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bite me: october 2010

 


1st- panino brothers, apple valley
2nd- travail, robbinsdale
8th- cosmos, minneapolis
13th-brit's pub, minneapolis
14th- curry and noodles, hopkins
15th- davanni's, savage
18th- la bamba, shakopee
19th- dakota, minneapolis
22nd- bradstreet crafthouse, minneapolis
23rd- restaurant alma, minneapolis
27th- luci ancora, st. paul
31st- big 10, hopkins

1st- panino brothers, apple valley (b)

not sure if they worked out the kinks in the last visit, but it seems a place in apple valley that so far isn't a chain or has unacceptable customer service. so we tried here again. and this time we had a buy one get one coupon.

my friend and i didn't split this time, but i did get a bite of her chicken fajita panino with "onion, bell peppers, cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato, along with sides of sour cream and salsa" (menu price $7.95 with tortilla chips for a full sandwich). we both agreed it wasn't really anything resembling a fajita... it had not enough spice, no heat, and not really much to speak of in the way of onion and bell pepper. it reminded me of a grilled chicken wrap more than anything. so that was disappointing for her.

i thought the buffalo chicken with "swiss and mozzarella cheese, pb buffalo sauce, celery and bleu cheese (menu price $7.95). though the bread still on the side of pale, the sandwich was a lot better than the other one. if they had more bleu in the cheese mix, it would hit all the right 'buffalo chicken sandwich' notes. i also like that the chicken didn't seem to be deep fried or have weird coating on it. a pretty solid sandwich, i liked it better than the fredo pie of last time. it came with a pile of mostly very small, seemingly 'bottom of the bag' bits of kettle chips.

service was still... tolerable (though there was a server switch that wasn't explained at all... odd), but they didn't staff the kitchen for what was the lunch rush- the wait for food was a bit on the long side for a lunch.

i won't rank it up there with my favorite a.v. restaurant (satay 2 go) but given the limitations of the apple valley dining scene where most places don't seem to have staying power (taste of thaiyai appears to be a chinese place, for instance) so far it stays in the rotation.

2nd- travail, robbinsdale (b-)

the people formerly of vistory 44 have moved on to new digs in a more obscure neighborhood near... well... not much at all. all i know of robbinsdale is broadway ave. that all the restaurants seem to be on (my friend and i asked the staff, even, if there was anything worth doing or seeing in robbinsdale besides them... pretty much not so much on a saturday evening, apparently).

anyway, from what i've read, they've gone a bit more molecular in their approach than victory 44, but feature the same set up- people both serve and cook, price points are kept lower, etc., which is good. and it makes the place crazy popular- armed with the knowledge of killer waits if you show up any time past 5:30-6 pm on a saturday (no reservations here, alas, i misread a tweet and thought they changed that but nope), we showed up at around 5 pm. it was still about three-quarters full.

they've been open since july or so, and i would assume by now they're mostly on track... that isn't to say the pacing of your meal may not be odd at times and waiting between courses may take quite a while. and while the chalkboard may be handy for the menus, you'd think they'd have something to hand out with details to keep the server/cooks from having to repeat themselves or leave out details... one dish we asked about got a two word description, yet when the table next to asked asked about it, they got a complete discourse- from the same person (not all the cooks make good servers). most of them there do, at least.

my friend went with the microgreens salad with walnuts, apple matchsticks, croutons and halved kalamata olives in an unnamed vinaigrette ($4). kind of an odd combo but it worked. she also had the 'figlets,' figs wrapped in speck and filled with blue cheese and briefly deep fried, served in a blue cheese dressing ($4). she said they were on the salty side for her and while she was glad she tried them, she wouldn't necessarily order a whole serving for herself again.

i should've ordered my own blue cheese 'tots' ($4), which are more like deep-fried mashed potatoes than anything. state fair worthy, these suckers are. i could down probably a whole bucked of these things happily. they were served in ketsup, but i prefered them in the leftover blue cheese dressing from the figlets- the tots weren't as blue as i'd like... it's more of a hint.

the big disappointment was the smallish piece of foie (i'd peg it at maybe 2.5-3" by 1.5" or so) with braised fennel, dried cherry and cherry sauce ($14)- the outside was way too overcooked (almost burnt) though the inside was nice. but for the price point and the food in question that should've been better. i did liked the accompaniments with it (but again, it didn't mask the burnt taste), and would've liked bread here (and for that matter throughout the meal) to get at the sauces.

and unlike brit's (the last time i checked) they had regular-sized bottles of crispin ($4) instead of the vast multi-glass ones. hand. and i still like it not over ice. so there, crispin people advertising!

we were told that the dessert tasting ($9) cavalcade would be a good idea to order, so we got that- you can also get them a la carte for $4 each. with the tasting you start with a palate cleanser, here a melon sorbet sort of thing in a shot glass, and then get four desserts. (too bad no cheese plate, but i realized i am always in the minority about that.)

that was followed by official dessert #1, my second favorite, the three donut balls/holes with melon sauce, vanilla and chocolate drizzles and bits of melon and a few orange slices. the fruit kind of elevated the whole dessert, especially the sauce with the melon in it. to give you scale of the dessert, there were three donut balls about 1.5" in diameter.

dessert #2 was out least favorite, poached pears (two thicker slices, maybe 1/3rd of a pear) with pear gelee, a quenelle-sized bit of whipped goat cheese and pistachios. i liked the cheese, but the pears were kind of boring.

hands-down the best of the dessert parade was #3... deep fried ball o'cheesecake (just one 1.5" diameter or so), with cheesecake-like creme on the plate plus some frozen whipped cream in about the shape and size of cheetos. considered i find most cheesecake too weird-tasting (and not tasting like, well, cheesecake) i was surprised. and i could eat any part of that dessert solo and still like it but this one had the best flavors and the best textures too.

#4 was a bit too chocolatey for me but had some nice tableside doings... the meringue was toasted at the table with a torch and then the chocolate mousse was frozen at the table with liquid nitrogen for a 'cauldron bubble' effect. there were also toasted hazelnuts, a peanut butter cookie, a very chocolate brownie, and some white chocolate in there. for me this was too busy and had too many chocolate things... way too many. i liked it better when you could get a lot of the things in one spoon or fork, but that was hard to do.

the decor is, well, most chalkboards with the menus, plus some games on the wall. not much to speak of. which is fine, it suits the place. they may want to invest in some window shades (or if they have them use them as to not blind people during sunset). the restroom is a shared one with another business or two (and um... pads stored in a glass jar are just odd...) but it's not a huge trek to it.

i will say there were some other interesting things on the menu, and i should've tried maybe one or two more. but while the place really much any farther from my house from downtown in reality, mentally it's light years away (robbinsdale just seems so... far.). i'm sure for some it may be a destination restaurant they'd go back to again and again, but i'm pretty sure i won't (and yes, partially because of the overdone foie). but like my friend with the figlets, i'm glad i tried it.

8th- cosmos, minneapolis (b)

a concert at ave and wanting to go to dinner first led us here (as i recently ate at the depot). as much as i am not fond of restaurant week (they seem to pack the restaurants too much, and many of them i am allergic to or don't eat- i'd rather go at a less insane time and pay a bit more to order what i want) we figured if we went early (5:30 pm to make the first act) we'd be able to avoid much of the weirdness.

since they took the restaurant week menu info off the web site right quickly (maybe after midnight), i'm unable to be way specific about what some we ate. but the restaurant week menu seemed more worth it if you can and are able to eat everything. most of that menu were items not on their regular menu (seems odd to me- why not just served reduced portions of that?).

the amuse was 'potato salad,' a cubed potato with a bit of chive, mayo, kalamata olive and maybe a bit more than indeed captured the essence of potato salad in one bite.

my friend got a beef carpaccio with a quenelle of tapanade, chili oil, and pickled onions. i got a mixed greens salad with some red onion, three halves of a tomato (where did the other half go?) and some cucumber matchsticks in a roasted shallot banyuls viniagrette (i'm guessing on the dressing, not to rhyme deliberately). it was an good salad, but rather boring- even the one listed on the bar happy hour menu had blue cheese on it. i expected a bit of pizzazz from this place in more than just the lovely platings. those two items were your only two choices of starters. but hey, at least they offered a vegetarian option. on the menu, a similar salad was priced at $10- no carpaccio was listed though. a starter of wagyu tartare was $16.

they had three entrees- i should've gotten the pan seared, skin-on atlantic salmon that came with pommes duchesse (some version of this is listed as a sample entree on their seasonal tasting bar menu). instead i got the sweet potato gnocchi with spinach and artichoke hearts in what seemed to be a light broth. the artichokes were fresh and it was a good rendition of the gnocchi (not that there was too many of them). but the spinach was a bit bitter and the artochoke hearts were smallish but large enough so i had to cut them and mix things together. it didn't seem to be a well conceived dish from the eater's standpoint. (the vegetarian entree is listed at $19 on the regular menu, fyi.)

my friend went with the pork entree topped with a corn salsa with mole and borracho beans. the pork was served in a substantial chop, the mole was complex, too. i felt kind of... robbed- compared with my small heap of more or less veg, it didn't seem quite... fair. they could've done more for the veg entree to make it seem more special. (they had no pork entree on the menu, but the lamb chop one was $32.)

there no choice for dessert- it sort of choclate mousse (?) with chocolate crumbles and a chicory creameux (there were probably other things in there as the dessert listing was twice as long as the name of any other dish on the menu). i didn't see any of their desesrt prices stated anywhere, fyi. since i am not a lover of rich chocolate desserts (food=savory, beverages=hideously sweet, that's my preference) i managed about half, though did enjoy the biscotti that was served with the coffee after dinner.

my friend went for the wine pairing (two glasses for $15- part of the restaurant week deal) and a peach bellini ($12). lightweight that i am, i just had a glass of the prosecco ($10). the bubblies are served in generous glasses. and the bread here, served with butter with black salt was way tasty.

service was excellent (even if we were going for the less spendy menu). and the room feels like you're in new york, not minneapolis (in a good way). it does that more so than any dining room i've been in around here. it's very modern and sophisticated and chic.

i may have probably been better off had i gone into the bar for the three course menu there for happy hour, which is 2-6 pm daily. it's $19.95 for that, plus they have other specials- it seemed a better deal for those who can/do eat everything or most things. (probably as good as the $20.21 three course deal in their bar, but ironically this is a much more arty setting.)

13th- brit's pub, minneapolis (c-)

i have only myself to blame on this... well, that and carpooling. i've managed to avoid eating here for over a year and indeed forgot how crappy it was last time but managed not to order the dip.

that isn't to say the happy hour apps i split ($5.95 each) were good. the cod pieces were the best of the lot, just underseaoned and with a container that we couldn't dip things into (bad design). the sticky wings were sticky, sure, but not flavorful or spicy or seasoned. we asked for blue cheese on the side ($.50, we were not told about the charge though, points off that). i recall they used to be better... not great, but better. ditto the samosas- i recall them as being less bland and less oily and fried-tasting. the chutneys were good though- and they also seemed way overprice for what you get versus the other two dishes.

so yeah, i knew i was getting into and kind of was grateful it wasn't awful- at best the apps here tend to be average. i should've gotten the soup, that can be a lot better. between bad memory and laziness, i may have gotten what i deserve.

14th- curry 'n' noodles, hopkins (b-)

i am so not sure what's up with the whole 'n' thing there. so anyway (or 'n'yway?). this is the place that's closed on tuesdays that i attempted to go to before (note to self- look up hours before heading over. hit the buffet with someone. in general the food was pretty good... but we'd both agree to hit the indian side of things for the most part. i think we tasted almost everything except the lettuce, tomato and cucumber salad- it looked like no one tasted that. and despite the number of people in the place, that wasn't the only dish that looked like it may have sat a bit too long. maybe i'll do this as a list....

the plate clearing was a bit overeager at times (um... not done with that last bite yet). but i didn't get a refill on my pop until i asked (not sure if i was supposed to, but if it's cans, people usually bring out cans... we didn't see the menu, we can't tell), and it was a bit disconcerting to have many of the staff members sitting or standing by the door just... watching the people eat. that's a bit too heavy on the front of the house for such a tiny place.

though it does look completely different from what i remember michaelangelo's to be- it used to be all dark with fairy lights, n now there's no curtains (so it's hard not to be distracted by the outside), and had modern furnishing and a paint job. not much on the walls, though. and you do get the 'indian restaurant buffet lunch' soundtrack.

15th- davanni's, savage (c)

another work dinner. i will say they get mad props for donating a bunch of prizes, that was very nice of them and they didn't have to do that at all. as for the pizza, i will say i have always liked their pizza cold, not so much warm. maybe because then i get more of the cheese and less of the sauce, which is on the sweet side- not my favorite sort. and they pizza was underdone- floppy, not browned at all on top. i'm guessing that was due to the mass quantities. but it did taste more 'real' than the hut or domino's (yes, even after the redo of their recipe). plus they are more local than the other chains.

18th- la bamba, shakopee (b-)

a newer mexican place in shakopee that i tried to visit once before, but they're closed on tuesdays. it's not a chain, it's a small family establishment, which is always nice. they're on restaurant.com, but i had a general 20% off coupon.

i went with the chicken enchaladas poblanas ($9.50)- tortillas in mole with chicken with rice and beans on the side. it seemed less like enchaladas and more like tacos the way it came out, as the primary taste was chicken and tortilla, not the mole. i would've liked a lot more of that and more spice- i used a lot of hot sauce instead. the beans were ok, and the rice (which i don't like in a lot of places) was decent.

the chilles relleno ($8.50), cheese stuffed and fried poblano peppers with rice and beans was the other dish. the peppers seemed a bit large and not very spicy, they tasted more like green peppers. these i liked a bit better, they had more cheese in them. reviews say they got chips and salsa, maybe that's just at dinner, we didn't get them. didn't ask.

since one of the couple was making a delivery during most of our meal and the other one was cooking. we were the only people in there, though- service wasn't speedy, but we weren't neglected. if you're looking for a quick lunch, go with delivery. i'd say it's no better or or worse than el loro/el toro, though it does taste somehow fresher and less greasy. i suspect if i ordered differently (or got more sauce), it'd be better.

19th- dakota, minneapolis (c-)

many, many people like the dakota more than i do. maybe my brk kicks in here, maybe i never get here when riebel's in the kitchen. no idea. but since i was going to a show here and had to eat dinner someplace, i figured i'd give it another shot. alas, since their online menu (which oddly lists weekly lunch specials) is not at all current, this is once again information that i'm remembering. plus it left me oddly disappointed- the menu i saw was way packed with things i couldn't/wouldn't eat- the menu online seemed to have more choice for me. then again, it did set me up somewhat properly, as i was disappointed again.

i was in the mood for a sandwich, so by default it was the salmon burger for me ($12)- the only other option i saw was the burger. it had smoked and fresh salmon, a flavored aioli, chives, and perhaps one or two other things. i liked the salmon mix, but it was swamped by the large amount of sauce that leaked all over the plate and since the bun wasn't that toasted, it started falling apart quite quickly.

besides the lack of sandwich integrity, the chives were laid across the sandwich and poke out a few inches on the side, which is the oddest presentation decision i've seen in a while. i'd rather not be poked in the face while trying to eat my sandwich. or trying to eat anything, for that matter. it came with a smallish container of wee shoestring potatoes that were a bit cold and underseasoned. i skipped most of them.

i split what was called 'minnesota poutine' instead. it was supposed to be a $2 upcharge for the 'poutine' on the fries ($5) and i asked for no bernaise, if i recall correctly- we got it anyway. the bill had no upcharge for the poutine but did list the cost of the bernaise ($3). so i figured that washed out. confusing, though.

the minnesota poutine had a tobasco-molasses sauce (normally seen on their wings) plus a not enough cheese curds (there is never enough for me) melted into fries. it may have been better if the dish had been served earlier, it was lukewarm and rapidly cooling when we got it. the sauce was more sweet than heat and not suprisingly sticky. as it is i'll put it down to an interesting experiment i will never repeat because it's better in theory than practice.

i maybe would've said something if the servers were less busy. i would've also (for a change) ordered dessert if i was asked. the pumpkin flan looked interesting but i didn't get a chance at it. you get a bottle of water at the table (and tiny, tiny water glasses- i felt like i was doing shots all evening) so there's that. and they charge for a bread basket, which i am totally against.

22nd- bradstreet crafthouse, minneapolis (c except for the edamame which gets an a+)

as much as i like cosmos, i was just there earlier this month, so when looking for a pre-show dinner in the area i went with bradstreet crafthouse instead. we had an early dinner, scheduled right when they were supposed to open (there was a 5 minute or so delay on their part there) so were able to get to their happy hour, which they do run 5-7 pm all days they are open (the late night one is tuesday-thursday only).

they have three drink specials for happy hour not available on the regular menu, i went with the girliest of the three, the aptly named sweet lucy ($6.01- get it?) with "prichard’s sweet lucy liqueur, simple syrup, fresh lemon juice." it was very sweet and best when paired with stronger flavors.

we split a few things. the toast plate ($4.01, usually $6 or so, their online menu is of course not the most current, though they do have menus for the upcoming holiday season if you're party planning. go figure) was fine. you get four slices with different toppings (though they should maybe get smaller bread- easier to share if there were 8 smaller ones)- since i don't like warm tomatoes i wasn't so over the moon about the less than cheesy tomato-parmesan one, i swapped my half of that one for the one with goat cheese- the strongest flavored one of the lot. there was also an apple cheddar (not much cheese flavor
there) and an eggplant with... something which were also fine.

the best dish of the evening was their steamed edamame with sea salt and herbs- there's usually a mix of herbs but probably include dill and/or mint most of the time ($5). both of us thought this may be the best edamame we've ever had, and both of us eat it fairly regularly. salty in a good way with the big crystals and the herbs brought something new to the party. it was attractively served in a tagine-like vessel that kept the steam in until it was presented.

the duck quesadilla ($6.01 at happy hour, $9-10 or so when not) was listed as having "duck confit, raclet cheese, (and) apple kimchi" was mouth-searingly confusing. why would they want something so spicy as to wipe out all other flavors in anything else consumed at a place that's supposed to specialize in mostly classic cocktails along with some small plates? why would they list or include the duck confit or cheese when the kimchi, again, completely wiped out any flavor evidence of them? (and by the way- do they have something against the flavor of cheese here in general?). don't get it at all.

the rum raisin shrimp ($10) seemed more interesting from the menu description (see: menu not posted) than it was in real life, but the grape sauce was nice and the rum-soaked grapes were fun. the shrimp were fresh, but a bit on the overcooked side amd a bit rubbery.

it was interesting to go once, but i think i'd be better off at the cosmos happy hour. conceptually i see what they're doing, but i think cosmos is more solid on the cooking (and aren't cheese-haters), plus have a more interesting-looking happy hour. and better service (spicy kimichi and many minutes of empty water made me less than happy, plus i am not sure why they decided to seat the three tables right next to each other instead of putting space between them. an odd decision). and a more interesting looking restaurant. oh, and the restrooms aren't four floors up there.

23rd- restaurant alma, minneapolis (a)

may as well go out with mad style in what turns out to be my own personal restaurant week, more or less- the vegetarian four course tasting menu at alma ($38)- you get to select three dishes from the veg list plus a dessert. amusing- the person i was with ordered the three course nonveg tasting menu- you get one selection from each of the starters/salads, middle courses and entrees for $48, they also opted for the wine flight pairings with their meal for $15.

what was extra nice is that they sent out a bit of a treat- i had ordered a glass of the elio perrone (maker of my favorite sparkling, bigaro) sourgal mostaco d'asti ($10) and they sent a glass of bubbly for them. even with 3 glasses of wine the flight's an excellent deal, but to send out bonus bubbly? class.

i said send out my food in any order they thought to best match course for course- they chose to do so by color.

'orange' for me was a butternut squash and coconut milk soup with "pickled onion, aromatic shitakes, (and) chili oil" (on the regular menu for $10, with rock shrimp $12) to their warm carrot flan with saffron, roasted beets and feta. both were delicious, though the soup's aroma beat the carrot hands out. both the soup and flan had velvety texture and the plates popped with color and flavor.

i kind of wanted the polenta dish on the veg menu, but i hate beets, so i opted for celery root souffle with "brioche toast, braised leeks & hazelnuts" ($12 on the menu) in what was the 'beige' course. it turned out to have a texture that was quite like polenta so i was happy. it didn't come plated as i had imagined- the souffle was on top of the toast. it made sense for plating as it turns out. the bread ravioli of roasted chicken, sage & golden raisins ($14 menu price) was like a chicken and stuffing-filled ravioli- i sense thanksgiving leftover possibilities here (think turkey, stuffing, and cranberries).

for the main 'brown' course i had a rice flour crepe filled with potato, roasted cauliflower, and something else i'm forgetting (the online menu is almost current, but not quite), not sure if it was leeks or onion or another allium, that sounds about right, with a radish and onion salad ($12 on the menu, a similar dish with pork belly is $13). as starchy-filled goodness that it was, it was more interesting when you got the salad in the same bite as the dish. i think it would be better on days when it's colder. not that it was bad, not at all. it still was flavor and texture filled without that. personal preference and all.

had i not a restaurant-filled week, i would've been all over ordering the chicken and foie gras with spinach and i think leeks and truffle juice and squash, perhaps ($32 on the menu, if you do the tasting there's a $3 supplement). it's the classiest turducken style food ever, perhaps (note- turducken is not my line, but it was too good to not mention here). lovely, it was. i would've been happy had i just ordered that and ate the lovely focaccia from the bread basket with the tasty butter (the multigrain sort of bread was also nice, but i adored the other). that was perfect.

denied my earlier craving for a pumpkin dessert, the pumpkin creme brulee with a spiced cranberry jam sort of thing and shortbread cookies ($8 meny price- for those of you playing along at home it's $38 for a menu that was otherwise $42 total). and i am guessing it was probably worth the wait. if i had it at the dakota, i probably would've not liked it anyway, right? and if you're into chocolate the warm chocolate ganache gake with "roasted banana ice cream, toasted peanuts, rum reduction" ($8) will make you cry, in a good way. add in the dessert truffles, and you'll go home on a cloud.

service was excellent, per usual. apparently they updated a bit- the tapestries on the wall that had been there at some point are replaced by art. not sure if that happened since i was here earlier in the year or before that. oh, and by the way, they do have a small parking area in back... who knew?

27th- luci ancora, st. paul (c)

had the groupon (i think $10 or $15 for $35 worth of food) from here, and needed to use before it expired. so mom and i headed out on a rainy, windy, raw night. i wasn't feeling the entrees (i seem to not be, recently, it's more of a small plate thing i am trending towards even at non small plate places, i've noticed), so we split an appetizer and got a few other things.

the appetizer was probably the best thing of the evening- temputa fried mixed veggies with what i think was a buttermilk aioli ($11) sort of dip- the menu from fall 09 was online and i wasn't in a notetaking mood, alas. the server apparently loves the sauce, but it did read 'ranch dressing' though a nice one. the veg were broccoli, onion rings, green beans, and mom's favorite, sweet red pepper strips. oddly, i liked the broccoli the best. perhaps due to the interested texture.

mom had a small salad of mixed greens, golden raisins, and possible something else on the side like nuts ($4). she got gorgonzola on the side. it was above average, and the golden raisins were interesting. i had the soup of the day, tomato-based i think, with borlotti beans (cranberry beans), and... well...other things not mentioned ($5). like what i guess would be quite a lot of red pepper flakes that the server should tell people about, as that soup was too spicy for most minnesotans. i thought it stood up well against the weather but didn't have tons going for it other than heat and texture.

mom though the penne with sausage and other things that shall remain nameless because no one can remember what they were ($12) was underseasoned and not so exciting, my pasta of the day, the spaghetti puttanesca ($12) was flavorful and seasoned and had a bit more going on. mom's also a fan of the american-style saucing (it's the star of the dish, so pile on lots) vs. the italian style (it enhances the pasta, so just enough to do that) that they do here. .

besides not warning of the heat, the server didn't seem entirely familiar with the specifics of the menu, which was not a good thing and was not generally attentive other than a drive by 'how's things kthxbai.'. i think there was an event at st. kate's, as that place was packed, and though maybe not technically understaffed, service suffered for it- there was a long wait to order, for the check, to ring the credit card slip, run the credit card, etc. only the runners seemed to be on top of things- they're the ones who brought the bread the server should've.

i was a bit disappointed in it this time- not enough to put me off, but enough to know to check to see if there's anything at st. kate's before going here. i know they can do better. but if i didn't know that... hmm, i'd probably go back at least once more and see if it was a one time thing. i don't think mom would.

31st- big 10, hopkins (c-)

perhaps, like the gophers, the hopkins one is having a bad season. though i've not been here in a while, it could've been a longer downhill slide. both the usual turkey half sub ($4.99) and the onion rings (half order, $3.99) were just not quite there. the sub had sad pale, tomato and lacked toasting. there was also more lettuce than usual and a little iceberg lettuce goes a long way. the o rings were just... ok. service was also just ok- the server didn't have that many tables and spent time chatting vs. watching the ones they did have.

mom liked her pastrami half sub ($4.99) sans cheese more than i liked mine. probably they have better pastrami than they do turkey- it's never been the best (or the worst, though) ever in the many years (eons?) i've been eating these things but somehow it sometimes transcends that. i hold them to a higher standard than most subs- when these are done right, they're my favorite ones in town. but usually they do them better on campus. i was just disappointed.