Great Taste

Chicago-style pizza fan weighs in

Feedback from a reader of yesterday's Four Stars column, recommending where to find Chicago-style pizza in the Rochester area.

The caveat on that Four Stars, which will be online Thursday: knowledgeable fans of Chicago-style 'za will only find Green Mill's version in the ballpark. The rest: Tasty, nice, but not Chicago-style.

Excellent story.  Not born and raised in Chi, but spent 20 years there.
I look at your story as a challenge.  Thanks.
I will check the two Rochester sites out and let you know what I think.
I have deep dish Lou Malnati's Pizza brought up to Rochester when ever my Chi daughter comes to Rochester. Next time she comes up, one of the Pizza's is yours.

I almost ordered a Lou Malnati pizza online, by the way -- for research purposes only -- but I assumed the boss wouldn't appreciate the $55 tab.

What's your favorite cookie memory?

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of its famous chocolate chip cookie during National Cookie Month, the Doubletree by Hilton in downtown Rochester is asking people to share their favorite cookie memory. For each of the first 200 memories the hotel receives, it'll donate $5 to the Mayo Children's Hospital.
 
A warm, chocolate chip cookie is part of the hotel’s reputation, so the hotel wants to hear about people's own unforgettable experiences where cookies were involved, right here in Rochester.

One memory will be chosen by Doubletree. The winner will receive a free two-night stay at the Rochester Doubletree and a $100 gift card for Pescara restaurant.

The contest runs through Nov. 8.

Lincolnwood, Illinois, has the best and most authentic Shi-cauw-goh pizza

Jay: Next time you are in the Chicago area order deep dish "Buttercrust" at Lou Malnati's Pizzeria. Add Malnati salad. Fini. 

Shipping the pizza means missing out on the expert baking, pan-to-table service--and "Buttercrust" style (the last of which puts the pie in a class by itself).  Plus no Malnati salad.  

If you know someone in Chicago who wants to help you out, he or she can advance-order the "Buttercrust," pick it up, and have it shipped it to you. But Gourmanda has found that, even when ordered hot as carry-out and consumed  just 10 minutes later, the pie is not as crisp and irresistible as it is eaten on site.  

Giordano's? Gino's East? These are for out-of-towners.

Lou Malnati's has many metro Chicago locations now-a-days, including a whopping Near North Side location (convenient to downtown) opened in July. Gourmanda sticks to the Lincolnwood original.  

Beer/wine dinners offer tastes from around the world

The Restaurant, 723 Second St. S.W., in Rochester is offering two new dinner options this week.

Paul Graham, a 1993 Mayo High School graduate, will host the Central Waters Brewery Brew Master Dinner starting at 5 p.m. Friday. The dinner includes six palate-pleasing courses, all paired with a different brew. Some of the courses include a walleye and wild rice cake with andoullie sausage cream paired with Happy Heron Pale Ale, roasted pork tenderloin and butternut squash risotto paired with Shine On Ale and Black Angus prime rib paired with Mud Puppy Porter.

Cost is $49.95 per person.

Beginning at 5 p.m. Saturday, stop by for a six-course Greek and Italian wine dinner. Courses include lobster ravioli with red pepper coulis, shrimp and scallop lasagna, and seafood risotto. Each course will be artfully paired with a Greek or Italian wine.

Cost is $59.95 per person.

Each dinner is open seating; reservations recommended by calling 289-6666 or (507) 990-9239.

Turning over every stone for Chicago-style pizza

I'm in the final hours of hunting for deep-dish, Chicago-style pizza in the Rochester area, and it's been an exhaustive search...you'll be surprised, when you read my Four Stars column on Tuesday, how few places in the area have it. I'll be on the road this weekend to check one last option in the Winona area.

If you have any tips for me, send them fast! And watch for the review column a week from today.

 

'Everything's better with bacon'

Here's some news from KFC...which reminds me, Blue Cross & Blue Shield has a vague billboard in the area, promoting good health and discouraging eating fried chicken, I guess, that says something like, "Don't eat anything that comes in a bucket."

Hi Jay–
 
I wanted to reach out to let you know that KFC is launching a new product this week that follows in the footsteps of the current foodie trend of “everything’s better with bacon.”
 
The world’s largest chicken restaurant chain will celebrate the fifth anniversary of the introduction of its Famous Bowls with the addition of a sizzling sixth layer – bacon! The new Cheesy Bacon Bowls feature a generous serving of creamy mashed potatoes, layered with sweet kernel corn and loaded with bite-sized pieces of crispy Popcorn Chicken. The entire bowl is drizzled with signature home-style gravy and topped off with a shredded three-cheese blend – and now, a layer of crispy bacon.
 
To celebrate, we’re awarding one KFC consumer a year’s worth of Cheesy Bacon Bowls and other KFC favorites – all they have to do is follow @kfc_colonel on Twitter and tell us what they love about new Cheesy Bacon Bowls using the hashtag #BaconBowls. (Official rules here: http://www.kfc.com/about/newsroom/101811_rules.pdf)

Now that's a press kit!

I get plenty of unwanted or unnecessary press releases, but here's one that I can use -- I use A1 on just about everything, and you can never have enough Beany Babies.

What's it for? It's an "Ode to a Steakhouse Burger," a new Black Angus burger with blue cheese and onions at Hardee's and Carl Jr.'s. Neither of which we have in RST, of course, but at least there are Hardee's options in the area.

Sontes gets attention from Minnesota Monthly

Sontes in Rochester gets an air kiss from Minnesota Monthly in their annual "best of" issue this month, among several listed in the "best wine bar" category. Not many non-metro establishments were recognized, so congratulations to Tessa and team.

Also on the Minnesota Monthly theme, Bob's Smoke Stack BBQ continues to get mileage from being said by the magazine to have the best barbecue in the state. (Bob's was also a Four Stars winner, along with a few other Rochester area favorites.)

I haven't been to Bob's West Circle Drive outpost yet but will get there soon. Judging by the parking lot, it appears to be smokin' hot so far.

Now he tells me

John Weiss, who knows the region better than anyone, sits about four feet from me in the mighty Post-Bulletin newsroom. He just sent me this note:

You missed the two best ones
Daniels in Kasson has incredible pies, such as Kentucky bourbon and a raspberry (I think) pie. It's worth every calorie.
And, of course, Town and Country Cafe in Kellogg is THE place to go for sour cream raisin pie or any other dessert, especially after a hard day in the duck blind or turkey woods.

Thanks, John -- but where were ye when I was doing the legwork for the Four Stars on berry pie? Even so, I do eat when I'm not on the company expense account...I'll check out Daniel's and the T&C.

Farewell to Pazzo

I haven't been back to Pazzo, the Italian restaurant downstairs from 300 First, for some time now, but I wasn't all that surprised that the place is reverting to its former identity and menu as the Redwood Room. Though it got a Four Stars nod for excellent Italian chow in January, I didn't hear much chatter about it and frankly haven't kept it high on my own dining radar. And given a choice, yeah, I probably preferred Redwood Room. But as a guy who loves authentic Italian food, I'm sorry to see it go -- there's room for at least one more good Italian option in Rochester.

I don't recall ever hearing of a restaurant that reverted to a former concept. In this case, it should be easily done and an easy winner.