Chilly Billy's

We've recently returned from a vacation in Scottsdale, Arizona, where self-serve frozen yogurt joints are more common than McDonald's. A delicious, healthy alternative to Dairy Queen, these little shops offer many flavors of frozen yogurt of various fat levels, and a wide array of toppings like fresh fruit, candy, nuts, and syrups. Grab a cup at the front and load up to your heart's content, placing your concoction proudly on a scale and paying by the ounce. Eat a little, splurge a lot, it's up to you.

The day we returned to Minnesota, I "Googled" Self-Serve Frozen Yogurt and lo-and-behold, just such a place had opened in Dinky Town just days earlier! In the car we all went, driving as fast as the law will allow to Chilly Billy's, Minnesota's own spoonfull of dessert heaven.

Chilly Billy's offers 10 flavors of frozen yogurt, from creamy cheesecake to rich peanut butter to the ultra tart pomegranate raspberry, and at least 40, count 'em, 40 delightful toppings. They rotate flavors and occasionally add toppings, keeping frequent visitors like me on our toes. I've already filled an entire punch card, and planning ahead to my next visit: peanut butter and chocolate frozen yogurt topped with cherries, hot fudge and whipped cream. Maybe a shake or two of sprinkles, just for kicks. It's up to me, which is the whole point of self-serve. Oh, the delicious, intoxicating power!

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Chilly Billy's on Facebook

Kopplin Coffee Shop

Remember when it was spring last week? It is but a fading memory. This weekend it is threatening to snow, yes, snow, here in our fair Saint Paul. Since you won't be taking the kids to the park, head over to Kopplin Coffee Shop instead for a warm-you-down-to-your-tootsies treat.

Yes, they brew one of the best cups of coffee in town, and yes, they have lovely pastries from Rustica, like a golden brown danish crowned with a little shiny slice of peach or a paper-thin vanilla lemon cookie that melts delicately in your mouth. Yes, they have all those things plus knowledgeable, down to earth service, but the best reason to bundle up and leave the house is their oh-my-God-where-have-you-been-all-my-life hot chocolate.

Order the Rouge hot chocolate, and you will be handed a small cup of rich, velvety cocoa the likes of which Swiss Miss has only dreamt of. Made with locally crafted Rouge chocolate this divine concoction reminded me of MarieBelle in New York City except their version $7 and came in a itsy bitsy dixie cup.

As you sip the molten chocolate, close your eyes, ignore the sleet whipping outside the front window,  and you might just forget all about Spring. Doesn't look like it's coming anyway.

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Kopplin's Coffee

Dino's Gyros

Does a fast food joint belong on a food blog? It does when it's Dino's Gyros.

It's not gourmet, it's not fancy. You won't find yourself engulfed in the smokey sweet aroma of lamb rotating and caramelizing on tall grills, or surrounded by the colorful bellows of burly Mediterranean chefs directing kitchen traffic from behind the scenes. At Dino's, the same pleasant young chap taking your order may have schlepped burgers down at Burger King last week, no real food experience necessary. But it's the quality of food at reasonable prices that has kept the neighbors coming back over the years.

The gyros themselves are generously sized and served on soft Greek pitas, along with creamy tzatziki sauce, fresh tomatoes and thinly sliced raw onions. The spicy gyros, Tony's favorite, come with a tangy sauce and crisp lettuce. There are many chicken options, as well as a falafel sandwich and several salads if you prefer to go the vegetarian route. The kids' menu is one of my favorite benefits at Dino's, since their gyro meat is one of the few things on the planet my daughter will eat. That, and their French fries, which are simple and delicious, crisp on the outside, super tender on the inside.

Dino's is fast food, but it's still a family built, family run, local chain. Although it has expanded with new franchised locations since it's humble beginnings as a tiny family restaurant in a run-down strip mall on Snelling Avenue, all locations have maintained the family feel of the original, serving good Greek food with a warm smile.

The original location has since been moved a few yards up Snelling, and now boasts a sparkling clean interior and a cute little patio. Other locations include Woodbury and Edina. And let us not forget their giant stand in a lovely permanent structure at the Minnesota State Fair. I always think it's funny when I see the long lines at the fair, considering most visitor had to have driven or walked right past the original restaurant on their way into the fair. But then again, maybe I am being just a little arrogant because I am lucky enough to live just a few blocks away from Dino's and can enjoy it throughout the year.

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Dino's Gyros