Dining Out

As many of my loyal (3 of you) blog readers know, I occasionally like to check out new dining establishments, take pictures and offer up my reviews. This weekend, in between running errands and lazing about, I had the opportunity to try three new spots in the Twin Cities.

On Friday night, the hubby and I had a date night of sorts. We wanted sushi and just happened to have a $50 gift card to Tiger Sushi 2 in Minneapolis. About a month ago, we attended a SidewalkDog.com sponsored 'sushi with your poochie' event at Tiger Sushi 2. Upon arrival at this dog-tastic shin-dig, we were greeted with the news that we won a gift card. Yippee!! The patio just happened to be overrun with dogs and their owners -- it was wall to wall yips and yaps and not an open seat to be found. Sadly, this meant we did not get any sushi with our poochie. Well, this weekend we went back. I had read some mixed reviews about the place online, but came in with an open mind and empty stomach. Tuna Tataki tacos were yummy but my crunchy salmon and tuna roll was . . . well, it smelled kinda fishy. Mr. Oz enjoyed his sushi combo platter, but wasn't blown away by the freshness. All in all, it was a fine meal and I might go back for happy hour or something.

The ginger infused martini was superb though! Delicious.


On Saturday, we hit this new frozen yogurt place in our hood. Freeziac is the first of its kind in the Twin Cities. Patterned after the popular west coast chains, Pinkberry and Yogurtland, this place is a veritable cornucopia of flavors and add-your-own toppings. They boast a selection of about 8 yogurt flavors with a mix of both tart and sweet varieties. You grab your cup and fill 'er up. Next you can add a wide array of crunch toppings, fruits and sauces to make your treat complete. The yogurt is weighed and you pay by the ounce. It's not cheap, but it is oh-so-delectable and refreshing. I high recommend Freeziac. I'll probably be there at least once a week doing my part to keep the place in business.



Finally, today my friend Jess and I had dinner at the latest contestent vying for the title of 'Worlds' Greatest Hamburger Joint.' Smashburger in Golden Valley, MN has been open for several months now. There's been some talk of it in the local press. Of course, I had to check it out. When we arrived, luckily the line wasn't too long. A few short minutes and we had placed our order and nabbed a table. Just as our food arrived, the line grew and trailed out the door and half way around the block. So here's the good and the bad about Smashburger:

Pros:
If you are a fan of In & Out Burger, you'd like Smashburger. The flavor and portion size reminded me of the infamous West Coast chain quite a bit.

I ordered the Twin Cities Smashburger and Smash Fries. What the place lacks in imaginative product naming, it makes up for in taste. This burger was awesome! The meat piles out over the sides of the bun, cheese dripping so much I had to switch over to a fork and knife tactic before I was even half way through.




Smash fries are yummy.

Cons:
The dining room is not necessarily configured in the best way. The order line cuts a perfect swathe through the middle of the restaurant in such an awkward way. Patrons hover over you as you eat making you feel very claustrophobic. It's really quite annoying.

The prices are a little high. I had a burger, fries and root beer for a little over $11. I suppose it beats gourmet restaurant prices, but for all the cramped and claustrophia vibes, I'd expect under $10 to be more appropriate.

This concludes my impromptu restaurant review. I'm no James Beard, but hey, I also don't charge my dear friends (readers?) a subscription fee for my pearls of dining wisdom. Eat at your own risk people.