Where are the posts?

Sorry for the slow posting folks! We are doing some minor renovations to our house and that is sucking up all our time and money, hence very little eating out. We do have a couple of reviews to post soon but it may be just one or two more during the next month. We’ll pick back up to weekly reviews beginning July 1. Thanks for sticking with us! In the meantime, if there is a restaurant you feel we should try, drop us a line and we’ll check it out!

Fresh, Hot Pastrami: Pastrami Jack's

When you're in the mood for an amazing sandwich, head to Pastrami Jack's in Eden Prairie, Minn. They bring in delicious corned beef and pastrami from an East Coast supplier, cooking it fresh nearly every day in the restaurant. The rare roast beef is particularly enjoyable, delicately sliced and amazingly tender, piled high on your choice of bread topped with fresh tomatoes and lettuce. However, don't limit yourself to familiar meats. Pastrami Jack's offers pickled cow's tongue, kosher salami, chopped liver and brisket, as well as other more traditional sandwich meats.

For the best that Pastrami Jack’s offers, order either the Jack or Jill Rueben sandwich. Grab a fork and knife because this sandwich won’t fit in your mouth. Normally, we wouldn’t suggest spending nearly $15 for a sandwich but these two are well worth it. One sandwich is more than enough to split among two people, or eat half today and have the rest for lunch tomorrow.

Sandwiches are offered with a side item. Our recommendation - a bowl of matzo ball soup. Pastrami Jack's matzo ball soup is the best in town, hands down. The perfectly textured ball is full of flavor, soaking in a big bowl of rich chicken broth.

On Fridays, the daily lunch special is a steak and cheese sandwich is worth a try. Unlike many other local places we've tried, the beef is juicy and tender, almost melting in your mouth. They do go heavy on the pepper but it works for this type of sandwich. We recommend adding mayo for a little extra moistness.

Sitting on a small cart near the front of the restaurant, all you can eat pickles and cole slaw are quite popular. The slaw in particular is not to be missed. Unusually light and fresh tasting, it is a perfect accompaniment to a hearty sandwich.

Right at lunch time, Pastrami Jack's gets considerably busy. Don't take this to mean you'll be waiting a long time for food, however. Orders are taken quickly and the bus staff works frantically to keep up with the crowd so you won't wait long for a table. Meals arrive only a few minutes after you've settled. If you have a flexible schedule, we do recommend arriving closer to 11:30am for a quieter meal. Sit in the back of the restaurant and enjoy a view of flowing water and small birds perched in the trees.

Three years ago, Pastrami Jack's opened in Eden Prairie with a goal of bringing a quality pastrami sandwich to the Twin Cities and they definitely succeeded.

Lunch for two at Pastrami Jack's costs about $20.

Pastrami Jack’s
6407 Shady Oak Road
Eden Prairie, Minn. 55344
www.pastramijacks.com
952.942.9510 | map

Tex-Mex for Lunch: Don Pablo's

For a little more than 20 years, Don Pablo's has brought a wide variety of Tex-Mex favorites, juicy burgers and salads to suburban America. They don't claim to be authentic Mexican cuisine but they are influenced by Mexican dishes and flavors. Popular with both the business crowd and families, the Eden Prairie, Minn. location, close to Eden Prairie Center, businesses and the highway, sits in a convenient location for a flavor-packed lunch.

One of the freshest tasting items on the Don Pablo's menu is a Fajita Taco Salad with unexpectedly juicy and richly flavored steak. The mesquite grilled beef has just a little kick of pepper that takes what would be a boring lettuce salad and transforms it into a delicious lunch. Fresh lettuce, pico de gallo and green bell peppers support the steak with a dollop each of sour cream and guacamole. The taco shell holding this salad is light and crisp, similar in texture to fried wantons often found at Chinese restaurants. Ask to have the salad prepared without refried beans to ensure the lettuce stays crisp and cold. Another Don Pablo's taco salad is offered with spicy beef. While full of flavor and juice, the grease from the hamburger leaves the salad soggy before you have a chance to get even halfway through your meal. We recommend opting for the steak salad instead.

Don Pablo's serves up a couple of enchilada lunch meals. The Don Pablo's Lunch includes one cheese and onion enchilada with Santa Fe red chili sauce and a dash of fresh, chopped cilantro. A beef enchilada completes the meal, along with rice and refried beans. If you aren't looking for a red meat lunch, El Favorito includes one cheese and one chicken enchilada served in a rich sour cream sauce topped with melted cheese. Those who love hot and spicy dishes will want to add hot sauce to bring up the heat. Fajita and quesadilla lunch options include smaller portions with lower prices. Also on the menu are crispy fish tacos and a juicy bacon cheddar chicken sandwich.

A typical lunch for two is about $20 but the budget conscious muncher should be able to find a satisfying meal for even less.

Don Pablo’s
11347 Viking Drive
Eden Prairie, Minn. 55344
www.donpablos.com
952.943.2877 | map

Fine Casual Dining: Campiello

Campiello's Eden Prairie, Minn. location opened in 1996. Unfortunately the strip mall setting is a bit out of the way in an area with little evening activity. For those who live in the area, known for many national chain restaurants, Campiello is be a nice retreat from Olive Garden and Maggiano's.

Campiello's menu changes occasionally, with new specials featured monthly. The May 2008 specials include a delightful appetizer, Burrata Pugliese con Insalatina di Fave, Pecorino, e Pepe Nero. The clever infusion of one cheese stuffed inside another puts other Italian cheese dishes in their place. Soft, rich cheeses resting in a light, nutty sauce are garnished with lima beans and radish slivers. The earthiness of the legumes and vegetables brings out the more subtle flavors of the cheese.

The menu includes hearty entrees featuring sea bass, steak and pork chops. For those interested in smaller portions, try one of several pasta dishes. Cheese lovers will enjoy the ravioli stuffed with creamed corn, chives and parmesan cheese, topped with a light butter sauce. The only missing element to this pasta is texture. The addition whole corn kernels would make it perfectly delicious.

Among the four pizza selections, the Neapolitan style Soppressata is baked in an oak-fired oven, leaving the crust toasted just right. A wonderful surprise, given the style of this pizza, is that the crust holds up well, with toppings that do not slide off onto the plate. Unfortunately, the cheese can be overcooked and chewy depending on how long the pizza is left in the oven.

For dessert, try the Chocolate Pannacotta, a beautiful presentation of a light mousse with complimentary dark chocolate fudge. Roasted, toasted nuts bring immense flavor and texture to the dish. Fresh raspberries bring the delicious factor over the edge.

The service at Campiello varies night to night. Generally, the wait staff are quite friendly and attentive. Bussers will have plates off your table as soon as they empty and your water glasses refilled after only a few sips. There are some annoyances, however. Given how empty the restaurant tends to be, food can take a long time to reach the table with significant lag between the appetizer and entree courses. Additionally, it is typical to be seated right next to the only other guests in the building. Giving patrons a little breathing room is not a strong suit of the host staff.

The location may be the primary reason Campiello often remains close to empty at dinner time. Another reason you'll never need a reservation - the restaurant doesn't appear to know its audience. There is a bit of a disconnect, a slight discomfort - servers with no tables to tend to standing by the kitchen watching guests finish dinner, candles nearly melted down stuffed inside cheap containers, and simple food at fine dining prices. Even when near empty, the acoustics are so poor that the restaurant will sound full. At first glance, Campiello appears to fit with its described philosophy, "Rustic Contemporary", a modern interpretation of traditional dishes. Faux frescos and dim lighting almost create a romantic atmosphere. However, by the end of the meal, it is quite apparent that Campiello is simply a casual restaurant masquerading as fine dining.

Expect dinner for two with appetizer and dessert to cost close to $70 including drinks.

Campiello
6411 City West Parkway
Eden Prairie, Minn. 55344
www.campiello.damico.com
952.941.6868 | map