414 Cedar Ave S
Minneapolis, MN
612-333-5798
http://www.wienery.com/
Category: American-Casual
Rating (Scale 1-10, with 10 being the highest):
Food: 7
Service: 9
Ambience: 9
Recommendation: Very Good. This classic neighborhood diner serves a nice selection of hot dogs at prices that will make you freak.
At the Wienery, what you see is what you get; a small entrance that we’ve driven by a hundred times and never blinked an eye, and a space that’s the size of a two car garage. When we stepped in the doors, with a group of 9 (including a baby in a stroller), we wondered if we’d stick around for the meal. A 
narrow passage way separates the tables from the long breakfast bar and there’s no table that would even fit a party half our size. But this place had charm (be it from the memorabilia on the wall, the torn leather chairs, or the homely atmosphere) and we were greeted with a smile and a willingness to accommodate so there was no way we were turning around. We did have to wait while the packed interior cleared up.
The kitchen is in the back, but within plain sight – a large sink, a stove and some prep space is all there is. That particular day there were two staff members managing the show and serving up fresh, hot food. We managed to find a table and some seats and the bar and waited – it did take a while, but watching the staff at work was a whole lot of fun.
Although the menu has a whole page of breakfast foods, we decided to stick with burgers and hot dogs. The selection is impressive (and too long to recite) – we guarantee you’ll have trouble deciding. We indulged in a few types of dogs and they were all really good. The Chicago Style Dog was good and made with Vienna beef, although missing the poppy seed bun. We also liked the Manhattan (with Chili and Cheese) and adored the Drive-In Dog (with slaw, chili and cheese). It’s a killer combination you can also 
get as a burger. The Chili was fresh and chunky and was great in the Chili Burger as well. And if you like Italian Roast Beef, you should give theirs a try – juicy and flavorful. The fries were good, but we would have preferred melted cheese on the Chili Cheese Fries. We didn’t much care for the Upsetter Dog (bacon and egg) mostly because the eggs were overcooked and dry – it would have been much better with warm, moist scrambled.
Service was great, but be prepared to wait because a meal here could take a couple of hours. Time flew by for us because of the company and the atmosphere. The kicker is that the average tab for our group worked out to about $7 – this place is a steal.
$. Street parking is available.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
The Wienery
The Tea Garden
2601 Hennepin Ave S
Minneapolis, MN
612-377-1700
Other locations in Grand Ave, Downtown St. Paul, MOA, and U of M
http://www.teagardeninc.com/
Category: Tea/Cafe
Rating (Scale 1-10, with 10 being the highest):
Food: 8
Service: 7
Ambience: 5
Recommendation: Very Good. They offer a great selection of teas (we’ve only tried their bubble teas, and we’re big fans).
If you’ve never tried bubble tea, you must. You’ve probably seen people walking down the street in Uptown with a clear plastic glass filled with tea and some obscure black stuff at the bottom. The black “stuff” is tapioca pearls – they don’t really have much of a flavor, but their chewy texture makes for a fun drink. We’ve only visited the Tea Garden in Uptown and its usually packed with the young, hip and artsy. The space itself isn’t much to write about – it occupies a corner of Hennepin Ave and isn’t really an ideal spot for lounging around for extended periods.
The drink menu is extreme and it’s hard to tell the difference between the Tea, Tea Latte, Shake, and Cooler options. The most basic is the Fruit Tea – available in a whole host of flavors, its served hot or cold as black tea or jasmine green tea. You can add pearls of jellies to the cold tea. The Coolers are like fruit slushies – no tea, but with a choice of fruit flavors and can include pearls or jellies. Shakes are coolers that have a creamer added to it. Similarly, the Tea Lattes, only available in a few flavors consist of black or green tea with a creamer. Needless to say, we haven’t had a chance to try all of the options on the menu, but we certainly have favorites. The Green Fruit Teas have a distinct flavor that pairs well with fruits such as Passion Fruit, Kumquats, and Mango and we’d recommend adding the tapioca to the drink. You can get the same fruit flavors as Coolers and you can’t go wrong – it’s just a different texture, with the crushed ice. The Pina Colada is amazing as is the Pineapple, but if you’re in for something more unusual, try the Coconut Red Bean, a very nice texture and flavor combination. If you’re going to get the Pina Colada or the Coconut Red Bean, we’d recommend trying them as shakes as well – a creamier texture is a little more decadent. If you get the pearls or jellies, the drink does become quite heavy so it will fill you up.
$. Drinks range from $3-$6. Street parking is available but hard to find.
