Lago Tacos in Uptown

Lago Tacos in Uptown is located at the former Heidi's, where Chef Stuart Woodman once served up an amazing menu and it flamed out in complete chaos.  This was a bittersweet visit for me, since I actually love the Heidi's menu more, but I wanted to give Lago Tacos a chance.  I sat at the bar, where it is peppered with big screen TVs, happy hour menus and a traditional toast (out of their book of toasts) at sunset, tequila sunset shot glasses are sent around the house.  It complements the house margarita I am drinking, and I am on foot, so I feel safe enough to indulge.

Fried Avocado with Jalapeño Ranch

I decided my meal in advance, but look over the menu for about 5 minutes.  For the appetizer, I have never had deep fried Avocados.  The batter is light, almost like a tempura.  The seasoning is great and there is a great balance of heat and the acidity of the ranch dressing.  This works.  This would be a great appetizer to share, a bit much for one person to consume.

Grilled Chicken Lago Taco served doubled up on Corn Tortillas with Refried Pinto Beans

From their extensive menu of tacos and burritos, I went a little more traditional and had wanted some heat.  I didn't understand why they felt they needed to double up on the tortillas, I tasted more corn than chicken with the first one.    After that appetizer, there was no way to finish this.  I like the presentation, but I think they could have gone with a hard shell.  A doubled up soft shell, without anything in between the tortillas seemed a bit of a carb overload.  You walk away feeling bloated. Underwhelmed.

White Chocolate Banana Quesadilla With Caramel sauce, Cinnamon Ice Cream

This is the sole dessert on the menu.  The White Chocolate Banana Quesadilla with caramel sauce and cinnamon ice cream.  Presentation is nice, but delivery is not.  How do you normally eat a quesadilla?  You either pick it up with your hands or you use a knife and fork.  Utensil provided, a spoon.  That caramel sauce is sticky.  As soon as you bite into it, the bananas slide around and not to mention, the white chocolate sauce is dripping.  You are best served by opening up the quesadilla and taking the bananas and mixing it with the cinnamon ice cream.  The ice cream was assertive and smooth.  There wasn't a grainy texture, so if this is an in-house concoction, extremely well-made.

So for me, the appetizer works, but would request a half-order.  The tacos didn't work for me, but I would probably order one of their salads instead.  The dessert, well, I love the ice cream and the bananas had a nice flavor.  So I would order without the cumbersome tortilla.  They could restyle this as a banana split and I would love it.  I get what they were going for, but unless they bring out a finger bowl, it is honestly too messy to deal with.

The Hammer and Sickle in Uptown Minneapolis

In the midst of Apple's release of the iPhone 6 (and plus) this weekend, I happened to get caught in a downpour along Lagoon in Uptown that forced my way into another realm.  A little Russian hideaway that I have fallen in love with.  However, this is not the Cold War Russian faire with bread lines and MIGs.  This is the post-Berlin War era, despite the bathroom poster calling for wealth redistribution through capitalism via gift card purchases (though that would be a gift much appreciated after looking over this menu).  The winds of change, after all, had blown me into this venue and I decided it was time to warm up with an Irish coffee, for medicinal purposes.

When is the right time for caviar?  It's a luxury, true enough, but if you go through life telling yourself what you can never have, you will never have it.  The Hammer and Sickle makes this adventure achievable for many.  From domestic roes to true caviar (from Sturgeon), the market price will vary depending on what you select.  If you already know what you like, you can order a single caviar and have it presented with the traditional accompaniments.  However, this is caviar that is dressed to the 9s.

The only thing that didn't make any sense to me was the huge clove of pickled garlic that was served as a garnish.  That was the only item that I sent back to the kitchen.  Everything else was a straight 9 out of 10 for me.

The dill infusion vodka is also a must.  The wait staff went through an incredible list of choices of in-house infusions, and I was very happy with her recommendation.  Incredibly smooth, no queen olives needed.

Up next, one of their small plates, the Kobe beef sliders.  In a word,  SUCCULENT.  Lardons of bacon, farm cheese, micro greens, and their own crafted ketchup.  Just about everything served is made in house.

You do get what you pay for here, great service and great food.

So if you are ever in Uptown, want something a little different from your normal routine, live a little.  The Hammer and Sickle is a must.

Before I Die...Chalkboard Wishes

 In front of an old Victorian House, near the corner of 24th and Lyndale Avenue, in Uptown Minneapolis, stands a chalkboard with the words, "Before I Die".  A piece of chalk and a series of blanks is all that is required for the public to respond with their public declarations.  Anonymously, I picked up the chalk and decided to write over a wish that had been faded out by the sun and the rain.

Some of the responses appear to be simple, like falling in love.  However, as we get older, perhaps we find that we either didn't make time for love or we realize that we had it, but were so damn busy with the things that other people said were so damn important.  The lucky ones, have their priorities straight.

 Others are dreams that require action, to either acquire or do something.  Some dreams require action from another, "becoming a grandmother" was a good example.

 Other dreams were more abstract, with changing definitions, such as being happy or successful.  Others had dreams of public recognition while others had more simple dreams, like being away from the city and being in a log cabin in the woods.  We don't want the same things, but what we all share is that knowledge that we don't have forever.

This morning, I saw a man with a quote from E.E. Cummings on his shirt.  "It takes great courage to grow up and become who you really are."  Before I die I want to...hmm, perhaps, I don't want to want.  Perhaps I will already have been so I will be ready to die and will not be afraid to close my eyes when I do go.  I think I am comforted by the thought that we are not here, in this form, forever.  We are always changing and who I am today may only be a glimmer of who I am tomorrow.  The same should be thought of every single person that is encountered during this journey, and what a journey it is.

Street Philosophers

 I know I have lapsed in posting something for a touch, but familiarity does breed contempt, or so it's said.  One has to step away in order to be missed.  I have to say that I have enjoyed actually experiencing life again, away from social media and being completely invisible again.  My own observations, are my own and it's really not that important to be heard.  Often, the first jaded impressions are miles away from the truth and are contaminated by opinions that have influenced others.  So how does one have an uncontaminated view of the world?

Today I had a random conversation with an anonymous stranger who said, "I left Facebook for 6 months and I felt so much freedom.  It was like I got my life back."  I didn't ask why she went back on, but considered a key remark, "I was so happy."  We are in an age of self promotion, tweeting, texting, posting and to a lesser extent, even blogging all about the me, myself, and I...the importance of self and obsess over

what seems to be 'important'.  Eleanor Roosevelt is often cited for this quote,   "Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events and small minds discuss people."   Lately, I have been wondering about our world getting so focused on the 'self'.  This 'self-importance' that seems to be all about what we can get, what we can do and who we can have in our lives.   So lately, I have just tuned out the drama of social media of all types and put my ear to the ground.

Sitting out on the street, drinking a libation or two and minding my own business, sort of, with intrusions of conversations that would wander past.  Was Eleanor Roosevelt right or would I hear street philosophers cut through the white noise or garbled thought?

Uptown Minneapolis is a road show of avatars.  You see the flash of fashion plates, the indie goth, the 1980 Yuppies, Sid and Nancy punkers, Illustrated men and women, your transitional people, trangenders, fettish people, bikers, desperate housewives, afraid of dying mid-life crisis guy with daughter/girlfriend, visiting UK tourists and then there's me.  The native who returns home to see that Uptown Minneapolis is still the same, stuck in the 1980s and somehow is viewed as 'cutting edge'.   This is why we are the inspiration for "Portlandia'.

Uptown is uptight when it comes to being Politically Correct and incredibly sensitive about offending anyone.  You can find the uptight conservative Harley guy with leather and chains that hugs his M-16 at night sitting next to a guy named "Sue" who used to be a gal with black light tattoos and gages and piercings to ward off personal contact from anyone.  The strange and bizarre is glorified with a latte and a vegan lettuce wrap from a sustainable farm to table food truck that is powered by solar energy.

Politics are discussed in hush tones, though it's really no secret that the city is Democratic and the state is Republican.  It's kind of dysfunctional, because there is a kind of 'us vs. them' mentality though no one really knows who is 'us' and who is 'them'.  Like I said, I am invisible here.  I wasn't abroad, or at least when I was in Asia, I tried to be invisible, but was forced to accept the fact that I was going to stick out no matter where I went.  It was a good exercise in self acceptance.  Here, it's too easy to get comfortable with not being 'anything special'.

So as I sat back I listened to the ramblings of others.  A lot of people talked about people in a very, "I'm better than..." sort of way.  It's quite possible that's why reality television has dominated our lives.  We can't believe they are famous and we can't believe we are talking about them and aren't we so much better than them.  We turn our noses up at them and they cash their checks for being our freak show.

When I went abroad, one thing that amazed me was that due to our television industry, I became aware that I shattered the minds of many because of the image of America that is blasted all over the world.  "You're not fat, lazy, uneducated, chasing money or (insert favorite stereo-type here of a white middle-aged former military woman,  who is divorced with hispanic last name and graying hair)."  When we bust up an image that is assigned due to our lack of time (we aren't going to know everyone in the world).  We profile people each and every day and we often rely on the views of others to give us a snapshot of how it is.

We only get the backside of the world, the Cliff notes version of our existence is not about knowing the world at all, but trying to survive in this world by playing a game to collect as much monopoly money to pay for our place at the table.  Kind of crazy, isn't it?

So, in my small minded way, I have discussed people, events, ideas and myself, because the world is composed of all of it.  I am not justifying anything.   I am not defending our condition.  I am not even saying that Eleanor Roosevelt is wrong or right.  We are human and we discuss what we see, what we don't see and what we would like to see.  We are still little children that are learning the difference between our wants and needs.  We die and a new generation goes through it all again and so on it continues until one day we get it.  Hopefully the stuff we don't need doesn't get passed on to future generations and the ideas we do need makes it into the future.  Perhaps that is what Eleanor Roosevelt meant for us to glean from this remark, however, she never said this quote.  It's one of our great myths.  The earliest citation is quoted as an unknown sage.  Whenever there is an 'unknown sage' or street philosopher, it's a reminder that wisdom or common sense doesn't need an author, it just needs to be practiced.

So whatever is written about, places, ideas, people, good food or art...it's all related.

The Grey House - Farm to Table Uptown Minneapolis

The fixed price menu is a great way to sample a chef's skills.  Today, I walked by The Gray House, in Uptown Minneapolis, where Chef Ian Gray, personally greeted me and talked about his technique, good food and sourcing his seasonal menus from as many local farms and food cooperatives as possible throughout the year.  Though, during our harsh winters, he does source with farms out in California.  It was before dinner rush and he looked fresh for battle.  It had been a long cold winter and everyone is ready for spring.  So are the local businesses.

Chef Gray

Drinks are priced well, with an excellent selection of IPA beers that are handcrafted in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  The wine list was a good mix of domestic and international blended, white, red and sparkling wines.  I am sure I could have asked for a pairing recommendation, but I felt in the mood for a nice Italian sparkling white wine.


 Though the space is small, it feels wide open and the interior is kind of designed like an exterior of a Gray house.  It's simple, clean, almost zen-like, but not in an antiseptic kind of way.  You feel like you could come here with a group of friends and just hang out or have a business lunch/dinner here.  It's intimate enough for a date-night and casual enough to wear jeans.  That's hard to pull off.

Tonight I decided to try the three-course for $20, for a couple of reasons, it's economical and I wanted to see what $20 will get you in terms of a high quality chef and I wanted to see what kind of ingredients he would use.  That's tough in this industry when you are trying to keep your doors open and at the same time, attract new clients.

 The first course is the same.  You have your mixed greens in a vinaigrette.  As more people are getting educated about their food and the technique that goes into making a salad, I can tell you this is not a sloppy salad.  The knife cuts that demonstrate technique are as precise as a surgeon with a scalpel.  Paper thin textures of assorted root vegetables that showcases skill, fine julienned red onions danced with the brussel sprout leaves and greens.  This salad was not drenched, but perfectly coated with vinaigrette.
This was the perfect opener.


My palate was clean and ready for the next course.

 The next course was a savory sausage over a bed of cheesy polenta.  The flavors just complemented each other incredibly well, great mouth feel and the portion size was good for a hearty lunch or a light, but substantial enough, dinner.

The final act in this play is a hand crafted gelato. Pictured is the salted caramel, which was sinful enough to want more, but it does satiate the sweet tooth.

For $20, yes, you can have a gourmet experience and have quality service.

Of course, The Gray House does have a full menu, with an incredible assortment that is always changing as the seasons change.