Choice eats
Choice Eats
By Megan Malugani, Laurie Mona, Beth Nervig, and Steve Lange
Blooming Onion at Outback
1201 S. Broadway, 252-1150
www.outback.com
WHY PEOPLE LOVE IT: “It’s got great flavor and is large enough for a group of four to share,” says Outback’s Tracy Kozak. Outback originated this distinctive sculpted appetizer, made from specially grown, super-sized vidalia onions in 1988. Each appetizer is hand-carved daily by a designated “bloomologist.” You can thank Fernando for your next order of one of the 100 or so Blooming Onions served up daily in Rochester. The chain’s 900 restaurants in 23 countries serve up 15 million Blooming Onions annually.
COST: Around $7.95.
• RUNNER UP: Nachos at Newt’s
Best Bar Food
Whistle Binkies
3120 Wellner Dr. NE, 289-9200
247 Woodlake Dr. SE, 424-1227
www.whistlebinkiespub.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: Owner Randy Lehman thinks part of the reason the food at his two bars is a hit is that “it has a little different twist to it. It kind of takes the European angle a little bit, with our Scotch eggs and our fish and chips and our Irish stew. It’s a little different than your average bar food and it’s a little better variety than you’d get at your average bar.”
WHAT'S POPULAR: Fish and chips takes the gold (for most-ordered item), the reuben takes the silver, and the hot turkey sandwich the bronze.
COST: From $2.95 (for a pound of French fries or Noi’s homemade egg rolls) to $24.95 (for Alaskan king crab, served
year-round at the South location).
• RUNNER UP: Newt’s
Best French Fries
Newt’s
216-1/2 First Ave. SW, 289-0577
www.cccrmg.com
WHY PEOPLE LOVE IT: A tasty companion to their award-winning hamburgers, Newt’s serves up a full pound of spicy seasoned, perfectly cooked fries.
To create the ideal fries, “You don’t want to undercook, or cook too long,” says Newt’s David Currie. For every item on the menu, “Good cooking is an art form.”
COST: Around $2.75.
• RUNNER UP: Snappy Stop
Best Place to Lounge Over a Fine Glass of Wine
Söntés
4 Third St. SW, 292-1628
www.sontes.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: Wine lovers can choose from roughly 130 different types of wine at Söntés, and the wine list changes every three months to please the palates of people in the area (Rochesterites tend to like Riesling, oakier Chardonnays, and “really big California Cabernets with a lot of berry to them,” according to owner and trained sommelier Tessa Leung). “We pick our wines to complement the different selections of food,” Leung says, so that a Spanish tapa could be paired with a Spanish wine, and a German item could be accompanied by a German wine.
STAY AWHILE: Söntés’ classy yet comfortable atmosphere makes it conducive to lounging. “It’s nice that we have a couple of fireplaces and couches to relax by,” Leung notes.
COST: Glasses of wine range from $5 to $25; bottles from $20 to $400.
• RUNNER UP: Chardonnay
The One Breakfast You Could Eat Every Sunday Morning
Pannekoeken at Pannekoeken
6 First Ave. NW, 287-0722
1201 S. Broadway, 287-0717
WHY PEOPLE LOVE IT: The light, fluffy Dutch-style pancake “is like a soufflé, it rises in the oven, not on a grill,” explains manager Janine Clees. The original apple stuffed pannekoeken is still the most popular item on the menu day or
night—top it off with syrup and ice cream for a dessert-worthy treat. Each location sells about 700 pannekoekens per week.
COST: Around $8.99.
• RUNNER UP: Eggs Benedict at Canadian Honker
Best Hamburger
Marvin’s Burger at Newt’s
216-1/2 First Ave. SW, 289-0577
www.cccrmg.com
WHY PEOPLE LOVE IT: Cook Marvin Billing’s eponymous crowd-pleaser is a juicy half-pound of choice ground chuck, grilled to medium, topped with cheddar cheese, hardwood smoked hickory bacon, chipotle mayo, served on a butter-grilled Kaiser bun along with a pound of award-winning fries. Six-time winner of our “Best Burger” title, “We take our burgers absolutely seriously,” says Newt’s manager David Currie.
COST: Around $8.75.
• RUNNER UP: Smoky Bacon Mushroom Burger at McGoon’s
Best Place for a Post-Work Happy Hour With a Big Group
Whistle Binkies
3120 Wellner Dr. NE, 289-9200
247 Woodlake Dr. SE, 424-1227
www.whistlebinkiespub.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: Big groups of friends love Whistle Binkies because “we take reservations for large groups,” says owner Randy Lehman. “If someone calls and says ‘we have a group of 25 coming in tonight,’ we can accommodate them.” (The only times reservations aren’t accepted are Friday and Saturday nights after 5 p.m.) The other reason Binkies is popular with large groups is “we let people pretty much move the tables around however they fit. If we’ve gotta slide six or seven tables together, it’s not a problem.”
PULL UP A CHAIR: There’s seating for 135 at the north location. 199 inside the south location (plus 200 more seats outdoors).
• RUNNER UP: Beetles
Best Barbecue Joint
John Hardy’s
1940 S. Broadway, 281-1727
929 West Frontage Road NW, 288-3936
www.johnhardysbbq.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: “Our sauce is everything,” says manager Brian Bertsinger. From sweet to very, very spicy, you can order up your bar-b-q six ways: mild, medium, hot, spicy hot, big boy hot, or bad boy hot. A favorite local rib joint for the past 35 years, John Hardy’s also sells “a ton” of sauce to go.
COST: Around $6-$11 for a meal (their pork plate, at $8, was voted one of our
top-five “Meals under $10” last year).
• RUNNER UP: Roscoe’s
Best Cup of Joe
Dunn Brothers
120 Elton Hills Dr. NW, 285-4991
1340 Salem Rd. SW, 424-3086
www.dunnbros.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: Dunn Brothers is a bean above the other cups of java in town “because we have fresh-roasted coffee. It’s roasted daily in the store, not in a warehouse,” says owner Lynn Wong. The laid-back, cozy atmosphere—complete with fireplace and comfy couches and booths—is another advantage. “This is where the community of all ages likes to meet,” Wong says.
MOST POPULAR ORDERS: The chocolate steamed nirvana (bliss!) and the caramel mocha are some of the stores’ biggest sellers during the winter months.
COST: The smallest cup of basic black is $1.59 and the most expensive customized drink (like a mocha with an added flavor) runs about $4.50.
• RUNNER UP: Starbucks
Best Sandwich
Roast Beef and Gouda at City Market
212 First Ave. SW, 536-4748
www.cccrmg.com
WHY PEOPLE LOVE IT: The generous portions of the New York deli-style sandwiches at City Market are “fresh, fast and fill you up,” says manager David Atkinson. “You can get your lunch in three minutes, it’s that fast.” For winning sandwich #18, the roast beef is sliced nice and thin, topped with made-from-scratch chipotle mayo and gouda cheese on a
fresh-baked Portuguese bun.
COST: About $6.50.
• RUNNER UP: Bacon Turkey Bravo at Panera
Best Italian Dish
Chicken Primavera at Victoria’s
7 First Ave. SW, 280-6232
www.victoriasmn.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: You can’t go wrong mixing tender chicken (lots of it) with alfredo sauce (lots of it) and an assortment of vegetables (lots of them) that includes asparagus, broccoli, peas, and sweet red pepper. “It’s the medley of it all” that makes the dish so popular, says Natalie Victoria of Victoria’s, who notes that the item has been on the menu since the restaurant opened 11 years ago.
DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE: Does this dish prove that bigger is better? See our “Biggest Meal (or, the Meal So Big You Could Never Eat It By Yourself)” category.
COST: About $8.95 for lunch, about $13.95 for dinner.
• RUNNER UP: Chicken Alfredo at Victoria’s
Best Asian Dish
Happy Family at Hunan Garden
1120 Seventh St. NW (Northgate Shopping
Center), 285-1438
WHY IT'S A WINNER: The Happy Family stir fry has it all: fresh mixed Chinese vegetables, chicken, pork, shrimp, and scallops. “It’s a good choice because it has all the variety that people like,” says the Garden’s Ling Dong. It’s one of the most popular items on the menu, she says. Hunan Garden won our “Best Chinese Food” category—when we had one—eight of nine years. Maybe it’s the longevity (the restaurant opened in 1985) or the variety (Hunan Garden’s 125-plus dishes highlight China’s four cuisine regions) or the freshness (orders are cooked on demand using fresh veggies). Or maybe it’s the Happy Family stir fry.
COST: Around $10.75.
• RUNNER UP: General Tso’s Chicken at China Star
Cheapest Drinks
Whistle Binkies
3120 Wellner Dr. NE, 289-9200
247 Woodlake Dr. SE, 424-1227
www.whistlebinkiespub.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: “We have a $2 special every day of the week,” says owner Randy Lehman. Every day has a theme (like Tropical Tuesdays and Walleye Wednesdays) and the $2 drinks match the theme (Tuesdays it is $2 Coronas, Red Stripes, and margaritas; Wednesdays it is $2 Minnesota beers). The prices are good all day and night. “We pride ourselves on being affordable for the average person who desires to go out,” Lehman says.
CHEERS TO THE BEERS: Binkies is also known for its extensive list of beers from all over the world. “The last we counted we were at 285 [types of beer], and I think we’ve exceeded that now,” Lehman says.
COST: $2 (for the daily specials) on up.
• RUNNER UP: Paradise Pete’s
Coolest-Looking Menu
McGoon’s
7 Second St. SW, 288-8130
www.mcgoonstaxi.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: The McGoon’s menu looks like an old-fashioned newspaper and is a nice complement to the old newspaper clippings and historical photos of downtown Rochester that hang on the establishment’s walls. “It made sense to put it all together,” says owner Mark Klampe. “There were a couple of stories we wanted to tell on the menu, like why in the heck we named the restaurant a taxi company, and a story about how the building we’re in used to be a bank,” Klampe says. (Get the full scoops by reading the menu!)
NOT THE SAME-OLD, SAME-OLD: “Most restaurants seem to just have very similar menus, and they’re not out on the table that long. We just tried to do something different, and I guess it worked,” Klampe says.
• RUNNER UP: Chester’s
Best Place to Eat, Drink, and Watch the Big Game
Buffalo Wild Wings
3458 55th St. NW, 536-0717
www.buffalowildwings.com
WHY PEOPLE LOVE IT: Eight satellites! “We have most of the premium sports packages,” says manager Michele Klennert. With seating for just under 200 and 31 TVs (5 big-screens, 6 HD flat screens and 20 32-inch), you can watch your choice of teams year-round, including NFL, NCAA, NHL and MLB. Throw in the tasty wings with 14 signature sauces and beer and we have ourselves a winner at B-Dubs, as the regulars call it.
COST: From around $5-$12.
• RUNNER UP: McMurphy’s
Best Ladies Night
Rookies Bar & Grill
1201 S. Broadway, 252-5161
www.rookiesbar.net
WHY PEOPLE LOVE IT: Held every Wednesday with KROC-FM, ladies night includes an in-house DJ and dancing along with volleyball in the summer. “It breaks up the middle of the week, and it’s just a fun group of people,” says owner Scott Schneider. “You have to try it. It has a life of its own.”
NUMBER OF LIMOUSINE RIDES AVAILABLE: One. Every Wednesday ladies have a chance to win a free limousine ride for 11 with Instyle Limousines.
COST: Ladies can buy “just about any drink in the house” for $1.05.
• RUNNER UP: Aquarius
Best Pizza
Sharon’s Special at Mr. Pizza
4040 28th St. NW, 252-9400,
1729 S. Broadway, 288-1488
www.northmrpizza.com
WHY PEOPLE LOVE IT: Made from fresh hamburger, mushrooms, black olives, green peppers and extra cheese, Sharon’s Special is a top seller with hundreds made each week.
ALL IN THE FAMILY: Family owned for 45 years, Mr. Pizza has a loyal following of customers that always order the Sharon’s Special. “There’s no secret;” says South store owner Roger Fulton, “You have to offer a great quality product at a low price and treat your customers like gold.”
COST: Pizzas range from around $10-$15.
• RUNNER UP (tie): House Special at Bilotti’s and Greek Pizza at O’Neill’s
Best First-Date Place
Redwood Room
300 First Ave. NW, lower level, 281-2978
www.cccrmg.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: Couples looking for a cozy spot to enjoy live jazz and the flattering glow of candlelight flock to this casually chic former warehouse space. For a first date “try our Neapolitan pizza—you can share it as an appetizer or eat it as a meal,” says Redwood’s Mark Currie.
THAT PERFECT FIRST DATE MAY JUST BE THE BEGINNING: “We have marriage proposals in here all the time,” says Currie. Though the straight malt scotch may play a role in that.
• RUNNER UP: Chester’s
Best Salad
Chopped Amish Bleu Cheese at 300 First
300 First Ave. NW, first floor, 281-2451
www.cccrmg.com
WHY PEOPLE LOVE IT: “It’s a tasty salad that’s very easy to eat since it’s already cut up,” says manager Mark Currie. Romaine and iceberg lettuces are chopped up, topped with red onion, bits of egg, tomato, and a special Bleu Cheese imported from an Amish farm in Iowa. “The Amish Bleu gives it a great flavor.”
COST: Around $5.25.
• RUNNER UP: Mediterranean Salad at Victoria’s
Biggest Meal (Or, the Meal So Big You Could Never Eat It By Yourself)
Chicken Primavera at Victoria’s
7 First Ave. SW, 280-6232
www.victoriasmn.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: This mix of tender chicken (lots of it), alfredo sauce (lots of it), and an assortment of vegetables (lots of them) that includes asparagus, broccoli, peas, and sweet red pepper is so yummy (it also won for “Best Italian Dish,” above) that you’ll want to eat it again later. It comes with bread at both lunch and dinner, and with a choice of soup or salad at dinner. “I don’t know if bigger is better, but I do know customers certainly like to take home leftovers,” says Natalie Victoria of Victoria’s. “I bet they could have two more meals of it,” she says. “An alfredo sauce is hard to eat in one sitting because it’s so rich.”
COST: Around $8.95 for lunch, around $13.95 for dinner.
• RUNNER UP: Rib dinner at Roscoe’s
Best Meal Not On the Menu
Lamb Shank at Prescotts
1201 S. Broadway, 536-7775
www.prescottsgrill.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: A mouth-watering menu item that you can only get on Friday and Saturday nights during the winter months, the braised lamb shank is prepared in a vegetable red wine sauce by chef Chris Rohe. “It’s a really hearty winter dish; you wouldn’t want it in July,” says co-owner Jenna Rohe. The lamb’s signature side dish, German cabbage, is also a hit. “People say ‘I love the lamb shank, but give me more of that cabbage!’” Jenna says.
COST: Around $30 (with choice of soup or salad and choice of a side dish).
• RUNNER UP: Mayor’s Omelette at Brothers Bar & Grill
The One Dessert That Makes Your Mouth Water Just Thinking About It
Chocolate Cobbler at McGoon’s
7 Second St. SW, 288-8130
www.mcgoonstaxi.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: Last year’s runner-up for best dessert, the chocolate cobbler takes first prize this year, and that’s because “more people are trying it,” says owner Mark Klampe. McGoon’s doesn’t even have a dessert menu printed up, but people know to order it anyway. “Most people love chocolate, and if you do it’s one of the richest chocolate desserts you can get,” Klampe says.
TO SHARE OR NOT TO SHARE: The dessert’s richness makes it eminently share-able, but “that’s not to say you can’t put it down by yourself. I do,” says Klampe.
COST: Around $4.95.
• RUNNER UP: Bunny’s Coconut Cake at Canadian Honker
Best Martini
Smokin’ Martini at 300 First
300 First Ave. NW, first floor, 281-2451
www.cccrmg.com
WHY PEOPLE LOVE IT: It’s smokin’! (courtesy of the bit of dry ice tossed into the martini glass just before it’s served up to your table). “It keeps it a little cooler too,” says manager Mark Currie. The very cool presentation is offered for 15 different varieties of smokin’ martinis, including “The” Martini, a tangy mix of Tanqueray Rangpur, fresh lime, simple syrup, and club soda.
COST: Around $7.95.
• RUNNER UP: The Classic at Michaels
Best Vegetarian Meal
Butternut Squash Ravioli at Twigs
401 Sixth St. SW, 288-0206
www.twigstavernandgrille.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: The butternut squash ravioli “is so popular that I would not want to know what our guests would do to us if we took it off the menu,” says owner Michelle Salz. One of the few carryovers from Twigs’ predecessor restaurant, the Shady Hill Grille, the squash-stuffed ravioli is served in a creamy sundried tomato garlic cream sauce and topped with parmesan cheese. “It’s the sauce that makes it so special,” Salz says.
PASS IT AROUND: Twigs “encourages sharing of everything,” she says. “There is no fee for sharing, so you can be on your diet and just eat one ravioli if you want.”
COST: Around $5.99 for four raviolis; $10.99 for eight.
• RUNNER UP: Vegetable Samosa at India Garden
Best Chicken Dinner
Rotisserie Chicken Dinner at Chester’s
111 S. Broadway, 424-1211
www.chesterskb.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: “Our chefs take a lot of pride in the rotisserie chicken,” says general manager Jeff Hovland. “It’s got a robust flavor that adds a little bit to your everyday chicken,” he says. The chicken dinner comes with asparagus and mashed potatoes.
WATCH AND LEARN: Customers who order it can actually watch it cook on the rotisserie that’s “right out front for everybody to see,” Hovland says.
COST: Around $16 in the evening; around $14 for lunch (minus the mashed potatoes).
• RUNNER UP: Broasted Chicken at Beetle’s
Best Place to Eat Outdoors
Whistle Binkies on the Lake
247 Woodlake Dr. SE, 424-1227
www.whistlebinkiespub.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: One of the reasons that Binkies on the Lake’s sprawling patio has been so well-received is that “living in Minnesota, we have to put up with six months of weather where we can’t get outside much and so when the weather does get nice, people still want that dining experience and then to be outside is just an added plus,” says owner Randy Lehman. The patio—which includes umbrellas for shade and a large, heated tent with retractable walls—seats 200, about the same number of seats that are inside the restaurant.
WHEN TO CHECK IT OUT: The patio is generally open from mid-April to mid-October, and during those months “it’s really open whenever anybody wants to sit out there.”
• RUNNER UP: Dos Amigos
Best Seafood Dish
Grouper at City Café
216 First Ave. SW, 289-1949
www.cccrmg.com
WHY PEOPLE LOVE IT: “It’s a real treat to have fresh ocean fish in Minnesota,” says Denise Villeneuve of City Café. The most popular item on their menu is a catch flown in fresh daily from Destin, Florida. A little meatier texture than a freshwater fish, distinctively flavored, it’s served up either pan seared with a lemon caper sauce or parmesan encrusted in a basil cream sauce.
COST: Around $18-$21 depending on the season.
• RUNNER UP: Ultimate Feast at Red Lobster
Best Service
Prescotts
1201 S. Broadway, 536-7775
www.prescottsgrill.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: Prescotts’ small staff is notable for its “attention to detail,” says owner and sommelier Jenna Rohe. “Our professional servers are a very talented group of people who really enjoy what they do.”
EXTRA EFFORT: The servers are eager to soak up sommelier Rohe’s knowledge about wine, she says. “They’ll stand and listen to what I have to say about wines when I’m talking to guests. If I’m not here they have to know what to recommend, and they really try to find the best suggestion.”
• RUNNER UP: Michael’s
Best Steak Dinner
Filet Mignon at Michael’s
15 S. Broadway, 288-2020
www.michaelsfinedining.com
WHY PEOPLE LOVE IT: “It’s the best steak available in Rochester for the price,” says owner Michael Pappas. The sautéed wild mushrooms—along with the expert cooking techniques—make it the number one seller on the menu.
Hall of fame caliber: Restaurant founder Charles Pappas, 83, was recently inducted into the Minnesota Restaurant and Hospitality Hall of Fame, an award that rarely goes to anyone outside the Twin Cities. The filet mignon has been on the menu since the restaurant opened in 1951.
COST: Around $20.95 for the 8 oz. or around $24.95 for the 10 oz.
• RUNNER UP: Outback Special at Outback
Best Kids’ Menu at an Adult Restaurant
Outback
1201 S. Broadway, 252-1150
www.outback.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: Besides offering a variety of kids’ entrees, side dishes and time-occupying coloring sheets, “we’re a pretty kid-friendly restaurant,” says Outback’s Tracy Kozak. For families, the servers offer to have the kids’ food come out as soon as it’s ready. “With younger kids you can’t expect them to wait for everyone else. We’ve also started offering call-ahead reservations so you don’t have to wait for your table.”
COST: Kid’s menu items range from $4.29 for Mac-A-Roo ‘N Cheese to $7.99 for the Joey Sirloin.
• RUNNER UP: Applebee’s
Outside of Rochester, Best Restaurant within an Hour Drive
The Hubbell House
502 N. Main St., Mantorville, 653-2331
www.hubbellhouserestaurant.com
WHY PEOPLE LOVE IT: “When people walk in our doors they’re impressed with the beauty and charm of the place,” says owner Don Pappas. The restaurant is known for its delicious walleye pike and its famous garlic bread and onion rings. The warm and friendly service helps too.
Historically speaking: The 150-year-old stagecoach stop displays its years of history on the walls, and provides guests with a fascinating look back in time.
COST: Entrée items range from around $15-$20.
• RUNNER UP: Nosh (in Lake City)
The One Restaurant Rochester Needs Immediately
Hooters
www.hooters.com
WHY PEOPLE LOVE IT: With 435 restaurants in 25 countries, Hooters has spent 25 years building on its original recipe for success: sports on the televisions, oldies on the jukebox, spices on the Buffalo wings, and tank tops and shimmery orange shorts on the waitresses.
WHAT YOU WOULD NEED TO START ONE: A restaurant location with at least 100,000-150,000 people within a five mile radius. $2 million in liquid assets. Franchise fee of $75,000 per location. Start-up of $800,000 to $1,500,000 for each restaurant. Numerous pairs of shimmery orange shorts (see above).
A TIE FOR THE AGES: A few years back, Hooters tied as a runner-up in our “The One Restaurant Rochester Needs Immediately” category. They were tied with Chuck E. Cheese, in what may be the only historical instance of Hooters and Chuck E. Cheese tying in any category anywhere.
• RUNNER UP: Ruby Tuesdays
Best New Restaurant
Chester’s
111 S. Broadway, 424-1211
www.chesterskb.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: It didn’t take long for Chester’s, which opened last March in the Shops at University Square, to become a downtown hotspot. The success is due to the advance planning that went into the menu (which features items like porkchops, rotisserie chicken, and lavash pizza), the care that went into creating a fun ambiance (music and lighting help set the mood), as well as the time and effort to train the restaurant’s staff. “We hire people who have a hospitality gene,” says general manager Jeff Hovland. “We want to give guests the best experience we can.”
GOOD TIMING: Chester’s has helped to “uplift the downtown,” Hovland says. “The timing was perfect with the opening of Peace Plaza [last year]. That’s been very conducive to us getting people in the door.” In the summer, Chester’s outdoor seating was popular, and now, the restaurant has added “atrium seating” out in the mall.
BOTTOM LINE: “Building a restaurant that was something different and gave the people of Rochester a new choice” was one of the goals of Chester’s, Hovland says, and the mission has been accomplished.
• RUNNER UP: 300 First
Best Restaurant
Prescotts
1201 S. Broadway, 536-7775
www.prescottsgrill.com
WHY IT'S A WINNER: Jenna Rohe owns Prescotts with her husband, certified executive chef Chris Rohe, and she gives him much of the credit for the restaurant’s success. “He exemplifies going above and beyond,” Jenna says. Chris, along with a pastry chef and a baker, make their own demi-glaces, bread, salad dressing, and desserts from scratch. “They say that the sign of a really good restaurant is that you make your own desserts and your own bread, and we do,” Jenna says.
SPREAD THE LOVE: Prescotts’ open kitchen allows for interaction between chef Rohe and his guests. Lots of customers “get the chef’s attention and say ‘everything was great,’” Jenna notes. “He’s not hiding back in a kitchen that’s a dungeon. He’s right out there for everybody to see.”
FOUR IS A CHARM: Prescotts is beginning its fourth year in business. “I would say that like a fine cheese or wine, we do get better with age,” Rohe says.
• RUNNER UP: City Café