PaulaC

So far, the steak tartare is IMO the best in the Twin Cities. I can’t avoid getting it as an appetizer when I come here. And the tres leches cake is to die for (although a really big portion — easily splitabble by dessert time). The service is always great. My one complaint is that I’d like to see the menu change more often than it does.

Al’s is awesome, hands down. When I was an undergrad four of my friends and I would go there at 6 a.m. because that was the only time there would be enough seats for all of us. Hmm, those days might be gone, but the blueberry pancakes are still delicious. Every once in a while I try something different, and that something is usually a seasonal omelette. The ambiance can’t be beat!

Three stars is a very good rating. Maybe Mysore could get 4, considering that it’s not expensive, and it’s a buffet, hence hands-off service by nature. I was pleasantly surprised that I liked it so much, given that it’s all vegitarian [sic — but doesn’t that just add to the authenticity?], and that it’s a buffet. The paneer tikka masala was the headliner for me, and the naan (or naan-like bread, as JP would say) was delish. City Pages gives this place a good review, and I hope it will be in Uptown for a long time!

Really, 4.5 stars, but since that’s not an option, I’m rounding up — the food at 20.21 was excellent! I liked everything. I ordered the taster lunch menu ($20.21 — very clever). So, beet salad as a starter — delish! The beets were amazingly soft and texturful. Carla ordered some sesame green beans for her starter. Those were yummy too. Main course, I ordered the seafood green curry. Yum!!! Carla ordered a chicken salad, and normally I don’t like chicken salads, but it was very tasty. Lisa ordered chicken breast, and the waitress was very helpful and was able to bring a bun for her too. Finally, the dessert was a succulent moelleux au chocolat. Simple, elegant, excellent. Finally, 20.21 gets 5 stars because design and ambiance were not forgotten when constructing the bathroom — it’s a lovely modern black/white combo that just drips what’s best of modern art.

The menu may be small, but it changes often, and everything on it is delicious. The ambiance is one of my faves in Minneapolis. Plus, there’s a cute waitor — blonde hair, 30-ish (my parents asked his age once)… a great all-around experience.

Again, it would really be 4.5 stars, but that’s not an option. The food is to die for. Ecstatic. I had the tasting menu and ate both salmon and kangaroo! My dessert was a slight let-down, and the setting was good but not great — the real only flaws in what was otherwise a completely perfect food oeuvre. All in all, I spent 3.5 hours in this restaurant, and it was amazing. Not cheap though. But a culinary orgasm.