JJ's Coffee & Wine Bar lies just off Hwy 5 West as you are cruising from EP into Chanhassen. Take the Mitchell Rd. exit. Tucked back in a fairly nondescript suburban line-up of banks, nail shops and fitness joints, you would at first liken it to a Panera Bread wanna-be. It has a bit of that feel, but with a very respectable wine list, sample of simple yet tasty noshes and specialty coffees and teas. Oh yeah, and they also have pastries and breakfast items.
I can tell you that the food isn't the most incredible you've ever had, but what it lacks in stellar cuisine it makes up for in quaint & comfortable ambiance. The neutral palette of stone, dark wood and fabric makes for a pretty cozy resting spot for either a lazy weekend afternoon or an after work retreat. There are several overstuffed chairs and booths to snuggle up in, order yourself a creamy latte or glass of Pinot Noir and just relax. They also boast free WiFi (bring your laptop and catch up Facebook and blog reading!) and a drive-thru for coffee and such. By chance, I ended up stopping in the night of their "soft" opening so they were still working out some of the kinks. I spoke to the owner -- the actual JJ herself. She was super helpful and solicited input on the menu, drinks and overall concept. She immediately struck me as someone who deserves success. To that end, I hope all 4 of my blog readers, go and check it out sometime soon. :)
Mr. Oz and I were out running some weekend errands the other day when we decided to stop into Pairings: Food & Wine Market. Right off of Hwy 62 and Shady Oak Road, Pairings appears grocery store like. I didn't know what to expect. Was it an upscale deli? Wine shop? Restaurant? Speciality gourmet store? The answer is YES, all of the above. The place is divided into two sections. On the left you have a D'amico-like restaurant where you belly up to the counter, request your choice of made-to-order sandwiches, salads, pasta or wood-fired pizzas. You get a number, sit down, and they bring your food to you when it is ready. This counter is flanked on one side by a fine array of fromage in the cheese case. The other side holds a variety of gourmet nibbles and treats. On the right, you can veer off into the wine shop. Once inside, you'll find much more than wine . . . Pairings boasts one of the most extensive beer selections I've seen in these parts. Do they have rare Trappist Ale made by Belgian Monks? Yep. How about batch crafted hoppy ales from teeny-tiny breweries that no one has even heard of yet? Ahh, yep. We could have spent an hour exploring this place. The fun thing is if you order some food and plan to dine in at the restaurant, you can buy your wine or beer and take it over to the food side. No corkage fee. Just pour and drink.
Of course, I bought some tasty bits at the shop: Ames Farm single source honey, a Voiges chocolate bar, a nice slab of Bucheron goat cheese. Mr. Oz and I had lunch. While he dined on Sicilian sausage pizza, I tried the Asian curry pasta with chicken. Seriously good food. By the way, I HIGHLY recommend Ames Farm honey. Holy man. It is a sugary, sticky delight and pairs up well with tangy goat cheese spread on a cracker. Thanks for showing me the light Anne!
This concludes the Twin Cities Tour of Treasures for now. Bon Appetito!
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