My favorite series

I am going to try a new series going over my favorite things in certain categories. Right now I was thinking about my favorite fast food, sports games, BBQ, ballparks, burgers, trips, meals, years, fictional characters and TV shows. If you have any suggestions on what to add to my list then feel free to leave a comment.

My first "my favorite" will be the My Favorite Dishes in the Twin Cities. Now when I write about my favorite dishes I am talking about meals that I order again and again and always with a certain level of anticipation. Meals that are so good that they would be on my list of things to do if I were to ever come back to Minnesota as a visitor. These are my standard go-to meals when trying to impress someone from out of town. Now what makes the meals so excellent is that they take what might be a normal food (ex. pizza) and make it extraordinary. It is pretty easy to make a good steak, so unless a steak is miles above other steaks in terms of taste then it isn't on the list. I am looking for the restaurants that add the most value to their dishes by how the prepare them.

1. Amore Victoria - Gnocchi con pistachio e Gorgonzola - A simple pasta dish as evidenced by the description - "Homemade Italian potato dumplings tossed in a rich, savory cream sauce with Gorgonzola cheese and green pistachios." It is one the cheapest entrees ringing in at only $14.50 and is absolutely amazing. There is a reason I picked this place for M's and I's first meal as an engaged couple.


2. Ted Cook's 19th Hole - Ribs with medium sauce - The best BBQ stays with you and Ted Cook's ribs with medium or mild sauce is one that keeps coming back in my mind. The medium sauce definitely has the right amount of kick in it, but the mild sauce is excellent as well. The thing that stands out about these ribs is that they are different. Most of the BBQ places I go to have standard fare and I enjoy their BBQ, but none of them taste like Ted Cook's. It is the one BBQ spot in Minneapolis that I keep going back to despite the fact that there are other BBQ options closer.


3. Cossetta's - Lasagna - If you go to Cossetta's during normal hours you stand a good chance of seeing a long line out the door. There is a reason for it. Cossetta's serves great Italian food. It doesn't matter that the there isn't one cook making your meal specifically for you or that the food is served to you cafeteria style. All that matters is that the food is excellent and worth the price and the wait. While the pizza is really good it would be a shame to go there and not get the lasagna.


4. Brasa - Rotisserie chicken - the chicken has a Creole style dry rub and is something that goes very well with cheese grits, cornbread and some sweet tea. It is just a good, simple meal that is very enjoyable.


5. Andrea's - Chicken bacon ranch pizza - One of the things I miss most about working downtown are the variety of places to eat over lunch. One place that was always in the discussion of places to was Andrea's pizza in the skyway near Macy's. I would always get one slice of the Chicken bacon ranch (or the Chicken Alfredo) and one slice of the Gyro pizza to with lemonade. This remains my favorite pizza in the Twin Cities.

Just missed the cut - Zen Box's potato croquette. The Nook's Juicy Lucy. Target Field's Tony O Cuban sandwich.