Grand Forks: A History of American Dining in 128 Reviews

by Marilyn Hagerty

  Lunch is served from 11 A.M. until 4 P.M., with most of the items available at any time. The regular fare includes beef or bison burgers and lavosh. Sandwiches are served with lettuce, tomato, onion and a pickle spear as well as the restaurant’s beer-battered french fries.

  Patronage at Suite 49 varies. Jessie Thorson, general manager, said events at Engelstad Arena bring brisk business, and business comes from the area developing around the restaurant. Reservations are taken for parties of 10 or more in the party rooms before events, such as Sioux hockey games.

  Suite 49 closed for business in December 2008.

  People Know Their Dumplings at Viking, Minn., Restaurant

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  SEPTEMBER 16, 2009

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  VIKING, Minn.—My project on the first Friday in September was to find my way here and eat the potato dumplings recommended recently by an Eatbeat reader. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and I had no trouble following state Highway 220 north out of East Grand Forks to Alvarado, Minn., where I turned east on state Highway 1 and made it to Warren, Minn.

  And then, I couldn’t figure out the little squiggles on the map. So I stopped in a gas station and learned that you go about 10 miles east of Warren on Marshall County Road 10, and then you see a green sign that points to Viking. You take this winding stretch of road a couple of miles and find yourself in a village of maybe 100 people.

  Welcome to Viking!

  Viking Diner and Antiques was ringed with cars by 11 A.M. on a Friday morning. I knew I was in the right place. There were people at a dozen tables, serious about eating dumplings. I found a place at a long table where four people were sitting. I nodded. They nodded. Then, Ray and Joyce Olson (RO and JO) from Thief River Falls came and sat across from me.

  The Olsons know their dumplings. They come here every other week or so, JO said. “It’s something to do.” She suggested the dumpling tastes better if you use butter that comes in a 1-inch cube in a little cup. She also uses salt and pepper.

  That made a difference. The dumplings were good. I guess they are sort of like soul food for those who have roots in this Norwegian community. Some order side pork with it, others bacon. The dumplings are good-sized—bigger than a tennis ball but smaller than a softball.

  A dumpling costs $2. Side pork, ham or bacon is $2. Eat one with meat, and you should be set for the day. But I ended up trying one of three desserts, just for good measure. I decided on a piece of raspberry cheesecake. I was just going to taste it, but it was so good, I ate the whole thing.

  The dumplings have a nice, earthy potato taste and a pleasing texture. I visited with Marge Olson (no relation to RO and JO) about them. She has developed her own recipe and said she is amazed at the number of people who come for dumplings on Fridays. They serve about 100. She uses 20 pounds of flour and 150 pounds of red potatoes. She and her husband, Mike, start peeling Tuesday. She perfected her recipe by trial and error and gathered tips from area cookbooks. She said the key is to have the water boiling before you put in the dumplings.

  Waitresses Cindy Ellingson and Ardell Anderson, former mayor of Viking, say the diner is the gathering place for people all around. The place closes in the early afternoon, and about 10 A.M. Saturdays because—as one of them said—“Everybody goes to town.”

  The diner serves a full breakfast until 11 A.M., and has sandwiches and burgers with fries for lunch. It serves Schwan’s ice-cream sundaes for $1.50 or $2 and waffle cones for $1.25 and $1.50.

  Viking Diner also serves area groups. It is unique because it is in a spacious new building and is an antique store as well as a cafe. The antiques are the business of Jerome and Cheryl Peters. And the walls are lined with showcases with vases, china, crystal and rows of plates that have become collector’s items. The curios extend around the walls of the two rooms of the diner. Whether a visitor is just eating, the chance to browse makes a trip to Viking Diner an interesting adventure.

  Viking Diner and Antiques still operates in Viking, Minnesota, and still serves dumplings on Fridays.

  Pumpkin Figures Into Fall Menu at ’l Bistro Canad Inn

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  OCTOBER 7, 2009

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  Baked seafood penne is a signature item at ’l Bistro in the Canad Inn, and I could see why after ordering it there on a Saturday in late September. You can order the $10 petite size for lunch, or go all out with the bistro size for $14.

  The $10 size is just right. It comes with a nice warm breadstick. The pasta is moist but not sloppy wet. It has shrimp, scallops and crab tossed in asiago sauce. It was recommended to me by several in a group of friends I joined for lunch. And I would probably order the same thing on my next trip.

  Because of its classy decor and convenient location in the Canad Inn, I am pleased when someone suggests meeting there. Our group chose mainly from a half-dozen classic pasta dishes. And then, of course, we had to share the ice-cream sampler ($5) that is too good to be true. As one of the friends said, “You can’t beat ice cream.”

  ’l Bistro is one of three restaurants in Canad Inn. The others are a pub, Tavern United, and a buffet restaurant called Aaltos. ’l Bistro has a complete menu with starters and share plates, soups and salads, entrees, pizza and pasta and sandwiches. Lunch is served from 11 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. The menu is inviting and fairly easy to follow.

  And with the cooler days of October, the seasonal fall menu is available. It is heavy on pumpkin, with a roasted pumpkin and white bean bisque and a pecan-crusted pumpkin pastry. There is also a pumpkin divine martini for $6, which I can do without. The creations are by Bobby Garcia, who has been chef of ’l Bistro since it opened more than two years ago. He works on dishes with Robert Parks, executive chef for Canad Inn.

  For those who have their own ideas, there is a section on the menu for creating pasta your way. There is choice of pasta (linguine, spaghetti, farfalle or penne), sauce (Alfredo, meat, pesto cream, marinara or tomato cream) and topping (meatballs, Italian sausage, spicy chicken, baby shrimp or oven-roasted vegetables).

  On weekends, the chef comes up with specials such as blue marlin and Angus flat-iron steak. On Mondays, it’s half-price pizza and Tuesdays, it’s Bistro-size pasta for a petite price. On Wednesdays, it’s two meals for $30 that include entrees, wine and dessert. On Sundays, it’s all the spaghetti you can eat for $9, or $10 with meatballs.

  The service was good for our group of 12. An 18 percent tip was added to each of our checks, because of the group service. There was one fly driving me crazy. I do hope it soon will freeze or go south.

  ’l Bistro continues to operate at the Canad Inn in Grand Forks.

  Toasted Frog Brings High Energy to Downtown Scene

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  NOVEMBER 25, 2009

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  A couple of recent visits to the Toasted Frog on North Fourth Street substantiate my impression that this may be the liveliest dining place in town. The restaurant, in an old, high-ceilinged building, is jumping with customers from the time it opens late afternoon and on into the evening.

  The reason is the unique menu, which offers appetizers that are interesting, sandwiches you don’t find anywhere else and a full dinner menu. Then there’s the inviting aroma that comes from the wood-fired ovens.

  Sweet potato fries, a signature item at the Frog, are served crisp with chipotle aioli sauce that makes you sit up and take notice. Then there are frog legs and fried cheesy pickles—dill pickles wrapped in Havarti cheese and fried. They are a favorite of many customers.

  For some, it’s the appetizers to go along with something from the wine room or bar that bring them to the Frog. There are salads and soup. The seafood lavosh comes with shrimp, scallops, crab, artichokes, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion and Havarti cheese. It was plenty for three and rated very good by some discerning friends the other night. Wood-fired pizza comes in various versions, including spinach and wild mushroom and barbecued pork.

  Dinner prices are medium to high, with the
most expensive item, lobster, at $32.

  The appeal of the Frog is that you can spend $10 or $15 or you can have a sandwich or pizza for a midrange outlay. Or you can have a fine dinner of something like Asian spare ribs, fish and chips made with breaded walleye strips or brown-butter mahi-mahi served with a potato and vegetable.

  At the heart of the kitchen is Chef Scott Franz, a local person who is imaginative and creative, according to Shawn Clapp, who owns and operates the Frog with Jon Holth. There are a dozen kitchen employees and a dozen on the serving staff.

  The owners are hometown products and enjoy being part of the downtown scene. They grew up here and learned about restaurants working for Kim Holmes, the owner of Sanders restaurant. It was Holmes who encouraged them when they went to Fargo to head up the staff when the HoDo restaurant opened in Hotel Donaldson downtown. And it was Holmes who encouraged them to return and do something with the building that stood empty on Third Street.

  Over the years, the place has been home to a furniture store and an auto dealership. Some remember when it was Lola’s, the Green Stamp Store or the Pink Hanger. Now a second Frog is being opened in downtown Bismarck. People say they like the Frog because it is trendy and full of energy.

  Toasted Frog continues to operate in Grand Forks and Bismarck, North Dakota.

  Eclectic Menu Keeps EGF Applebee’s Up with the Times

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  DECEMBER 30, 2009

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  When it’s cold, you want soup—and you want it hot. We found it that way at Applebee’s on the Boardwalk in East Grand Forks when our Meet and Eat group met there recently.

  With help from my neighbors, I found the place on the menu where you order from something called Pick ’n Pair. Starting at $5.99, it says you get a choice of two items. I had a cup of tomato basil soup and a grilled shrimp and spinach salad. The soup was thick with plenty of basil flakes and chunks of tomato. It was a very nice, very satisfying lunch, especially with the toasted focaccia bread that comes with the salad.

  My neighbor, Jan Wendell, proclaimed the broccoli soup as the best she ever tasted. And that’s high praise from a good cook. Ruth Barney ordered a Reuben sandwich in a basket, and got a box to take half of it home. The portions are generous. The Reuben features a pile of corned beef brisket sliced thin with sauerkraut and Russian dressing along with melted Swiss cheese on rye bread. It’s topped with dill pickle slices and served with fries.

  We nodded our approval of the “Sweet Finish” dessert, called “shooters” of ice cream creations, for $1.99.

  The menu is in keeping with a trend to serve smaller items that you can pair. There are a dozen or more appetizers to choose in lieu of ordering a full meal. They are called “Killer Apps” and include boneless buffalo wings and sliders—three burgers with cheese, onion and sauce on toasted mini-buns. They are served with fries for $7.99.

  Manager Greg Remz says customers like the “2 for $20” offerings of two full-size entrees and an appetizer for $20. He says people like to know how much they’re spending, especially with the stressed economy. A couple can eat for $10 apiece.

  While some Applebee’s have been updated, the EGF location still sports the original design—hanging lamps of colored glass and an eclectic decor including sports banners from local high schools and colleges. And there is the traditional barber pole. During the holidays, it has been bright and inviting, with a multitude of cheery white lights.

  Service was very good. Our waitress was pleasant and able to keep everything, including separate checks, in her stride.

  The Applebee’s in East Grand Forks closed in 2011, but there is currently a franchise operating in Grand Forks.

  Pear Tree Menu Takes On an Appealing Italian Flavor

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  MARCH 3, 2010

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  The Clarion Inn still is remembered as the Holiday Inn by many, and the new owners have been building up the Sunday brunch buffet that was popular in years gone by.

  Served from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M., the Sunday buffet had more than 200 people on President’s Day, which was also a Canadian holiday. There were so many staying over Monday that the buffet was continued. I had a chance to sample it when I joined a group of friends for brunch.

  I was especially impressed by the quality of the scrambled eggs, but the bacon was not crisp as I like it. So I moved on to the sausage patty, which was quite good. There were pastries, including a very nice bran muffin. A medley of fruit went well with the buffet.

  On Sundays, the buffet has a cart on which omelets are made to order, and there are free mimosa drinks for adults. The cost is $10.95 for adults, $6.95 for children and free for those younger than 5.

  Alan Kargbo, food and beverage manager, came here six months ago from the Clarion Inn in Gillette, Wyo. He said there will be more menu changes with the change of seasons. Since his arrival, the Pear Tree has gone Italian with its dinner menu. The a la carte menu offers appetizers, or antipasti, along with salads and combinations for $6.95 to $9.95. The restaurant has five lasagnas and other pasta entrees are available for $6.95 to $9.95.

  My check was $11.72 including tax when I ordered baked stuffed ravioli with cheese one evening. It was a perfect meal with a cold, crisp salad served first along with a wedge of fresh focaccia bread. The ravioli dish had an excellent flavor with a sun-dried tomato sauce. The serving was so large that I took half of it home.

  The Pear Tree specialties are Italian steaks served with Italian salad and homemade focaccia. They include a Grilled Italian 16-ounce Black Angus sirloin and a 16-ounce New York Angus strip steak, both for $18.95, as well as a 12-ounce Tuscany sirloin for $16.95.

  Employees have changed their shirts from white to black with the new ownership. Joan Omdahl, a server there for eight years, is an experienced worker who makes customers feel welcome. She is especially proud of the Italian wedding house soup that is served with tiny dumplings, or acini de pepe.

  Karen Smith, dining room manager, said servers have eaten the food on the menu and are able to describe it to customers. “We ask customers how their food is tasting after the first few bites. If there is a problem, we make it right.”

  The Clarion Inn is now a Howard Johnson’s; Pear Tree restaurant has been closed.

  Wendy’s Shows Low-Cost Fast Food Is More than Burgers

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  MARCH 24, 2010

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  There are so many choices at Wendy’s that it makes your head swirl. When I went there recently with friends, we decided that the combos were by far the best deal. One of us ordered a burger and sides separately, and another who chose the $2.99 deluxe value meal was money ahead.

  Unless you go there regularly or make a thorough study of the offerings, you don’t know. One thing I have found is that for $2.97 I can get a good meal at Wendy’s. That is when I order a baked potato and a small serving of chili. I drink water.

  When I want a quick meal, I stop and pick up a chicken mandarin salad ($3.19). It is crisp and so large that you could split it or take some home. I am more likely to eat the whole thing. After all, it’s only 180 calories. That’s before adding the dressing and toppings. With these, you have as many as 370 more calories. Still, I like this salad because it has personality with little packets of sliced almonds and Chinese noodles for topping. A couple of times, however, the salad has been too watery.

  My third choice at Wendy’s is a burger. I am not sure why, but I like the distinctive square shape of Wendy’s burgers. And I notice they advertise their beef has never been frozen. All too often on the fast-food circuit, burgers have a heavy composition and taste like they have been heated up rather than freshly cooked on a grill.

  I often visit Wendy’s on South Washington Street, where Brent Moen is the manager. He says the fish fillet sandwiches have been bestsellers during Lent. They are made with cod from the north Pacific. Fillets are crisp and dusted with Japanese panko breading before frying. Sandwiches come in combos or alone.

 
While both Wendy’s have similar menus, there is a difference in their customers. On South Washington, the customers seem to come from the local area. On 32nd Avenue South, patrons are from the business area, and many are travelers off Interstate 29. The Wendy’s dining rooms close at 10 P.M., but the drive-throughs are open until midnight.

  Frostys are worthy as an afternoon or evening treat. And they cap off a quick meal in fine fashion. The very small chocolate or vanilla Frosty is 70 calories. But the coffee toffee twisted Frosty will add 540 to your calorie count.

  You can rack up a lot of calories at Wendy’s. A bacon deluxe single is 640 calories. And that’s probably OK if you are shoveling snow or running marathons. The good news is that you can get a junior hamburger with standard toppings for 230 calories or order a naked junior hamburger for only 90 calories.

  Ken Towers, whose family also operates Italian Moon, has owned Wendy’s on South Washington for 26 years. He has had the second Wendy’s for almost five years. Under Towers’ direction, the Wendy’s have excelled in outdoor landscaping. And the store on South Washington has been a meeting place for a cross section of the community.

  Both Wendy’s outlets continue to operate in Grand Forks.

  Mashed Potatoes, Gravy Go Over Well at Kitty’s Cafe

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  MAY 5, 2010

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  OSLO, Minn.—People have to eat, whether or not their town is surrounded by water. For two years in a row, Kitty Stromberg has been faced with running a restaurant where people come in and out of town by boat during end-of-spring flooding.