|
|
Save room for the tastiest all-American food found right here in the Twin Cities.
August 2008
A critic’s tour of more than forty icons of red-white-and-blue
cooking, representing fifty great states, all wrapped up in one metro area! Who
knew?
We are a nation of immigrants who have integrated the best
culinary traditions of faraway lands into a vibrant and robust culinary
patchwork. But among the pizza, bahn mi, gyros, and lutefisk is
some truly craveable food eaten nowhere else on earth or that at least has been
invented or perfected within these borders. We spent the entire first half of
2008 scouring local restaurants, bars, stores, and bakeries in the Twin Cities
for the best versions of our favorite American foods. We steered clear of
regional dishes not found in abundance here (Cajun and Southern food, alas) and
dropped some categories when we simply could not come up with several great
examples (chili relleno and almost—gasp!—apple pie). But, boy, is there an
embarrassment of riches under our noses! What follows is a cookbook’s worth of
classic American dishes. We don’t claim that the three versions of each that
we’ve chosen are the three best (we simply could not try every caesar salad in
town), but they are three great ones. If several others came close, they earned
Honorable Mentions. So get out there, do your patriotic duty, and eat some
American food! And trust us, the flag pin is optional if there’s apple pie on
your lapel. —Adam Platt
 |
The top local restaurants that offer the tastiest versions of nine all-American food favorites, chosen by you.
|
 |
 VIDEO
From mac ‘n’ cheese to apple pie, take a look at some all-American favorites
across the Twin Cities with Mpls.St.Paul Magazine restaurants editor Adam Platt.
|
 |
Crisp, smooth, complete with touches of flair. These great cocktails are sure to quench your thirst.
|
|
Prepare to take your taste buds for a trip around the world—these strange concoctions mix the familiar with the foreign, all the while emitting hearty, comfort food vibes.
|
 |
From succulent Juicy Lucy’s filled with liquid gold to golden-skinned hot wings, these Twin Cities restaurants fulfill even your deepest carnivorous desires.
|
 |
What’s life without some sweet treats? Check out these Twin Cities locations for the best malts, sundaes, and more.
|
 |
From caesar to Cobb, the best salads in the Twin Cities.
|
 |
Perfect cuts of meat, ripe tomatoes, hearth-baked sourdough, robust toppings, and more make these sandwiches the best of the Twin Cities.
|
|
We think blue crab meat makes these local crab cakes heavenly. But what about the walleye and the oysters?
|
 |
Don’t let the main course distract you from a succulent side dish. These baked beans, corn breads, and even mac ’n’ cheese dishes are all worthy of finding a place on your plate.
|
|
Whether originally from New England or a purely local invention, these soups and stews are sure to tantalize your tastebuds.
|
|
|
© 2011 MSP Communications, Inc. All rights reserved