Secrets of the City

I’ve been looking for a decent piece of NY-style cheesecake for the past year. Can’t say that I’ve found one yet. But Juniors is now shipping.

Heh.
Funny you mention Cathay’s as it is one of my very own favorites. Perhaps, then, you will enjoy Thanh Do in St. Louis Park or Kim’s in Northeast.

I too like a simple delicious cheesecake, and only seem to be fond of Figlios. They used to serve it with a homemade raspberry thin sauce, but have since changed it. Please do not partake in Cheesecake Factory, bleh.

As for chili, I can’t help you there and you might not want me to – I’m a vegetarian. But I can give you an excellent vegetarian recipe for chili.

The next time I’m in the area of a Juniors I’m there.

I was afraid the Cheesecake Factory would come up. I guess the problem there is that it comes in frozen from California and it tastes of chemicals.
Sadly I did partake.

I will try out both Thanh Do and Kim’s soon.

I would check out your recipe, lately I use an altered version of the “good basic chili” recipe from Penzeys.

Is there anyplace in town with a decent vegetarian chili? The Triple Rock’s chili is okay, but I work DT and would love to find someplace with better chili than effing Au Bon Pain (which sucks, don’t get me wrong, but then at least I don’t wind up eating at Turtle Bread and Zen Box five days a week).

Lolly, what’s your recipe? Help a brother out.

My favorite fried rice is from the Village Wok in Stadium Village.

caffe latte on grand has really good cheese-cake. i don’t know if it’s NY-style or whatever, but it’s damn good.

the “hunt for fried rice”…is there any difference? i mean…it’s rice.

totally off-topic, but i’ve had 2 cheese-steaks this week – charley’s and the great steak potato (or whatever.) both downtown. god awful. i don’t know how these places stay in business.

I know I’ll be beaten up for saying this, but I like the chili at Chili’s. Yes, I know it’s a souless chain restaurant, and not very ‘white belt.’ But I like it. So sue me…

And just to shock the smug foodies on this site even more, my vote for best fried rice goes to…the Young Jewel Rich from Leenne Chins! But it has to be fresh, not a steam table victim…

So many things to screw up with fried rice it seems… Hard rice. Soggy rice. Reeking of fish. Procesed meat. Crazy frozen vegetables. If it is too greasy or over spiced.

My favorite fried rice is from the Village Wok in Stadium Village.

I agree, it IS very good Simpleton. I used to be hooked on their lo mein, too.

Young Jewel Rich?

Sound like a rapper name.

Young Jewel Rice.

YOUNG JEWEL FRIED RICE
stir-fried seasoned white rice with barbecued
chicken, shrimp, eggs, mushrooms, peas,
green onions, and carrots

I’ve not tried it, but one always hears nice things about Muddy Paws Cheese Cake.

The Loon downtown features terrific chili with several varieties, including veggie.

Now here’s a topic I know a little something about: chili. All the other topics I post on? Nada. Pure, unadultered B.S. But chili? C’mon!

Chili to be pure chili does NOT have beans. “Chilis” with beans are not chilis but soups with chili powder.

OK, having said that, two very good authentic chilis are at the Loon downtown and the new Bulldog NE. The Loon’s Texan Chili is really good because it uses chunks of steak. Real chilis never used ground beef. There are no beans in the Loon’s Texan chili … because it’s a chili.

The Bulldog’s chili uses beef brisket, and it too is excellent, although a little more oily than I like my chilis. But in the Bulldog’s case, that’s why they give you a nice hunk of cornbread to sop it up!

Now back to bantering about things I know nothing about…

If Hormel says there’s beans in chili, then dad gummit, there’s beans in chili.

For more on the ongoing debate on beans vs. no beans chilis — which have international consequences and importance — go here.

Hormel couldn’t recognize a chili if a chili came up and bean-farted in its face.

Matt, I think it’s about time to consider The Great MNSpeak Chili Cook-off! Authentic chilis, bean chilis, and vegetarian chilis. Best of categories win fabulous prizes.

I’ll host.

the “hunt for fried rice”…is there any difference? i mean…it’s rice.

Uh, well, no, it’s not just rice. There are a myriad of ways of preparing fried rice and it’s not just the kind found at your neighborhood chow mein joint, either. I prefer the Japanese “cha-han” style … a Japanese interpretation of Chinese fried rice … that includes egg, ketchup, shoyu and peas vs. the Thai/Vietnamese style to always seems to include bean sprouts.

When working in Singapore many years ago, my Singaporean supervisor visited Boston to attend a broadcasters convention. When she returned, her first comment — after being asked how she enjoyed the trip — was that the fried rice in Boston tasted different than the fried rice found in Singapore. I responded by saying that democracy “tasted” different in Singapore, too, than it did in Boston.

cheesecake: muddy paws has many flavors and is pretty dang good. for big ny cheesecake, try oceanaire. you can almost put it on your head and go to a packers game.

fried rice: if i have to choose one, i’d have to go with hong kong noodles @ u of m.

I’m game, too, for a Chili Cook-off.

Fried rice (or anything Chinese for that matter):
Shuang Cheng in Dinkytown

Vegetarian chill:
Bryant-Lake Bowl

Meaty chili:
Chili blanca at Key’s

Good cheesecake with strawberries and glaze:
Cafe Latte

Chili…. hmmmm

Makes me long for my days in Cincinnati when you could just drive up to any Skyline Chili and get some of the best, gut-wrenching (but in a good way!) chili on the planet.

Chili John’s
I went here a few weekends ago, a bit closer than Cincinnati.
I did try the frozen Skyline Chili found at a big box store in Shakopee.
I wonder if the whole chili parlor scene missed Minnesota completely.

I wonder if the whole chili parlor scene missed Minnesota completely.

We got Hormel. We don’t need no stinking parlors.

mike…will do. i will send you an email with it.

fried rice can vary greatly and most often it isn’t worth the few bucks you paid for it. hoping that you will find some great suggestions here..do let me know how kim’s and thanh do treats ya (which has all kinds of asian dishes and is owned by the same guy i think, who owns azia on eat street – also said to be great (haven’t been).

leeann chin? blech.

I was also going to suggest Muddy Paws, but Ryan beat me to it. This place has got a TON of cheesecake, and has some pretty dang good coffee too.

(and free wifi)

Thanks Lolly. I knew someone would mock my comment sooner or later. I have had Skyline Chili. In Cincinanti, no less. You know what’s better? Chili 3-Ways at Steak ‘n Shake. With crackers, to soak up the grease….hmmm.

anytime alamn. heh.

Muddy Paws is basically a cozy neighborhood coffee shop that happens to serve great cheesecake

Hold the greaze pleaze! Chili can be plenty hearty without all that disgusting grease. Don’t believe the lies: crackers might make it SEEM harmlessly tasty, but have you seen what a chili and shake diet does to your arteries? Chili is kill-y. Keep it lean, folks!

Bob from the American Corpuscle Association of MN

Sportsmans Bar — “Try My Chili. It’s Not For Sissies!”

Classic

The bison chili at French Meadow is pretty great.

and alamn – does that make me smug? heh.

french meadow has good food and a neat dinerish atmosphere, updated. i likes.

Bob from the American Corpuscle Association of MN hates our freedom. Last time I checked, chili was a legal product in this county.

I’m sick and tired of liberal Nanny Staters like Bob demonizing us greasy chili eaters.

Just came back from the Loon Cafe and my bowl of the Hot Pecos River Red. Very tasty chili! Thank you Navin & Aeklund.

glad to hear you enjoyed it!

I just put a 4 lb. bison rump roast in the slow cooker — simmering in one bottle of Summit Winter Ale and one bottle of Tommy Knocker Cocoa Porter!!! Mmmm, mmm…

You’re welcome Pshaw. I’m now inspired to make chili at home tomorrow and settle in to watch the Vikings. Hrrmm. At least the chili will be good.

Alright y’alls. Best fried rice I’ve yet had the pleasure to meet is the pineapple fried rice with pork at Tum Rup Thai. They toss it in a yellow curry sauce, and it comes out heaped on a massive plate and brimming with nice big chunks of fresh pineapple. It’s amazing.

If you can stand the absolute crap service at Tum Rup, it’s totally worth it. Better yet, order it takeout.

I’m not sure why no one’s mentioned this one yet, but Peninsula (Malaysian restaurant) on Nicollet has some of the best food in town, let alone fried rice. Very affordable and non-pretensious.

pshaw, you might have better luck getting a food lover’s response if you post this question over at Chowhound. It’s a message board site for local food reviewers that seems to take up way too much of my time…

Bar Abilene used to have a chili cookoff in its parking lot once every summer. That was pretty nice, they had dozens of vendors & restaurants competing. Does anyone know if they’re still doing that? I remember seeing Red McCombs at one of ‘em, cracked me up.

I personally like the raspberry white chocolate cheesecake at Zeno in Uptown. It’s a slice of cheesecake with ghiradelli white chocolate and raspberry sauce poured over it. mmmm

For vegetarian chili:

Keys used to have a really yummy one, but it has been many years since I’ve been there, so I don’t know if it’s still good.

I can also recommend French Meadow Bakery.