If you’re just joining in today, go back and see yesterday’s post. This is the week of Top 10 Favorite Things!
Yesterday, we covered Top 10 Beauty Products. You’ll want to look at the comments and see the extended lists in the lovely comments.
DAY TWO…
Top 10 Favorite Restaurants:
1) Chili’s (nationwide)~ has always been my favorite restaurant. Not only did I meet Nate there when I was 16 years old (in Irving, TX), which stands alone in reason enough for its greatness, but their Queso is good enough to make your hair grow an inch. It is SO divine. Their chips are also DELICIOUS. They have my favorite Fajitas. I love their Tacos too….their Chicken Sandwich…their Tortilla Soup…their Chicken Crispers…their Southwestern Eggrolls…their Salads…their Nachos. YUM. I’M HUNGRY!!!!! I guess this post COULD have been Top 10 Favorites at CHILI’S! I didn’t even get started on their desserts!
2) Buca di Beppo (nationwide)~ MMmmm! When I eat here, I die and hover around in the clouds a while. Their Mixed Green Salad with Prosciutto and Gorgonzola cheese is a meal in itself…but do not stop there. The bread they bring out…the CHICKEN WITH CAPERS!!!!!!!!!!!!…the Garlic Mashed Potatoes…the Meat Ravioli. Oh, it’s heavenly. I’ve also thoroughly enjoyed every pizza I’ve tried there. It’s a real treat to go to this place.
3) Saji-Ya (St. Paul, MN)~ It’s not the most beautiful restaurant, BUT…one side of this Japanese restaurant has Teppanyaki (where they cook everything right in front of you~ so fun!) and on the other side there is fantastic sushi. The Manny Roll is a specialty of the executive sushi chef Emanual “Manny” Ortega. It’s been talked about in magazines and it is worth every bit of praise it’s been given. He made it for Nate and I one Valentine’s Day, with us sitting right there watching him, and we can’t go without getting The Manny Roll now. The Caterpillar Roll is also exceptional.
4) It’s Greek To Me (Minneapolis, MN)~ If you like authentic Greek food, you’ll love this place. They are not afraid to serve Saganaki (Flaming Cheese), which is becoming more and more rare these days. We once had a waitress in Chicago cry when we ordered this. They squeeze butter over the tart cheese and light it and the flame is outstanding…and also very dangerous. However, done right, this is a crowd pleaser and extramely delicious with pita! OPA!!! Their gyros are great…they might be tied with number 5, though…
5) Gardens of Salonica (Minneapolis, MN)~ There might be even more things I love at Gardens of Salonica. Plus, our precious~ Jennifer~ introduced us to this place and we’ve eaten with her there many times over the years. That definitely adds to the sparkle. BUT…their Skordalia is divine (think hummus, only with mashed potatoes instead of chickpeas) and they have DELICIOUS Greek Fries that make the whole trip.
6) I can’t pick a favorite Mexican (fancy) restaurant. Mexican is my favorite and I’m always on the quest for the best. You’ll have to tell me the best ones. My fave used to be one from Pismo Beach that I can’t remember the name of and am not sure if it’s even there anymore…they had the first oversized burrito, I’m pretty sure of it. I also love the Mexican restaurant in Albert Lea mall~ maybe you can help us with the name of that one, Cheri? 🙂 Other top picks are any Mexican Restaurant I’ve tried in Dallas~ help me out with the names of those, my Dallas friends…and for local, I like El Amanacer (St. Paul) and Boca Chica (St. Paul).
7) Potbelly Sandwich Shop (in some cool states, like MN and TX and PA, but not all of ’em, YET)~ This is what I want to eat when nothing else sounds all that great, when I can’t talk anyone else into #10 (No! You can’t peek yet!) and also when I am just hungry for a tuna sandwich on a toasted wheat bun, FULL of jalapeno peppers. Oh, it is so tasty. I like to get so many peppers on there that I hiccup~ that’s how you know it’s good. My daughter especially loves this place and is Even Steven with me on the peppers.
8) Manny’s Steak House (Minneapolis, MN) ~ I haven’t been there much, but the experiences I’ve had have been excellent ones. Yes, the steak is so very delicious, but it’s the Manny’s Chopped Salad that will knock your socks off. Tosh and I went a few months ago and we have wanted the salad ever since. It has HEARTS OF PALM in it! And Candied Pecans!!! Oh man. I could eat that ’til the cows come home.
9) I have a tie going between these three restaurants that are so similar, have lots of the same things, but each have enough different things to make you crave a certain one at different times. They’ll all do in a pinch, though, know what I mean? Jake’s City Grille (5 MN locations), Axel’s Bonfire (7 MN locations) and Rudy’s Redeye Grill (Thought they were a MN thing, but thought I saw one in TX once? Not finding that online, so I’m not sure…) These restaurants are nice when you have a lot of different cravings in the same dinner party. At the top of the list for me is Rudy’s Redeye Grill. It is the prettiest and has fabulous Bull Bites and TOO-DIE-FOR POPOVERS that come with every meal…and many other lovely concoctions (!). Axel’s Bull Bites are probably still my favorite and they make a delicious Bruschetta Salad and fun pizzas. Jake’s Bull Bites are not nearly as good as the other two places, but their Pepperoni Rolls and Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad go above and beyond.
10) Now you’ll know why I added “fancy” to number 6…my favorite Mexican restaurant (and of all restaurants, if I’m telling the truth…is TACO BELL (nationwide). I know this will garner some comments, opinions and bewilderment. I’ll just let you ruminate on this a while…and imagine me digging into Nachos Supreme, a bean burrito/no onions and a large Pepsi.
*Greyley would like to add her favorites (besides Potbelly’s)~ Popeye’s Chicken and Sonic.