forks and returned here for the opening of Suite 49. After two years, he moved to the Canad Inn but came back to Suite 49, where he has fewer administrative duties and can spend more time concentrating on the cuisine.

  Suite 49 is long on appetizers, with lettuce wraps ($9) being one of the most popular. They are filling but not heavy appetizers and are a nice snack any time of the day.

 

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