Fargo Phantom Restaurant Reviews

Toscana, an upscale Italian restaurant in the VFW building, on the corner of second and Broadway Fargo.

2009-05-31T17:55:00.000-07:00

As downtown Fargo continues to grow, not necessarily in size but in quality and sophistication, many of us have noted the addition of Toscana, an upscale Italian restaurant in the VFW building, on the corner of second and Broadway. I would like to submit what I consider an ealy review of this fine dining establishment.

Toscana has ben there for a few months, but I haven't tried it since most of their ads feature pasta, which doesn't agree with me. However, the other day a friend of mine and I were walking past(on the way to another restaurant) and noticed their menu in the window. They have more, much more, than pasta dishes. So we decided to give it a try.

The interior is softly lit and elegant, as is the dress of the staff. It had a distinctly Italian flair, although I'm not sure why I felt that except that perhaps I was expecting it.

The menu is huge, with many types of dishes, all I'm sure of an Italian flavor. There is a full page of different pasta dische, another of appetizers and salads, another two of various steaks and other entrees, many of which are unusual. For example, I had a sort of rabbit dish, barbequed in an Italian sauce and shredded. My companion had a steak in some sort of sauce. Everything is in some sort of sauce, the very definition of a gourmet restaurant. The service could have been a little better, but I did appreciate being left alone and not continually bothered by being asked if everything is "OK."

Both of our entrees were splendid. I certainly intend to try Toscana a number of more times, after or during which I can write a more complete review.

Expect to pay about $50 for dinner for two without drinks(a full bar is available, of course), which I think very reasonable for what we got.

Fargo Restaurant ReviewFargo Appleby's

2009-01-05T21:48:00.001-08:00

Fargo Appleby's: There are three Appleby's in the F-M are of which I'm aware; quite probably more. This review will be motivated by the establishment of 19th avenue north across from the Fargodome.

In my opinion the fargo Appleby's has improved dramatically since the chain was purchased by IHOP. There are still the usual brace of steaks and burgers and a couple of chicken dishes and the usual sports bar list of appetizers. Oh yes, there is a sit down restaurant part and a sports bar. Personally, I prefer to eat in the bar in such establishments now that they're smoke free, since the service is so much quicker. I'm not trying to express an opinion on local political issues: I have breathing problems and couldn't eat there otherwise.

Anyway, the greeters and servers are friendly and helpful and the food very tasty and well prepared. The novelty is two fold. On the entrée side of the menu is a meal of talapia with a pico de gayo type sauce which is one of my favorite meals in the whole area. They also have a burger served on foccacia which is my favorite burger in town as well.

There is, of course, a full bar. Expect to pay about $25 for dinner for two without drinks.

The Downtown Duster.

Fargo Restaurant Review: The Old Broadway Downtown Fargo.

2009-01-04T23:53:00.001-08:00

The Old Broadway: The Old Broadway, which has been at the intersection of Broadway and NP Avenue since the mid 70's, is now two restaurants: one a sports bar and the other a restaurant that caters to the downtown business crowd. This review will be about the latter.

The original bar is still there and the floor the old fashioned small white tile, not doubt the floor of the previous establishment, which I think was DeLendrices department store. Or maybe Herbst's, but I don't think it matters.
They serve free popcorn and salted in the shell peanuts, which, just like Lone Star, you must dispose of the shells properly. I.e. not on the floor. Amazingly, this requirement is observed religiously by the clientele.

Make no mistake about it: this is a young businessman's hangout. The TV's show sports and the Bloomberg channel. The food consists of steaks, burgers, sandwiches and some specialty items. The novelty is that they have daily "blue plate specials" that are pushed out at lunch time and are available until they are gone. Blue plate specials go back to the 40's, at least and probably before that and were available at the diners that used to dot our urban areas. Some typical specials might be walleye of Friday's, hot roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy another day, with a different offering each day of the week.

There is also a healthy menu which actually contains my favorite meal: a somewhat thin(I don't like the thin part) rib-eye steak with blue cheese crumbled on top and green beans, very good green beans.

The food is tasty, the help exactly what you would expect in such an establishment, young, helpful, positive if somewhat aloof. Of course, you can have those exquisite Broadway browns with anything..

A full bar is available. It is a bit pricey. Expect to pay $20 for dinner, excluding drinks.

Fargo Restaurant Review: Duane's House of Pizza Fargo-Moorhead

2008-12-19T22:00:00.000-08:00

Duane's House of Pizza in Fargo is legendary for its great tasting thin crust pizza. The service on the other hand has much to be desired. I have been eating at Duane's Pizza for a long time, so I have the inside scoop on this place. When ordering a Pizza at Duanes make sure that you ask them to cook it well done! That's how the employees eat it and for good reason it tastes way better.

There sauce is excellent and the cheese they use is top shelf taste. It appears a bit greasy but I think thats what gives it a unique flavor. The toppings are great with the best of them being Sausage. Im not sure if they make the Sausage there or if they get it somewhere else, but it actually tastes Awesome. Its a must at duanes house of pizza.

Duane's also has excellent fried chicken that comes with JoJo Potatoes. Its all priced a little high and the service is sorta frumpy but the food is worth it. They deliver an have the dine in option.

Expect to pay $15-$20 per pizza
Duane's House of Pizza Online Here

Fargo Restaurant Review: There are a couple of things I like about Jimmy John's

2008-10-28T22:40:00.000-07:00

The other sandwich shop is, I believe, also a chain, and is located across 12th Ave N from the NDSU Library, and is called Jimmy Johns. Finally, something in the NDSU area other than the Turf, which is, to me, nearly uninhabitable.

Jimmy Johns offers the same type of sandwiches as Erbert's and Gerbert's except its all on white bread. It evidently exists to serve a different clientele: the sandwiches aren't nearly as good but they are served with lightening speed, just right for a between class lunch or snack for a college student. They do have chips, but not the selection of drinks as Erbert's & Gerbert's.

There are a couple of things I like about Jimmy John's: the servers are clearly more articulate that in most such shops, and their hours: 10AM-Midnight S-R, closing at 3AM F, Sat.

A solid meal for two can be had at either establishment for well under $20.

Fargo Restaurant Review: There are a couple of sandwich shops in Fargo-Moorhead worthy of mention

2008-10-28T22:31:00.000-07:00

There are a couple of sandwich shops in Fargo-Moorhead worthy of mention if you are in the mood for a quick but decent meal at not too bad a price.

One is the old standby Erbert's & Gerbert's, which is a definitely a chain. The Fargo outlet is located on 13th Ave South in the strip mall across 13th Ave from Hooters, just east of I29.

They have a nice selection of subs oh white and whole wheat bread, with the usual offerings of meats, cheeses and veggies. They also offer a nice selection of chips and soups(I'm particularly partial to the chili), and fruit juices as well as fountain soft drinks. The establishment is well lit and clean. The food is delivered rapidly, but I find it pleasant to just sit and relax while munching on my sandwich, which is always excellent and made with fresh ingredients.

Fargo Phantom Restaurant Reviews: The Fortune House

2008-08-25T14:40:00.000-07:00

Fargo Restaurant: The Fortune House. Now I must confess I seldom review Chinese restaurants. The reason for that is that my system does not tolerate sugar, and I have it on good Chinese authority that one cannot make Chinese food without sugar unless that's what one sets out to do. At the Fortune House, in the strip mall on 19th Ave N between 10th and University, I'm in luck, as that's what they set out to do.

The restaurant is owned and run by two sisters who I believe are Vietnamese. The Chinese in this (and probably others) area have figured how to appeal to our tastes: have a smorgasbord. That seems to satisfy most people, but doesn't help my sugar intolerance, so I have to order off the menu. So much the better.

In the days before Chinese buffets, a party of several diners would order different entrees and share. Naturally, rice comes with everything. Most Chinese restaurants, including the Fortune House, also have pre-set meals that are served that way. This buffet thing is somewhat new, at least to me, a 50-year veteran of Chinese restaurants.

So even if all you want is the buffet, the food there has to be very tasty as well. I tend to shy away from giving grades or anything, but you can probably tell this is one of my favorite restaurants. I do wish they'd get a double front door to keep the draft out in the winter.

The Norwegian Explorer

Fargo Restaurant Review: The VIP Room

2008-08-18T23:40:00.000-07:00

624 Main Ave. (in the lower level of Block 6), Fargo

Cuisine: Bistro style lunches

Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday

Reservations accepted: Yes

Alcohol: Wine and beer

Dress: As you like

Credit cards accepted: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express

There is a Maxfield Parrish pop-up book on the piano and books on the wall that came from someone’s personal collection.

There’s table linen, comfortable chairs and lighting that makes it easy to read. You can get a table for two that actually seats only two. There are pictures on the brick walls and, if there’s music, it certainly doesn’t get in the way of good conversation.

It has been said that style is being able to walk across a crowded room and have no one notice. In a world of themed restaurants – aggressively decorated American eateries with signature chicken dishes and menus a mile long in which seafood is described as having been “popcorned” – The VIP Room is best described as “very nice.”

The VIP Room, a lunch-only restaurant in the lower level of Block 6 in downtown Fargo, looks a little like a French Bistro and a little like a turn of the century American drawing room. It’s “lunch only,” not in the sense that it only serves lunches, although that’s true, but in the sense that the dining experience is the kind you are looking for when you need to squeeze all the relaxation you can out of the 50 minutes you have for lunch or when you need to make plans for an evening that’s still six hours away.

It’s surprisingly quiet for a small space. It’s warm and inviting. You can comfortably sit leaning forward over a pleasant lunch talking about last month’s sales figures, Tolstoy or clandestine autumn weekends at the lake, without feeling rushed. Or, if you haven’t the time, you can smile at the server, get your bill and leave in 45 minutes without feeling impolite.

It’s lunch like lunch might have been when Maxfield Parrish was taking a break from painting pictures of lute players in the forest.

The menu at the VIP Room changes daily. There is usually a choice among a feature dish, a salad, a daily quiche with a muffin and a soup-and-sandwich. At first, this seems like a fairly limited menu, but you have a choice of a number of soups and the quiche can be prepared with meat, seafood or vegetables expanding choices substantially. After all, it is lunch. Variety in a menu is only one consideration when choosing between stuffing down a burger and pickle with daytime TV droning in the background or taking a break from fluorescent lights and cubicle politics to enjoy a few minutes of civilization. That said, the menu is carefully thought out and provides enough variety that those preferring a traditional lunch and side dish, and those hoping for a quick sandwich, are both easily satisfied.

The tomato basil soup is sure to be a favorite and the quiches are substantial enough for a meal and light enough for a lunch. Beyond that, it’s hard to make recommendations because the menu changes. It’s safe to say that if the ham and turkey tetrazzini indicates the care put into the feature dish each day, it is bound to satisfy. Also, the scallop quiche included enough Mediterranean in it to qualify as a true seafood dish in its own right.

Each of the four menu items is priced between $6 and $7.25 making it a very reasonable option alongside the less urbane choices in Fargo for a midday meal.

You can enjoy your lunch with wine or beer but don’t expect an extensive wine list. The list is basic but complete with something for everyone, all under $20 a bottle. It’s like what might be found in a modest collection in your own home. The label selection is quite good. Lunch wines should be light enough to leave you sharp for the afternoon ahead of you. The house merlot bottled by Smoking Loon ($4) is a fruity, full and smooth wine, but light enough to go with the quiche.

The service is quick and the limited menu means your meal is on your table quickly so a lunch hour is plenty long enough to eat, relax and perhaps have the cup of coffee that the mug on your table has been begging you to enjoy, perhaps with a dessert.

Reasonably priced dessert choices include an ice-cold creme brulé and a Better-than-Sex Chocolate cake. While the promise of the cake’s name can’t be verified in a newspaper review, its merits as a dessert can be affirmed. Desserts will set you back less than $4, but will extend your lunch by 15 minutes or so.

Reservations are accepted. Ask to be seated in one of the front two rooms. The rear room feels like another restaurant and, although the food is the same, it tastes better on a well-dressed table in the company of good books.

The VIP Room also houses a catering business and is open for private dinners in the evening.

Fargo Phantom Restaurant Reviews: Buffalo Wild Wings

2008-08-16T17:55:00.000-07:00

Buffalo Wild Wings. There a couple members of this chain in Fargo. I'm only familiar with the one on 19th ave no.

This is your primeval sports bar with televisions showing different events in every direction one looks.

Their hot ticket item(pun intented) is their buffalo wings. served with a variety of sauces varying from mild to blazin(don't even think about it) as well as lots of interesting flavors. They also have a limited variety of burgers and sandwiches, and one of the few restaurants in the region where I can get my favorite, a genuine bar-b-qued pork snadwich(available even with sugar free sauce).

As is the case with many chain(and probably other) restaurants, they've cut their menu some, and in doing so, eliminated one of my favorites: blue corn nachos.

A full bar is available. Expect to pay about $15 for dinner for two.

Fargo Phantom Restaurant Reviews: Not your father's Lone Star

2008-08-16T17:51:00.000-07:00

The Lone Star Steak House chain has been around for at least ten years in Fargo.

When the Fargo version first opened, it was all the rage and getting a seat for dinner a time consuming task. Since it's rather expensive, the dramatic reduction in patronage may be due to the ailing economy. There may also be other reasons.

Don't get me wrong: it's still an excellent upscale restaurant. Their steaks, of which they offer a nice variety, are first rate. Chicken and pork chops are also offered as entrees and are very tasty, due, I suspect to the mesquite grill) as well as some excellent. Alas, there's no longer all your can eat ribs on Fridays and Mondays but the normal serving should satisfy all but the biggest appetites. One of my favorite entrees was beef or chicken kabob, but, alas, no longer available. Shrimp is offered either as an entrée or with other meat to form an entrée. Their prime rib is now offered only on weekends: it used to be excellent, but I don't often eat out on weekends.

One of their unique offerings is a baked potato as one of the sides, served with cinnamon and butter. Their soups, particularly chili, chicken pot pie, steak are excellent starters as well as a page full of appetizers(hot wings, mozeralla sticks, shrimp and much more). Unfortunately, my favorite soup, black bean, is no longer offered.

There are also a variety of hamburgers and other sandwiches offered, and they are good.

The salted in the shell peanuts have re-appeared after a several year hiatus, only now they come with an extra bucket in which one deposits the shells.; I am happy to report that the customers are very cooperative in this: perhaps even the most distractred realize that this is a use it or lose it situation.

The servers are youthful friendly and helpful. There is a full bar. Expect to pay about $45 for dinner for two without drinks.

Fargo Phantom Restaurant Reviews: Saffron...Indian Delight

2008-08-03T01:04:00.000-07:00

Restaurant: Saffron revisited. The other day I was in south Fargo around early dinner time and was in the mood for Indian food, so I thought I give Saffron a try. The sign in the door said they were open under new ownership, so I thought I'd have a good chance to review a new restaurant. Wrong! The same people are managing the place, having just purchased the business from the Meritcare Doctors Mistry. All involved are Indians. However, they have some new twists worth mentioning and give me an excuse to write about Indian restaurants.

Historically, Indian restaurants have a tough time of it in this part of the country. Our bland Scandanavian tastes and meat and potatoes style of meals make it tough on food that in its natural form is scorching spicy hot and not eaten with a knife and fork. There is not a large Indian community here, and what there is is heavily laden with NDSU graduate students who can't afford the full menu and so are stuck with the noon buffet, which is way. way, too bland for them.

There are some good Indian restaurants in Minneapolis and Chicago, but those cities have rather large Indian populations. I'm not saying Saffron isn't good, just that they have a difficult task.

I am fortunate enough to have learned about Indian food from Indian students at the University of Minnesota in the 60's, upon whose fare I often dined. I am of the firm opinion that very few Americans should ever order Indian food "hot." After one bite, your face is numb and you are drenched in sweat. When asked by a waitress "how hot," I say "medium for an Indian, hot for an American." Unfortunately, the cook in the visit under discussion didn't believe me, and the food was too bland.

The way the food is meant to be eaten is with meat or some protein rich vegetable in a sauce served on top of one of many Indian flavorful rices. One also served a quantity of round pieces of bread baked in a clay oven called a Tandoori oven. Typically, the bread is Nan, but I prefer Rotti , which is made of whole wheat. One takes a slice of bread places it on a flat surface(probably a plate), and pinning the bread to the surface with thumb and middle finger separate by pushing outward with the index finger a piece of the bread, Then, using the bread like a glove, pick up some of the food and pop it in the mouth.

The only problem is that Americans don't eat that way and expect a much larger meal than can be eaten that way without eating so much bread that one is literally stuffed to the gills. I usually compromise and eat some the "traditional way" and some with fork and spoon.

Now about the food itself. The sauces as described above are made with many spices and vegetables and are very tasty. There are also Tandoori dishes, that is, dishes baked in the above described oven. For the record, I had Kadai Lamb, and I enjoyed it very much. Typically, one can also order an appetizer, usually a garbanzo bean flour encasing some meat, potatoes and the like. When eating in a group, it is traditional to order several dishes and appetizers and share.

In this visit, I tried a new appetizer just introduced by the new owners, Peanut Masala which consists of peanuts sauteed in tomatoes, onions and ginger. I had a half order and took half of it home. It was delicious.

One thing that is important to Indians is that the ingredients of their food be fresh. I imagine this stems from the hot, humid climate in most of India where probably not much stays fresh. The "new" Saffron has a fresh vegetable bar. No, not a salad bar, but a bar of fresh vegetables. I didn't try it, but it looked delicious.

This restaurant should be very attractive to those willing to try something new or are already Indian food fans. I think it would help those that haven't tried Indian food before to realize that this is not just some version of American food: it's prepared differently and meant to be eaten differently.

Beer and wine are available. Expect to pay a little more than $20 for a single person without drinks.