WINNER Battle #3 - IZZY"S ICE CREAM

This was a much closer battle than it appears. When I sampled the goods at Lyden's I was impressed - rich, creamy, plus candy that is hard to find anywhere else in the Twin Cities?? A vintage soda shop with all the classic intriguing options?? What's not to love?

Two things put Izzy's over the top - intense flavors and split singles. That being said, I will definitely be back to Lynden's...a strong runner up to say the least! Oh...and I still have to try Kitty Kitty Bang Bang. Maybe there will be a rematch if Tara's recommendation lives up to the hype!

Lynden's Soda Shop Reviews

Post your Lynden's reviews here. Be sure to let me know what flavor(s) and special additions you chose. Again - feel free to leave as much explanation (or as little) as you like along with a score of 1(terrible) 5(fine) 10(terrific).

Izzy's Ice Cream Reviews

Be sure to let me know what flavor(s) and special additions you chose. Again - feel free to leave as much explanation (or as little) as you like along with a score of 1(terrible) 5(fine) 10(terrific).

Battle #3 - Izzy's Ice Cream vs Lynden Soda Fountain

Battle #3 is all about ice cream. It's the end of the summer here in MN and soon my appetite for this cool and creamy treat will diminish in direct proportion to the growth of the snowbanks that line all the streets. For years I have firmly believed that there was no competition in this realm - Izzy's Ice Cream was it. Done. No conversation needed. From the first taste of Black Cherry Chocolate Chunk ice cream that my husband bought me on our first date, all other ice cream joints have ceased to exist. Now I have been led to believe that there is a serious contender located nearby in St. Paul - Lynden's Soda Fountain. Who can blame me - whenever I'm on that block all I see is The Nook, with its outrageously good hamburgers and fries. Yet my co-worker Tara(who is arguably MN's premiere expert on ice cream) assures me Lynden's is the place to go. So once again, I'm looking for Twin Cities eaters to head to these two joints, and put them to the test. This battle is a bit different though...I won't specify the flavors, you can pick - just make sure the glorious dishes of creamy goodness have enough in common to be compared to each other!

WINNER Battle #2 - RED'S SAVOY

Deep fried oreos, firey Cheetos, pickles rolled in cream cheese and ham, peanut butter and banana sandwiches, unpitted dates, green olive and onion salad, Red's Savoy Philly Cheesesteak...there's so many reasons to reject foods like this, but the soul satisfaction that they deliver won't be denied.

By all that is right and good in the world, Papa's Restaurant should have won this battle - its beef is better quality and has a finer texture; its bun is chewier and stands up to the test of holding everything together with more authority; the outside seating is in a more pleasant neighborhood...but the heart wants what it wants and that's a cheese whiz, hot pepper, gut bomb that has haunted me for the last week while I have tried to rationalize it away. So when all is said and done...Red's Savoy has won this battle by sliding greasily into my heart! Let's hear it for Red's Savoy Philly Cheesesteak!

WINNER Battle #1 - MASU

With a score of 44 to 39 Masu is the top dog in ramen! The traditional flavors, the textures, and the attention to detail were the factors that put Masu over the top. I talked with many of you who ate at these two places - thanks for you input! Sorry about the hassle of posting comments for the first time. Be sure to log into gmail/blogger before rating - apparently everything disappears if you don't! Again feel free just to post numbers for each criteria if you don't have time to write anything up.

Papa's Reviews

Post your opinions about Papa's Cheesesteak here. Be sure you let me know about how you customized your order - plain, with cheese, with onions and peppers, or mushrooms, ketchup or no - I want to know how you ordered as well as what you thought! Again - feel free to leave as much explanation (or as little) as you like along with a score of 1(terrible) 5(fine) 10(terrific).

Red's Savoy Reviews

Post your opinions about Red's Savoy Cheesesteak here. Be sure you let me know about how you customized your order - plain, with cheese, with onions and peppers, or mushrooms, ketchup or no - I want to know how you ordered as well as what you thought! Again - feel free to leave as much explanation (or as little) as you like along with a score of 1(terrible) 5(fine) 10(terrific).

Battle #2: Papa's vs. Red's Savoy

The second battle in my quest to weed out the weaklings in my dining choices is the hot hoagie sandwich, the Philly Cheesesteak. Papa's Restaurant is in a charming part of Minneapolis/Robbinsdale, near the big leafy boulevard where I used to play football with my cousins when were visited my grandmother on Thanksgiving. It's a great family joint, friendly and welcoming to single diners as well as raucous families out to enjoy a good meal. While Red's Savoy may look different because of all the tattoos and piercings, there's a similar feel. Uptown has its own sense of what it means to celebrate on a Saturday night. There are few different locations for Red's Savoy (St. Paul, Eagan) but for this contest, let's focus on the location in Uptown.

Once again, I'm seeking fellow Twin Cities eaters to head out to these locations, try a cheesesteak and record their findings in the comment section of the appropriate restaurant post. You can try one or both, you can leave comments or just a numerical score.

History: The Cheesesteak

Maybe it's the return of football season, maybe it's the cool weather, maybe it's the plethora of FoodNetwork shows I have been watching this week - whatever the reason, I woke up this morning craving a cheesesteak. This is a complicated desire here in MN. Much like the search for a great bagel or cannoli, an authentic cheesesteak is a rare commodity here in the MidWest. I know, I know, BLECH to the comments about the superiority of the NorthEast (NYC, DC, Philly, et al) but I do think there is some truth to this. Two summers ago I found myself in Philadelphia on one of the hottest weeks of the year. Even in all that heat I found myself on multiple forays into the steamy streets to hunt down the best of the best. Cheesesteaktown gives an amusing and thorough history to this truly American delight! We had several sandwiches at Sonny's and I definitely felt like an idiot when I first tried to order. So many abbreviations and traditions that I knew nothing about. Luckily the guy behind the counter guided me in the right direction. The cheese style, the fried veggies, the bun...so many options so little time when there's a line of regulars stacking up behind you!

Moto i reviews

Once you've eaten at Moto i, add a comment here to register your review. Use the 5 categories and 10 point scale provided in the template.

Masu reviews

Once you've eaten at Masu, add a comment here to register your review. Use the 5 categories and 10 point scale provided in the template.

Battle #1: Masu vs Moto i

So the dog eat dog battle this week is between the pork belly ramen at Masu and the braised pork ramen at Moto i This is an open invitation to join in. Sometime before Monday, August 20th go to one or both places and make your own evaluation. Then come here an post your thoughts on one or both. I'm asking people to evaluate the dishes based on 5 criteria (Taste, Texture, Presentation, Creative/Authentic, Wild Card - see the template in the comment section for elaboration) registered on a 10 point scale (1-terrible 5-fine 10-terrific)

History: Ahhh...Ramen

This week's battle centers on ramen.

Whether it's the staple of the poor college student or the comfort food of the LA socialite, it's a dish everyone knows. Check out this article by Bill DeMain on its crazy history. I was in Los Angeles recently and had an amazing bowl at Tsujita LA The limited menu and the no nonsense service meant there was a lot of pressure on the food. It definitely delivered. Savory in a way that few other broths achieve, this bowl of ramen set the standard for what I now expect. I have been assured by my nephew (who lives in LA) that Daikokuya is another amazing place I need to check out the next time I'm there. The other notable bowl I've had was in Vancouver at Benkai After a long drive up from Seattle, this hit the spot on a drizzly summer afternoon.