Butcher Block, Northeast

Barbette, Uptown

Dont believe everything you hear...especially when what you hear this is 'my favorite place in the cities'. At the very least, my sources omitted a huge truth...they had never actually eaten dinner here. Now, I will say (in what, to date, may be my first piece of positive news) that the ambiance is amazing here. It is romantic and trendy, yet unpretentious (again: in its ambiance only). Barbette's ostentatatiousness begins the second you step away from the bar and sit to eat dinner. Overrated, overrated, overrated. Tip: for French-style food go elsewhere, but for a bowl of cripsy shoestring fries and a cocktail...**for the first time....you have my blessing.

Coffee News Cafe, St Paul

You may have gathered from earlier posts that Ive got a fairly short fuse when it comes to service (i.e. waitstaff, bartenders, cashiers, service people of any kind...). If you are incompetent, have a bad attitude, or are basically indifferent to the fact that I'm handing you money....I am filled with ire. And Coffee News Cafe in St Paul makes this fury rise each and every time I enter and order. The sloppy women who take my order seem so bealeaguered by my settlement in their greasy spoon its baffling to me. What about a smile? Or at the very least an 'excuse me' or 'im sorry' when you botch my order 3 of the 4 times Ive patroned your bistro? Its not that hard ladies, and if it is... seek other employment.

Caffreys Deli and Subs, Uptown

Sadly, this bright idea for a home-town-hipster competitor to the big chains is ruined by just that: it's run by hipsters. The fact that a group of 8 people can botch a 2 sandwich order (when I am alone in their store) makes me think that these people should worry a little less about which color streak in their hair makes them most unique and whose skinnies are the skinniest and worry a little more about the business they are bobbling. Keep this up and Id suggest you save all that beatnik angst for when you put up the 'For Rent' sign on the window. not impressed.

Il Gatto, Uptown

This place really is a scar on the face of Calhoun square, a truly unfortunate waste of resources and space that jilts innocent restaurant goers out of their weekly date night or night out budget. And i will name names: DEVIN, shamefully underqualified to even serve someone a salad and cocktails. Undeserving of the obligatory tip we gave her; as former members of the service industry we should have used our better sense to teach her a life lesson. The lobster salad was an utter and complete FAIL, and not because of the typical "growing pains" of a new eatery, but due to the truly sophomoric palates of the leaders at this abomination of an eatery. The atmosphere was so reminiscent of that "wannabe" in school who tried WAY too hard to be cool. If it were possible to give this restaurant zero stars I would.

heres how its going to work People...

Obviously MSP cant be all bad (well actually I guess that depends on who you ask) ...but in my eyes there is a glimmer of hope...But that glimmer isnt really what Im here to show you readers...Im here to uncover who is flagrantly taking your bucks while pulling the wool over your eyes...Now, I will keep a running list of places that have not offended me (yet) and what I enjoyed about them (but for now dont expect much more positivity). What I really hope to do is to reveal to you what is going on behind partially closed doors, store windows, and kitchen walls...

well, well, well...

Hello my readers... whoever you are...in short, this blog was created for two reasons 1. because of my east coast anger problems and 2. because businesses, restaurants, and retailers need to get a scope on what they think theyre doing to us. Blatant disregard to the golden rules of business has lead our suppliers to cut out common decency and business practice and replace it with a spoiled teenager mentality. Im sick of restaurants and business acting like they are doing US a favor. Im done with the garbage and nonsense that Im paying my hard earned money for and Im not apologizing for it any longer....