The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

The pizza is probably better for Aaron than the stuff I eat.

I AM a junk food vegetarian.

I think Geoff is right. We need more like Aaron and Jim Norton at City Pages, doing the cheap eats. I think someone should start a blog just devoted to reviewing downtown Minneapolis skyway eateries.

I did a high percentage of my underage drinking in Willernie, at the Wildwood and the Dug Out. My favorite moment was watching the famous Kerri Strug vault at the Olympics on a television in the dark bar of the Wildwood in the summer of '96 with my buddy Churchill. When Kerri stuck the landing, some rummy in a Hawaiian shirt unbuttoned to his navel intoned, "Well, it's never going to get better for her in this life. It's all downhill from here."

The thing I would add to the "Odd Ingester" series, is purchase place. That way, those that want to French kiss a hippo will know where to go.

What color? Because the blue stuff is vile -- what???

as a matter of fact, I think we need not only a cheap-eats blog, but a kid-friendly dining blog just to further piss off all of the humorless kidless assholes who are bound to react to this comment.

Grote, it's common knowledge that children are up to no good.

Osama Bin Laden was once a kid.
So was Max Sparber.

In conclusion, kids should not be let into restaurants.

I'm just saying that kids grow up to run things like Al Queda or MNSpeak.

So, you know, what your back.

bob...I am the straw that stirs the drink. The Reggie Jackson of MNSpeak, if you will.

I'm reasonably sure I gave Temple 18 months to live when it opened. Would have been here or on Girl Friday or Zimmern, but I'm too lazy to look it up.

my son loves Bulldog NE. Hamburgers, shuffle board, video bowling, multiple TVs, tatooed servers, french fries and tons of beer on tap.

I'd like to see more children in those harness/leash things because it's hilarious.

Bixby: No. It's not normal.

OK, then...is it normal for a white suburban mom to take her pre-teens to see New Edition (c.1983 as well) while sneaking a bucket of KFC extra crispy into the grasy lawn area of the outdoor concert venue? My "friend" wants to know.

I'll have to ask him, but I would think there were certainly biscuits, and prolly some purple kool-aid.

I love the Bulldog. There ought to be a Mnspeak/Bulldog thing.

I've never been to / heard of the Bulldog... where is it?

I would go to more concerts if there were mashed potatoes and biscuits.

The Bulldog NE is on Hennepin Ave and 4th St. NE.

The Eklund Bros. would also endorse a Bulldog NE HH. The good thing about that would be that you wouldn't even need to tell us since we'd probably already be there. We've re-discovered the simple joy of having a home bar.

formerly known as Boom!, a fairly hopping gay bar, when it first opened.

Also, is it normal to take a two year old to a Diana Ross concert?

About as normal as it is to buy tickets and attend a Diana Ross concert.

Nate's story checks out. I have seen both of the Eklund brothers at the Bulldog.

Since The Rat prefers Whitey's (no racial remarks, please!) next door, perhaps we could take over both joints. Sorry about your car, Rat.

And the Terminal Bar, for those who really want to feel depressed.

Also, is it normal to take a two year old to a Diana Ross concert?

I'm going to see Neil Diamond with my parents. Is that normal?

kevin...it's only normal if you're Jewish (as would be Streisand or Manilow). otherwise you might want to rethink it.

I'm going to see Neil Diamond with my parents. Is that normal?

That's just sad. And yet, it might explain so much.

It was an homage to the one with Al Jolson.

I can also confirm that.

I heard you weren't supposed to feed the Eklunds after midnight and you were to never *ever* get them wet. It is just what I heard.

It was rich, but there are times which good food much be rich.

true...but generally speaking, you're best off if those times aren't during lunch.

Teucer would like to know if there is some sort of gathering being planned? He refuses to log back on because he doesn't want to slack off. Yet, chatting with me about the same thing is perfectly acceptable.

Is anyone up for the Bulldog on Wednesday?

Well, I can go there just about any night. Wednesday would have been kind of cool because I'm on my own for dinner anyway, but I drive right by it on my way home from work. Just name a day.

i'm a big fan of the bulldog. almost every friday afternoon i have a talmook smokey cheddar and 2 beers. yes, 2 beers.

Heck, I'll go to the Bulldog after work on Wednesday. Anyone else who wants to, meet me over by the Elklunds.

Shouldn't this post just be called "What Aaron, TC Eats and The Rake think about local dining"? It's these three, and either We Got Served and TC Breakfast Club in almost every "Local Dining" post.

I've haven't got a problem with any of them in general, but how about a little variation?

You mean the aggregator that has half the feeds that it originally had and only barely works? Sorry for the snark; it's just a tad frustrating.

Seems to me Moe writes up a lot of his visits.
Scott McGerink has been writing up stuff for a long time now.
The Bloated Belly isn't prolific, but when they come, write-ups are good.
MNSpeak heads will probably explode if you link to a vita.mn review every once in a while, but depending on whose head it is, that may be okay.
Shit, my site is already in the aggregator; it could probably pass for a link twice a year.
With a little imagination, I bet Brew52 or MNBeer could fit into this category.
Renee & Steve will give you a two-fer.
How 'bout my neighbor Reetsyburger.
Your pal writes up spots often enough.
The reviews at Eating the Minneapple are usually too long for me, but at least it's a change.
You probably do, but I don't recall any links to that paper in the other town.
In between recipes, you'll find TC restaurant reviews here.
Not local, but still an indispensable guide to (post) consumption.

That's all from me, but I bet I don't know most that are out there.

Great list, Spaceman... I've added a bunch of those to my feed reader.

My shocker lessons start Wednesday.