Restaurant Ruminations :: Cat Man Do

This week has been less about cooking and more about dining out.  Sometimes that just happens -- who am I to complain?!  One evening a few of my college friends and I headed out to Cat Man Do restaurant on Grand Avenue in St. Paul.  I was looking forward to trying out this place because I run in the area almost weekly.  It physically hurts me to smell all of the deliciousness as I run by and then have to run away from it.  The owners of Cat Man Do are formally of Everest on Grand but they decided to leave Everest, branching out to form another restaurant showcasing the aromatic and flavorful Nepali food that I love so much. 

One of the reason I love doing restaurant reviews is that I feel justified in ordering a multi-course meal.  So this time, I started out with a serving of a samosa chat. 

The samosa chat is essentially a crushed samosa, topped with tomato, onion, and a cold yogurt.  Samosas alone are quite wonderful, and these were beautifully made with delicious dough.  But adding the veggies on top and contrasting the warm samosa with the chilled yogurt sauce?  Yum!  The yogurt sauce did have the effect of dimming down the spice level a bit, but the contrast in temperature was enough of a surprise that I didn't miss the spice element as much.  Then for my main course, I decided to try the vegetarian chow chow.

Amazing!  My friend and I decided that it was like ramen for grown ups because the noodles were so similar in shape to your traditional, cup-o-noodle ramen.  But these noodles were pan fried for some extra texture and flavor, then sauteed with a selection of vegetables.  I ordered medium-level spice, so the chow chow had a bit of a kick!  But it was not at all overwhelming and the spiciness seemed to melt into the background of the dish, giving it some heat and flavor.  The accompanying vegetables were also tasty, but I could have used a tad more variety, especially as a vegetarian menu option.

I wanted desperately to save some of these noodles so I could enjoy them again for lunch the next day, but with each bite, my willpower dissolved a bit more and eventually the chow chow was completely devoured.  I was envious of my friends' take-out boxes, but I suppose this means I have to go back to Cat Man Do and order the chow chow again.  Rough life!

Restaurant Details
Cat Man Do
1659 Grand Avenue, St. Paul, 55105
(651) 528-7575

Regular Hours:
Sunday-Thursday: 11:00am - 9:00pm
Friday - Saturday: 11:00am - 10:00pm
Happy Hour:
Monday - Friday: 2:00 - 6:00pm
Lunch Buffet Hours:
Monday - Friday: 11:00am - 2:00pm

Restaurant Rumination :: Day by Day Cafe

I had Monday off of work in honor of Martin Luther King day.  I intended to lay low, get some things done around the apartment, and relax.  But I got a call from my parents, asking if I wanted to get some brunch.  I always want to get brunch.  Always.  We tossed around a few ideas and then decided to check out a place that my uncle had suggested a few times: Day by Day Cafe on West 7th Street.  I checked out the menu online and with a "breakfast all day" menu, we were sold. 

I'd never even heard of Day by Day when my dad spoke of my uncle's recommendation.  But the menu looks fairly comprehensive, spanning from a stack of pancakes, to sandwiches and salads, to a sirloin steak special.  Open in the wee hours of the morning through 8pm on weeknights and 3pm on weekends, it seems as though Day by Day can cover all of your food cravings.

Day by Day is your classic cafe, with rooms upon rooms of seating, and tables large and small.  The wall next to our wooden booth was filled with vintage books and magazines.  There were copies of the Reader's Digest that went waaaaay back.  It was a great way to give the space a homey atmosphere.  Across our dining room were huge windows, overlooking some water landscaping and, possibly, patio seating for more favorable weather?  It was cute and quaint.  A great setting for some classic eats.

They were out of cinnamon rolls and caramel rolls by the time we arrived, so my dad ordered a blueberry muffin as his "appetizer."  It was more like a blueberry loaf and it was clearly fresh.  When we cut into this loaf of soft, sweet bread, it started steaming and fresh blueberries spilled out.  Yum.

When I go out for brunch, I always err on the side of breakfast.  I ordered the "#8" which consisted of one egg cooked over easy, on top of a mound of hashbrowns, served with a toasted English muffin, and a side of sliced avocado.  The avocado is what steered me toward this breakfast option, and it added some creamy freshness to an otherwise standard breakfast meal.  The hashbrowns were perfectly cooked, the egg was dripping with liquid gold yolk, and I smashed everything together on top of a muffin half.  De-lish. 

I'm happy that Day by Day is now on my radar.  I'm always looking for new breakfast spots in St. Paul that serve up classic diner eats in refreshing ways.  I will certainly be back for more.

Food Trucks! 128 Cafe Goes Mobile

The food truck revolution hit the Twin Cities late last year and I've been reading stellar reviews of some of the mobile offerings in Minneapolis.  Sure enough, the food trucks eventually migrated to St. Paul and this summer a few have been parked around the capitol within welcome walking distance of work.  Thank GOODNESS, because the cafeteria offerings are usually subpar, and it can be a trek to get anywhere with decent eats!  Just today I became a "fan" of a few of these food trucks on Facebook so I could get their weekly schedule and menu offerings, and I convinced my co-worker Leigh to make the two-block walk in record-breaking heat to check out the 128 Cafe food truck on John Ireland Boulevard.

it was like an oasis!

I've always loved 128 Cafe proper in St. Paul, so I was looking forward to testing their food-truck snacks.  The menu was small -- two salad options, two sandwiches, and some ribs.  I debated between the portobello mushroom sandwich and the grilled asparagus salad.  Thankfully, Leigh debated the exact same options, so we each ordered one and got to try a bite of the other!  I went with the grilled asparagus salad.

The greens were plentiful and crisp (albeit a little wilted after the walk back to work in the nearly 100-degree heat!), there were delicate slices of fennel, red onion and carrot, covered with a small handful of thin, grilled asparagus stalks, and a bit of goat cheese.  All of that tossed with a citrus herb vinaigrette SWOON!  First, the asparagus!  I've always loved asparagus.  It's a snappy, tasty vegetable that goes well with just about anything.  But I'd never had it grilled...until today.  Wow do those char marks really make a difference.  The subtle smokiness added a great depth of flavor to this summery salad.  And seriously, there is never anything wrong with a little bit of goat cheese.  All of this tastiness right from a truck and for only $7.  I'm so happy that this summer I'll be able to enjoy a delicious lunch option whenever I "forget" to bring one from home!

Leigh ordered the grilled portobello mushroom sandwich.  A meaty portobello mushroom cap on a crunchy roll, served with a side of ginger slaw and potato chips.

I tried a small bite of the sandwich.  Normally I shy away from portobello sandwiches...I prefer the smaller cremini mushrooms...but this was pretty damn good.  Melty mozzarella cheese on top, a grilled roll, caramelized onions, crisp lettuces and carrots, and a mushroom cap that was substantial but not overwhelming.  Plus, it was slathered with a spicy dijon mustard that tasted pretty good!  I guess toward the middle of the sandwich, the mustard was a bit much, but overall, super good sandwich.  And the ginger slaw was dynamite.  Yum yum yum.  Yum.

It's easy to find the schedules and menus of food trucks in St. Paul and in Minneapolis.  A lot post on Facebook and Twitter and you can get their info here.  You can also just google search "food trucks twin cities" and get tons of reviews, information, and links.  Or if you understand how to use Twitter (I don't) you can apparently search for #foodtruckcourt on Twitter and get schedules/menus of all the food trucks in St. Paul.  In short, I welcome these food trucks and their tasty, mobile delicacies.  They have saved me from a summer of mediocre lunches and given me ample treats to check out...you know, for my blog...!