Stonegarden - breakfast

I've had Stonegarden on my list for awhile now. I saw a picture of their omelette and it looked like a traditional French style omelette. I made a reservation, but it wan't very busy on arrival, so not sure that was necessary. Perhaps a later arrival time, say 10 or 11 am would require a reservation. 

I had the french onion omelette with caramelized onions, gouda, parmesan. It was a large and filling omelette and I really liked the onion flavors. 

My friend had the the nordic omelette with dill, horseradish crème fraîche, gravlax, capers, lemon zest. This was a newer menu item and it was excellent. (I had a small bite.) 

We split a side of the fried potatoes. They were a bit bland but I added some hot sauce, which gave a little kick. 

The food and service were both excellent. I enjoyed the light, bright ambiance and relaxed atmosphere. I'll definitely return to try some of the other menu items that sounded interesting. 

 

Stonegarden
Address: 5401 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417
Phone: (612) 489-7715
https://www.stonegardenmpls.com

Hope Breakfast Bar

We finally made it to Hope Breakfast Bar in St Paul. The good news about Hope it that they are opening a new location sometime this fall in St Louis Park, which means we hope to visit more frequently since that is much closer to home. Regardless of which location, I believe reservations are still recommended. Busy place! 

John had the pork carnitas bowl with slow roasted pork carnitas, fingerling potatoes, seasonal vegetables, green chili cream with tortilla. The dish didn't quite look like the description, but he ate it anyway. 

I had the McHope sandwich with biscuit, bacon, cheddar cheese, fried egg and seasoned hash browns. 

The service was not great but we ended up seated upstairs, which had incredibly steep stairs to navigate. The servers that have to navigate those all day deserve a raise. If you have mobility issues you may want to request to be seated downstairs. 

Hope Breakfast Bar
1 S Leech St 
St Paul, MN 55102
Phone: (651) 330-8996
https://www.hopebreakfast.com

Marna's

I'm catching up on a bunch of posts from late summer and fall, when we were able to dine outdoors. I just wanted to clarify that these are not recent visits, but I figured I may as well go ahead and post them anyway since take out is still available from these same places. 

We made a reservation online in advance and were seated quickly once we found the host, which took a minute or two. 

John had the arroz con pollo, which was rice cooked with chicken stock, vegetables and pulled chicken and served with black beans and homemade potato chips. 

I finally tried the Marna's burger. I've read about it from a variety of local dining critics and the Travail guys have also shared how much they love it. It is a chipotle infused beef patty, caramelized onions, bacon, grilled pineapple, Swiss cheese and curry cream sauce on a brioche bun. I had chips and salsa on the side. It is definitely a rich, flavorful burger, if a little on the greasy side. It is somewhat spicy, but not super spicy. The cheese, bun and other elements do tame the spice a bit. 

The service was fine and it appeared they were following all of the safety protocols. We enjoyed our visit and would definitely return again. 

Marna's Eatery
4154 W Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55422
Phone: (612) 272-1370
https://marnaseatery.com

Marna's Eatery

Note: I visited the establishment and wrote this post before the virus shut down everything. I've decided to go ahead and continue posting as it was a snapshot in time. Many places are still open for carryout. Be sure to visit your favorite places during this crazy time. Support what you love. Now is the time!


We finally tried Marna's in Robbinsdale. Boy, have we been missing out on a great spot. They recently expanded into the area formerly occupied by Pig Ate My Pizza, so the space is cute, bright and open. We were seated right away.

The corn bread with honey butter is amazing. The corn bread is served warm and very moist, not at all dry like some cornbread and this is truly an improvement. This is a must order item!

Gallo Pinto

We both had the Gallo Pinto with rice with seasoned black beans, sweet fried plantain, sour cream, egg, guacamole and a tortilla aliñad. This was great also. I'm not even all that crazy about rice and bean dishes, but both were very flavorful and the plantains really were sweet and perfectly cooked. The tortilla alinad is like a flat corn cake and is a nice change from standard toast.

The service was friendly and efficient and we enjoyed our meal so much. We will certainly be visiting again very soon.


Marna's Eatery
4154 W Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55422
Phone: (612) 272-1370
https://marnaseatery.com

Stockmen's Truck Stop

I think the Stockmen’s Truck Stop made it onto our list of potential places to try because Heavy Table had a post on it several years ago. Well, it is still there and still a solid choice for decent breakfast food.  It really is a truck stop with a little diner. Most of the other diners seemed to be regulars and know one another and the servers as well. We seated ourselves and the server came to take our drink order right away.

John had hamburger steak, eggs, hash browns and toast.

I had bacon, eggs and hash browns. The food was all good and arrived quickly. The portions were generous as well.

I’m not sure Stockmen’s is worth the drive across town, but the food and service are solid. It is not fancy, but you can’t go wrong here either. If you live in the area it is certainly worth checking out.



Stockmen's Truck Stop
501 Farwell Ave
South St Paul, MN 55075
Phone: (651) 455-3044

Hen House

We visited Hen House in downtown Minneapolis awhile ago. I am way behind in postings, but I had some nice photos I wanted to post. We sat at the counter and while they were very busy, the service was ok.

John had the archer tostadas with corn tortillas topped with refried black beans, eggs, queso fresco, avocado, cilantro and crema and hash browns.

I had the cinnamon roll pancakes with bacon. They were definitely very sweet and the drizzle tasted like frosting. They were tasty, but I could really only eat about half of them.

This is a great breakfast spot and it is often very busy on the weekends, but the food is usually worth the wait. I think they have improved considerably since they have been open.



Hen House
114 S 8th St
Minneapolis, MN 55402
612-345-4664
http://henhouseeatery.com

Windmill Cafe

The Windmill café in Savage is not fancy. The parking lot is gravel with a fair number of weeds. The inside is pretty basic too. However, since there are not a ton of great breakfast options in the area, it ably fills a need to solid breakfast food. We only had to wait a few minutes for a table at mid-morning on a Sunday, which is not bad.

John had his favorite standard breakfast, hamburger steak, eggs, hash browns and toast.

I went with the Windmill combo that included pancakes, hash browns, eggs and bacon. I really wanted to try the pancakes. They were decent pancakes, if a bit on the cakey side. The hash browns were definitely legit and solid.

I would not go out of my way to visit the Windmill café, but if you live nearby or a re in the area, it is solid choice for basic breakfast food. The service was brisk and efficient.




Windmill café
5367 State Hwy 13
Savage, MN 55378
Phone: (952) 895-1869
Website not working

Papa's Cafe

It had been a long time since we visited Papa's Cafe in New Hope. I am not really sure why though. The food is solid and the service is fine. We need to go back on a regular basis.

 generous portions! 

The pancakes are really quite good. They are light and fluffy with crunchy bits around the edges. They are really almost perfect pancakes.

Here is a link from a previous visit. Not much has changed, so everything still applies: http://whereshouldwegomsp.blogspot.com/2012/04/papas-cafe.html


Papa's Cafe
7181 42nd Ave N
New Hope, MN 55427
763.535.4887
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Papas-Cafe/147811451948391

Meyvn

We went back to Meyvn for a late brunch recently. IT is a great option because it is easy to get in and the food arrives quickly.

John tried the double cheeseburger. It is a close relative of the cheeseburger at Saint Dinette and this is a very good thing. It is a cheesy, gooey and delicious burger. Very juicy with a decent bun too.

I had the egg sandwich with bacon. It was also topped with white cheese. This was a great sandwich and very, very filling. IT had the same bun as the burger, making it light and fluffy but able to hold a lot without breaking down.



Meyvn
901 W Lake St
Minneapolis, MN 55408
Phone: (612) 315-4608
https://www.meyvneats.com

The Bird

In our never-ending quest for brunch, we visited the Bird near Loring Park awhile back. It was not at all busy when we arrived on a Saturday morning, which was somewhat surprising.

John had the roasted broccoli scramble with eggs, mushrooms, onion, cheddar cheese and 9 grain seed bread.

I had the quinoa pancakes with toasted quinoa, blueberry compote and cashew cream. These were much better than I had expected with a nice nutty flavor from the quinoa.

The service was great and we thought all of the food was very good. The menu definitely veers toward healthy options with items for vegetarians and gluten free diets was well, which is a nice option. The Bird is worth checking out!



The Bird
1612 Harmon Pl
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: (612) 767-9495
http://www.thebirdmpls.rocks/

Hai Hai brunch

We checked out the brunch at Hai Hai awhile ago. When patio season was still an option. Please come back warm weather! Also, some of the hype seems to have died down here. Granted, we visited on a Saturday afternoon, well after lunchtime, so the rush was probably over.

I had the Thai Fried chicken and papaya salad. It included fried egg, sticky rice and coconut milk pancake, green papaya salad and lime leaf honey butter and fish sauce syrup on the side. Lots of things to play around with. The chicken was excellent; very crisp and a little spice. I really liked the coconut milk pancake with the lime butter on it- it was a bit crispy and sweet.

John had the Fried rice cakes and egg, which was a bit of a breakfast bowl type item with scrambled eggs, scallion, papaya, pickled carrot and jicama, pickled onion, cucumber, Thai chili and tamari vinegar.

This is definitely a fun brunch with great food. They have a lot of items you won’t find on the menu anywhere else in town if you need to mix up your brunch a bit. The back bar and patio are quite nice in the warmer weather and make the restaurant quite a bit larger. We even discovered that there is a nice sized parking lot in the back of the building, which is super convenient.



Hai Hai
2121 University Ave NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418
Phone: (612) 223-8640
https://www.haihaimpls.com/

Meyvn

We stopped in at Meyvn for a late lunch on a Sunday afternoon. There wasn’t a line and we ordered at the register in short order and grabbed a table. There were plenty of tables available to choose from too. We were given a number for the table and the food was brought out by a runner. They have people to clear the tables as well, but there isn’t really a server in the traditional sense, though someone did come around and ask how things were and if we needed beverage refills.

I wasn’t very hungry so I just had an everything bagel with green onion schmear. The bagel was nicely chewy and the cream cheese had lots of onion in it. I thought this was a very good bagel.

John had the pastrami sandwich with chips. The pastrami was excellent. Very tender and the stoneground mustard added a nice contrast to the salty meat.

The menu includes a variety of other sandwiches as well as some small plates. The menu is definitely focusing on deli type items and the quick service is a plus. The diner menu has a few large plates and some raw bar selections as well. The room is open, bright and inviting with a small pet friendly patio in back as well. This is a very nice spot for a leisurely meal or to grab something quickly. Certainly something for everyone.


Meyvn
901 W Lake St
Minneapolis, MN 55408
Phone: (612) 315-4608
https://www.meyvneats.com

Saint Dinette

We stopped for brunch at Saint Dinette on our way home from Stillwater after a wedding there the night before. Once we got into St Paul, it took a bit to figure out where a good place to park would be. We ended up in the ramp for the St Paul Union Depot. At the restaurant there was a short wait for a table, and we ended up sitting at the bar as spots opened up before a table did.

I had the scramble with crimini mushrooms, goat cheese, chive and toast. The eggs were so light and fluffy and I adore goat cheese, so that was the perfect addition to the eggs. I asked for jam for the toast and got a mango pineapple jam that was really excellent.

John had the cheeseburger. This burger has been written about a lot since saint Dinette opened and now I see why. It is two thinner patties, and the meat is so rich, juicy and flavorful. It could not be a better burger.

John also ordered a side of fries. Can’t go wrong with a good crinkle cut fry.

The service was friendly, helpful and great overall. We probably need to go back so I can try the shrimp and grits. Though I’m sure everything else on the menu is perfect as well. Saint Dinette is worth the trip to St Paul.


Saint Dinette
261 5th St E
St Paul, MN 55101
Phone: (651) 800-1415
https://www.saintdinette.com/

The Kenwood Restaurant

We’ve been meaning to visit the Kenwood for some time now, but it always feels like it is out of the way. Turns out it is rather conveniently located near Lake of the Isles and not far off 394. Of course we visited for breakfast, because brunch is the best.

I had the Huevos Rancheros with pork, potatoes, fried egg and harissa. Some avocado and jalapenos were also on the plate to add flavor as needed. This was amazing. The pork was tender and juicy and the harissa added a bit of spice if you needed it, as did the jalapenos. This looked impressive and it really is a must try at the Kenwood.

John had the simple breakfast with rosemary potatoes, bacon and scrambled eggs. This was a pretty basic breakfast, though it was all very well done, with fluffy eggs and think perfectly crisped bacon.

He also tried the pancake with black walnut better. The pancake was a fluffier pancake than we usually prefer, but this had excellent flavor and a nice crispness on the edges too. Yum.

We ended up sitting at the counter to reduce our wait time a bit as this is not a large restaurant. It was a little chilly when the door opened and closed, but not bad as the kitchen was in front of us and provided heat. The service was good and we really enjoyed all of the food. They really do great things with even the most basic of breakfast items. I want to go back and see what they do with lunch and dinner foods.



The Kenwood
2115 W 21st St
Minneapolis, MN 55405
Phone: (612) 377-3695
http://www.thekenwoodrestaurant.com/

Peg's Countryside Cafe

Peg's Countryside Cafe is one of those places that used be out in the sticks, but now it's in the suburbs. But it seems to have remained the same for many years. It is a a tiny place, in what looks like an old house with a couple rooms for seating and a tiny kitchen on the side. The walls are plastered with country themed knick knacks and photos of long-time customers. We arrived rather early on a Sunday morning and were seated immediately.

John had the Rancher's breakfast with toast, eggs, meat and hash browns. The blueberry wild rice sausage was a bit gimmicky- it was a little sweet and sort of bland. It was interesting try try anyway.

The pancakes were very sweet- fairly light and fluffy though. 

I had the 2 x 2 x 2 with a side of hash browns. The bacon was very good; thick and crispy. The hash browns were ok and the eggs were as ordered.

The service was quick and efficient and the prices are quite affordable. The tables are wedged into the space, so you get to know your neighbors whether you want to or not. I'm not sure the food stands out enough to make the trip across town, but if you live nearby, it is a great option.


Peg's Countryside Cafe
842 Hwy 55
Hamel, MN 55340
Phone: (763) 478-6869
http://www.pegscountrysidecafe.com

Hot Plate

Hot Plate is one of those cute, quirky places- lots of fun vintage games piled up by the waiting area and tons of stuff on the walls to look at. It isn't a large restaurant, so be prepared for a bit of a wait. I think we waited about 25 minutes for a table.

The walls are covered in kitsch- paint by numbers pictures mostly, lots of crazy thrift store type finds.

John had the pancakes with a side of bacon. The pancakes were quite good- very light and fluffy. The bacon was crispy and delicious.

I had the Bloomington sandwich on grilled sourdough with asiago, Swiss and cheddar, bacon, soft scrambled eggs and griddled with 100% pure Maple syrup. The syrup added just a touch of sweetness. This was a hearty and tasty breakfast sandwich, I wasn't bananas about their breakfast potatoes- they were fine, but not particularly memorable.

The food is good quality with some fun, interesting menu items. The service is quick and efficient. There isn't a lot of time to chat. They are trying to get you in and out as quickly as possible, without rushing you through the meal, which is OK since you can see the next round of people waiting for tables.


Hot Plate
5204 Bloomington Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55417
Phone: (612) 824-4794
http://www.hotplate.com

Benedict's Wayzata

Benedict's is a brunch only place that opened in late 2017 in Wayzata. Considering how close by it is, I have not heard much about it.

John had the standard, which is two eggs with bacon, potatoes and toast. It was your basic breakfast. Not bad.

I had the egg sandwich, topped with egg, sausage, harissa, cheese and bacon jam. The sausage was ok, the English muffin was very light and fluffy and the bacon jam really made the sandwich. The hash browns had scallions mixed in to give it addition flavor and the potatoes were very finely shredded. I quite liked the hash browns.

The food was quite good, but it took quite some time to arrive and our server was either too busy or rather slow. We waited for beverage refills a few times and it took a very long time for the check to be delivered. So I guess the not great service may explain why I haven't heard great things about Benedict's. Hopefully, things improve with time.


Benedict's
845 Lake St E
Wayzata, MN 55391
Phone: (952) 923-1903
https://benedictswayzata.com

Eggy's DIner

We had noticed Eggy's Diner when we went down to Lakes and Legend's brewing, and I noticed it was also in our Metro Dining Club punch card deals, so we gave it a try for breakfast recently. It is down near Loring Park, but it should be noted that they do validate parking in the attached parking ramp, so it is easy to visit. Apparently, there is another location of Eggy's somewhere in Chicago, so it is a very small chain.

We arrived fairly early for brunch on a Sunday morning and were seated promptly. We had a bit of a wait before the server realized we were her table, but after that the service was ok.

I had Eggy's breakfast sandwich topped with 2 eggs over medium, bacon, mixed greens, red onion jam and herb aioli on a toasted bun. It was messy with the over medium eggs, but very tasty. The onion jam was delicious.

John had the two eggs with meat of bacon, egg whites, breakfast potatoes and a pancake. The breakfast potatoes are whole mini potatoes that are deep fried. They were good with crispy bits and fluffy soft bits and even better with some hot sauce added.

John liked the pancake, it was quite large and very light and fluffy.

With the discount form the Metro Dining Club, this was a very affordable breakfast. The service and food quality was good and I think I'd like to try a few more items on the menu. The food, along with the validated parking in the attached ramp, makes it easy to get to, which is sometimes a challenge in Minneapolis.


Eggy's Diner
120 W 14th St
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: (763) 310-3449
http://eggysdiner.com

Kroll's Diner - Fargo, ND

We went to Fargo, North Dakota, in June for a family wedding. On Sunday, before heading home, we had breakfast with John's sister and her family. We somewhat randomly selected Krill's, mostly as it was nearby and it seemed to have OK ratings on Yelp.

We were seated pretty quickly and the service was just fine. It has a cute 50's diner vibe going with lots of neon and chrome all around. The neon is probably why all of the pictures have a slight pink tinge to them.

Overall, the food was OK. Nothing about it wowed either on e of us, but it was not bad either. The hash browns were just OK,  my eggs were booked well, but the pancakes were a bit tough and rubbery, not light and fluffy. The hamburger steak was just a basic frozen patty. I suspect there are better options in Fargo, but we have not discovered them quite yet.



Kroll's Diner
1033 45th St S
Fargo, ND 58103
Phone: (701) 492-2319
http://www.sitdownandeat.com