Longfellow Grill

When I started this blog, I viewed it in part as a great excuse to try out new restaurants and coffee shops, to be more adventurous, to step outside our norm. But in that excitment, I forgot about some of the old faithfuls, the places you go to when you are tired and hungry and want to be assured of a nice meal and comforting surroundings, without having to do any of the dishes afterwards. One such place for us is Longfellow Grill just over the river and through the woods in Minneapolis.

Longfellow Grill, a part of the Blue Plate restaurant family, is a spacious, lively neighborhood hot spot right on the bank of the Mississippi river. With a sprawling patio overlooking Lake Street, and lots of cozy seating in a colorful interior, Longfellow Grill offers both a cure for the winter blues and a friendly place to linger over a cocktail in the summer. The menu is robust and interesting, offering basic fare with a twist, like a decisively adult sized mac and cheese, a flavorful meatloaf served with garlicky mashed potatoes with asiago cheese, and a lucsious butterscotch pudding. 


On a recent visit, I had one of the best fish sandwiches I have ever had. Off the specials menu, this was not just any fish sandwich, it was a Thai Fish Sandwich. I don't know what that means, exactly, but it was soft and sweet with so much heat I could only finish half. Which worked out great because I gave the other half to Tony and got the rest of his burger. A bacon burger, moist and delicious, especially when dipped (over and over) in a smokey Tillamook cheddar cheese sauce. I would have loved to have licked that tiny cup clean, but I didn't think that would be a good lesson in table manners. Speaking of Millie, her food came in the cutest little '50 t.v. tray with a gooey blob of twisted mac and cheese (mellowed out kid's version), cheesy bread, veggies and dip, and a cookie! Sheesh, if only she ate food. 


Yes, we are regulars at Longfellow Grill, and I have brought just about everyone I know here at one time or another. Heck, I am even "friends" with them on Facebook, and you know how meaningful that is. It's nice to know that, while it might be exciting to venture outside of our comfort zones every once in a while, your favorite haunt will always be there when you want a piece of home delivered with a smile. And a great local beer. 


Giant kids meal. Plus a couple of home-made potatoe chips from my plate. 

Bacon Cheeseburger. Oops, I forgot to mention the sweet potatoe fries. How could I forget those thick, sweet sticks of loviness?! They are divine.

One of our favorite appetizers, tempura fried green beans with plum sauce. The best way to get your daily veggie. 

Ta da! Thai fish sandwich. I have dreamt of this sandwich since. 

Web site
Longfellow Grill

Good Day Cafe

You may have noticed that I have a slight aversion to all things suburban. But every once in a while, I do find a gem in a strip mall, a beacon of light shinning through the mass of sameness...Ok, ok, I'll drop the dramatics now. The truth is, there are plenty of lovely eateries peppering the suburban landscape. One such place is Good Day Cafe, perched quietly where St. Louis Park, Golden Valley and Minneapolis meet.

The Good Day Cafe is adorable with a capital A. It has a French bistro vibe with a giant fireplace anchoring the huge room and bright, sunny faux paint splashed on the walls. The food is fresh and varied, with seasonally thoughtful specials to boot. The staff seem like they love their jobs, which is always a plus. They must all have kids, because we always feel welcomed and tolerated, even when Millie is at her toddler worst.

At our latest visit to this warm, welcoming cafe, I tried a salad for the first time, and was surprisingly impressed. Super fresh, buttery lettuce and veggies, potent blue cheese, and fried-within-an-inch-of-itself bacon made for a lovely, lovely lunch and was sort-of worth passing up on the amazing french fries. Luckily, Millie got some with her lunch, a giant "kids" burger served on a soft, sweet bun with a mountain of crisp lettuce and just-picked tomatoes (no, of course she didn't eat those!)

I have to mention one of best breakfast options at Good Day Cafe, The Huevos Rancheros. Worth every single calorie (or point, or carb, or whatever you're counting) this luscious plate of eggs, black beans, and chorizo patties covered with red and green salsa is spicy enough for a nice morning kick, but mellow enough to appeal to any taste. I adore Huevos Rancheros, and the Good Day Cafe's version, while not the most authentic, is one of my favorites.

The desserts all sounded amazing, but if you think you are too full, that's ok. You might change your mind by the time you hit the lobby, and you'll be in luck because hey, there is a gorgeous bakery case just for these moments of indecision.

Good Day Cafe

5410 Wayzata Blvd.
Golden Valley, MN

763-544-0205

Cecil's

For a recent lunch visit to Cecil's, I brought along the experts: my parents. Saba and Safta (Grandfather and Grandmother in Hebrew) agreed, Cecil's certainly looks the part of a no-frills Jewish deli. Safta commented that the simple paneled walls and after-thought of art work reminded her of growing up in a Kibbutz. This is a compliment, just to be clear.

The service is also reminiscent of a visit to a Kibbutz dining hall. Short and to the point, don't expect to be coddled into a decision over which sandwich to order. A shoulder shrug and "they are both good" are about the best to hope for if you are wavering. But here is the good news: they are truly all good. And if the staff does make a suggestion, take them up on it. The coleslaw looked much better than the fries my dad ordered in spite of a none-too-subtle prompt from the server. But the sandwich he got was a glorious step toward a certain heart attack. Drenched in butter and grilled to a golden brown, the Monte Cohen featured a tangy mustard sauce, piles of tender turkey slices and aged Swiss. It was surprisingly light, considering it appeared to have been marinated in butter overnight. But I must admit I only had a bite, not sure I could have finished the entire thing without a trip to the E.R.

The obligatory matzo ball soup was a little watery but the the matzo ball, although tougher than some, was delicious and filling. My mom gushed about the sweet and sour cabbage borscht, and the woman knows her borscht.

The kids' sandwich meal was very generous, which is lost on a child like mine who prefers their meals in bird-size bites, but your child (and you) might appreciate it.

The stars of our lunch outing, however, were the perfectly cooked, light and sweet blintzes that I shared with my mom. Once again we were in agreement, they were by far the best we have had anywhere. Served four to an order, along side simple jam and sour cream for dipping, Cecil's blintzes were fluffy and creamy. Cecil's fries the blintzes lightly so that the tops and bottoms are slightly crunchy while the sides remind soft and chewy. These pillows of cheese and sweet dough are so lovely, so memorable, that I may very well head back next week and get a plate for myself. No more sharing these babies!

No frills, no non-sense dinning room at Cecil's.

Mmm, good.

How can you not love a sandwich named the Monte Cohen? 

Kids meal for kids who like to eat. 

The blintzes Gods are smiling. 

Offerings at the deli. 

Yes, please. 

Millie's "sour pickle" face.