My in-laws were in town this weekend and Rob planned an afternoon on Nicollet Mall in Downtown Minneapolis. We love going downtown on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon when there is nothing big going on {i.e. a Twins game}. It’s wonderful strolling along Nicollet stopping for a drink and app or two.
Rob and I have stopped for an afternoon drink at The News Room a couple of times before. On our last occasion, we took a look at the menu. It looked incredible! I had eaten there about ten years back with some girl friends. I remembered it being excellent. However, it’s a rare occasion when Rob and I are out in downtown Minneapolis for dinner. So, it just hadn’t happened yet.
We had intended on having a couple of drinks and some lunch on Nicollet Mall that day with his parents. Rob printed out a map of the street, highlighted the establishments he liked and even printed out menus of said places for his parents to peruse!
We started off at The Local with a round of ciders, reminiscing about our fall trip to Ireland. We wandered over to the Dakota Jazz Club so that Rob could show off one of the places where rob has found his Top 10 Fries in the Twin Cities. Unfortunately, the Dakota is not open for lunch on the weekend, so we wandered a bit further to Brit’s Pub. However, upon entering, the place was packed from wall to wall and there was about an hour wait for a table. A soccer match drew this crowd to Brit’s. And in the summer, lawn bowling and outdoor movies do, too!
By then, we decided to go for an appetizer at The News Room. Rob’s mom and I had our eyes on the Brie Curds:
Brie Curds
deep fried brie, homemade blueberry ketchup
$11.95
And they were incredible. I love me some melty brie, so these did not disappoint. Drag the brie curd through the blueberry “ketchup” and it’ll remind you of baked brie drizzled with preserves. Yes, that good. These are highly recommended. I can’t stop thinking of them. You need to go to the News room just to try these!
The boys, though, decided to try the Arancini:
Arancini
crispy fried croquettes filled with risotto, benton’s bacon,
and bleu cheese, served with marinara
$8.95
These were tasty as well, but both Joyce and I decided that we liked “ours” better! Yeah, Rob and I still want to enjoy an entire meal at The News Room together, but this was a wonderful introduction.
We wandered about a block off the mall to have our lunch at Devil’s Advocate. But that’s for another post. 😉
What are our favorite kinds of appetizers?
Cheers~
Carrie
Season It Already! 
Oh my, those brie curds with the blueberry ketchup sound amazing! The Arancini looks to die for also 😉 I like appetizers like you’ve posted too. Heck, I pretty much like all food 🙂
OMG, that brie app? Amazing!! I was an assistant manager of a private Supper Club several years ago. When I closed I could get anything off the menu (well, except lobster!).
I would always get the crusted goat cheese appetizer – on the bottom of the plate was reduced balsamic vinaigrette, then slices of prosciutto, then the deep fried goat cheese – when you took a bite of each piece it was heaven on a plate.
The staff used to get so pissed at me because I could have eaten filet mignon! 😀
Oh man! Both of those look to die for. I love fried cheese balls of any kind. LOL
Carrie, my husband thought he left a comment for you yesterday – but it didn’t show up. He’s making his famous fried rice as I sit at the computer, so he dictated his response to you on how he makes his eggs.
I guess the secret is that he is constantly moving the eggs – so fluffy and good!
This is what Tony wanted me to write to you Carrie!
Step One. Take two eggs and beat them senseless. We have a griddle, heat up the griddle. Spray it with Pam, put the corn tortillas on it. To the eggs add salt and pepper, copious amounts of inedible sriracha, and a few ounces of cheese, I used pepper jack.
Spray the pan with Pam, while turning the tortilla, put the eggs in the pan and here is the secret to fluffy eggs. Stir them continuously with a spatula until you get the consistency that you want. Take one of the tortillas and put it on a plate, take the inedible egg mixture and put that on top, top with the second tortilla, top with more cheese and inedible sriracha. It is now inedible!
Oh my gosh! Thank you so much. You guys are making me laugh! I’m going to give those inedible eggs a try! 😉
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