Crave

1603 West End Blvd
St Louis Park, MN 55416

(952) 933-6500
cravemn.com


French Toast
YIELD: 1 serving

2 slices Sourdough Bread
1 oz Raspberry Sauce
2 Whole Eggs
½ cup Whole Milk
1 cup Frosted Flakes (crushed)

Mascarpone Filling:
3 oz. Mascarpone Cheese (room temp)
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 pinch Cinnamon

PROCEDURE:
1. Take sourdough and place 1 oz of Mascarpone filling on one side and put together.
2. Then dip into batter mix and cook on flat top until browned and crisp.
3. Cut on bias and place on plate. Drizzle sauce over French toast and top with powdered sugar.

Raspberry Sauce
YIELD: 1.5 cups

1 ½ cups Fresh Raspberries
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Sugar

PROCEDURE:
In Blender or food processor blend together until smooth

Maria's Cafe
1113 E Frankin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 870-9842
www.mariascafe.com/

Seriously?  How could I have lived this close to the yumminess of the corn cakes for almost six months without enjoying them?  Maybe to save myself from the certain addiction that is going to brew now that I have had them.  Great flavors.  Great textures.  Savory from the chunks of corn and crumbled cojita cheese.  Just a bit of sweet to off-set it with the touch of syrup that I dipped them in.  They didn't need much.  We also tried the huevos pericos. I don't want it to seem like the huevos weren't good because they were.  I love making little breakfast wraps!  The salsa was the perfect heat for me.  Spicy, but not so spicy that you miss the fresh tomatoes and onions in there.  When I go back, I know I am going to want the corn cakes all to myself though.  Sorry, huevos.    

We got there around 10:30 or so on a Sunday.  We had a bit of a hard time figuring the process out and were a little worried about the huge line in the hallway.  I don't think we waited even 10-15  minutes total though.  Excellent!  They were pretty quick to take our order and brought coffee refills frequently.  Not the strongest Columbian coffee I have ever had, but plenty strong enough to keep me wired all day!  

The live music started just as we were wrapping up.  He wasn't bad, but I could have lived without it.  It just made it a little too loud for easy conversation.

Sunnyside Up Cafe
2702 Lyndale Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55408


Let me just start by saying that I would really like to give this place 3 1/2 stars because it is actually better than a 3, just not quite a 4 for me.  Okay, now that that is out of the way...

I have been by this place so many times.  I have never really known what to make of it.  Looks a little divey.  Crazy painted murals.  There usually seem to be good crowds though, so I mentally bookmarked it.  My friend was in town for a visit and really wanted French toast.  I went onto Yelp and saw the good reviews, so we decided to give it a go.  We got there before 9:30, so we walked right in. By 10:30, there was a little wait, but only one or two groups.  Not bad.  

We were greeted very nicely at the door and our server was friendly, helpful, attentive and completely on top of it.  Our coffee and water were never empty. Our plates were cleared quickly.  Our check was brought before we finished with a "when you're ready" to let us know that we could still linger a little longer.  

Food:  We split the benny special with roasted tomatoes, spinach and ham.  Yum!  Everyone was right about the hash browns.  Delicious and a great combination of crispy and tender.  We also split the French toast.  The flavor and crunchy outside bits were great.  A little bit dry for me, but that didn't outweigh the positives.  We didn't love the coffee.  It was just a bit bitter.  Not horrible, but not great.  The prices were really reasonable for the portions and quality.  We were a little shocked that we were both so stuffed and had spent less than $18 (before tip).  

The atmosphere had a good neighborhood gathering spot feel to it.  Lots of families and obvious locals.  The colorful southwestern murals were simultaneously cheerful and bizarre.  I had a view of the fun coyote frying an egg for a tortoise.  My friend had a view of a hawk grabbing a lizard for a snack.  It just didn't gel with the gritty grandma's diner sort of vibe in the rest of the place.  

So, I guess my summary is: don't go for the ambiance or coffee, but do go for the food and neighborhood feel.

Could there be a better issue for me?  I think not!  57 yummy breakfast and brunch places to check out.  Where to start?  Where to start?  I was happy to see some favorites on the list, such as:

• Hell's Kitchen (lemon ricotta pancakes, bison sausage bread and homemade peanut butter)
• French Meadow (organic ingredients and a great sidewalk patio)
• Yum! Bakery & Cafe (oatmeal brûlée, although I always have to get a cupcake or slice of coconut cake when I go)
• Key's Cafe & Bakery (juicy sausage, caramel rolls and great egg dishes)
• Victor's 1959 Cafe (delicious Cuban specialties like cafe con leche, plantains, eggs with black beans, guava jam and mango pancakes)

So, that only leaves about 52 more for me to try.  No problem! 

Check out the full articles at:  Mpls St Paul Magazine

For October, the Chicago gang headed to Chalkboard in Lincoln Square.  The Thick Cut Nitrate Free Bacon was a crowd favorite! The coffee came from Julius Meinel next door and was delicious, as usual.  There was some disappointment that the Cured Salmon with Johnny Cakes were not available, but the Big plate of Roasted Potatoes, Chorizo, Chicken, Cheese and White Beans: "Breakfast Cassoulet" was a hit.  Two people got the Pound Cake French Toast with Lavender Yogurt and Mixed Berries. One thought it was so tasty that she practically licked her plate.  The other liked the dish itself, but thought the portion was skimpy for the price. 

A few mixed reviews...  The Whole Grain Blueberry Waffles with Real Vanilla Maple Syrup was noted as "good flavor and tons of fresh berries, but odd texture."  The Daily Egg Scramble had a decent combination of flavors, but far too many cherry tomatoes in proportion to the other ingredients, like the goat cheese that was barely included.

Overall, the group thought that the service was good and that the place has a nice ambiance.