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Monthly Archives June 2008

Electra Tune, Minneapolis



Electra Tune, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

I got my 2004 Mini Cooper S on October 30, 2003. It now has close to 83,000 miles on it and for almost all service I’ve done at the dealership, Motorwerks MINI. It starts off “included” with the price of the car for the first few oil changes and inspections and I became just complacent and comfortable with going there for service. After numerous bad experiences with them such as when they didn’t ever return my phone calls when my car was there for service, having to go in four times to troubleshoot the same problem with my stereo, when they wanted to charge me hundreds of dollars more than a local auto shop for a simple car battery or when they complained they couldn’t find my phone number even though it was written on the key chain as well as in their database, I decided that I needed to look for another place to get my car serviced.

The only other place in the Twin Cities that specifically specializes in Mini Coopers that I’ve found is Orr Autosport. They gear towards the higher end of performance and cater to the tweakers and tuners. I just want an oil change and someone to look at a strange radiator fan problem I’ve had recently.

I figured I’d start close to home. There’s a few dirty mom and pop places within a couple blocks of me that seemed to have mostly older domestic vehicles in their lots so I avoided them. I had really nasty experience with the Tires Plus store on East Lake so they were out of the question. I’ve driven past Electra Tune on my way to work every day and they seemed to have a reputable appearance so I looked them up on the Google. Overall, very good comments except for someone on MNSpeak that claimed to be ripped off by them. Most everything I read about them was positive, though. Figured I’d give them a shot.

I was able to get my car in the day after I called and I was helped right away when I walked in. I got a call a few hours later with a report on what they found. They troubleshooted my radiator problem correctly, they were able to source not only the air filter but also the cabin air filter which I knew needed to be replaced soon. (I keep an online log of all the service that’s been done to my car to keep track.) They also said I needed to replace two of my brake pads and a sensor. I expected this but I forgot to tell them to look for it, so I’m glad they brought it up. They asked if they could keep it over the weekend as they were rather busy. I told them I needed the car early on Monday so they arranged to make sure they’d get it done Saturday.

They called me Saturday morning and I walked down to see everything completed. They went through the paperwork with me to make sure it was all clear. When I asked for clarification on items they were happy to show the technician’s hand-written notes. Even though I knew the answer, I asked how the other two brake pads looked even though I had them replaced less than a year ago. They went back to the technician that worked on my car and they came back with exactly what I expected: “almost good as new.” They were forward, communicative, seemingly honest, and talked at my level of car knowledge.

I should have started coming here a long time ago. I’ll be back for my next oil change.

Electra Tune
4522 E Lake St
Minneapolis, MN 55406
612-721-3121

Posted 28 June 2008 § Minneapolis ‡ Comments (8) ° Tagged: ,

No. 28 Pizzeria, Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York

 

Margherita Reginella from No. 28 Pizzeria, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

After a strong recommendation from Nichelle, on my way out of New York I stopped at No. 28 Pizzeria for lunch.

I show up and a waiter gives me a blank stare. I asked if I could sit anywhere and he shrugged. So I sat down on one of the tables on Carmine Street and waited a few minutes. Impatiently, I found and took one of the yellow take-out paper menus. He showed up a couple minutes later with another menu and I told him I was ready to order my pizza , ordered it and I asked for water as well. Without saying anything he leaves. A couple minutes later he clumsily dumps off a jug of ice water on my table without filling my glass or saying a word.

It was funny that after a couple weeks in New York I was actually waiting for this kind of service.

There are twenty different pizzas at No. 28 (or as it’s called by others, “Numero 28,” “Number 28″ “N. 28″ or “№ 28″). There was three versions of the Margherita: “Margherita Plain” with Tomato and Mozzarella, the “Margherita Original” with Tomato and fresh Mozzarella and the “Margherita Reginella” with Tomato, Mozzarella di Bufala and Basil. Not wanting a Margherita with the not-so-fresh Mozzarella and wanting something closer to an authentic Neapolitan pie, I ordered the Reginella version, which is six bucks more expensive than the ten dollar “Plain.”

After about fifteen minutes my pizza showed up and right away I was surprised with how beautiful it looked. The mozzarella and basil spread out nicely, the crust crispy and fluffy on the edges and charred slightly on the edges. I noticed the sauce first while tasting it - it was sweet and very fresh. I was using my napkin frequently as a couple times when trying to bite through a clump of cheese it wouldn’t separate and it’d come off the pizza and end up on my chin with the other half hanging out my mouth. Very tasty cheese at that, though.

Maybe I should have used my silverware more but it was so tempting to hold it as it was pre-cut into four slices.

When I finished, it took about five minutes to be noticed while trying to make eye contact with any of the servers and about another five minutes to get my bill.

Overall a very, very satisfying and tasty Neapolitan-style pizza and seemingly quite true to tradition. I’d go back, despite the service.

No. 28 Pizzeria
26 Carmine St
New York, NY 10014
212-463-9653

Posted 26 June 2008 § Pizza ‡ Comments (4) ° Tagged: , ,

Celeste, Upper West Side, Manhattan, New York



Margherita Pizza at Celeste, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

A couple blocks away from Aaron and Cara Lynn’s new place in the Upper West Side is Celeste.

A smaller menu and a good take on Neapolitan. My Pizza Margherita, fired up in their wood fire oven had a nice crisp crust, very fresh basil (Cara Lynn commented right away on enjoying simply smelling the basil) and a lot more cheese than I’m used to on a pizza of this style. I almost never complain about extra cheese — I was just surprised.

Service was decent. Overall a great dinner and paired with great wine.

Celeste
502 Amsterdam Ave
New York, NY 10024
212-874-4559

Posted 24 June 2008 § Pizza ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged: , ,

L&B Spumoni Gardens, Brooklyn, New York



L&B Spumoni Gardens, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

After an unsuccessful attempt to visit Totonno Pizzeria Napolitano in Coney Island, I wandered around and then with a storm rolling in I jumped on a N train and made my way to a historic slice of Brooklyn’s pizza history, L&B Spumoni Gardens.

I was surprised as to how large of an operation they are: a pizzeria, restaurant, a separate section for Italian ices to go and a large tent with rows of red and white benches. I felt like I was at a Brooklyn version of pizza Oktoberfest. Also, to say that the dress here is “casual” may be implying something more dressy than it is.

I got what they’re known for and what everyone else there seemed to be eating: their square sliced Sicilian pizza. Before I show the pizza, I should warn you that it is the most foul-looking piece of pizza I’ve ever photographed. Ready? Here.

As ugly as this thing might be, it was actually quite tasty. A very chewy and thick piece. All the oil from the cheese and and some of the sauce atop of it was soaked into the crust. I have to say, I was surprised! It’s one of the only two stops on A Slice of Brooklyn’s Pizza Tour and after experiencing it myself, I see it is for good reason.

L&B Spumoni Gardens
2725 86th St
Brooklyn, NY 11223
718.449.1230

Posted 24 June 2008 § Pizza ‡ Comments (2) ° Tagged: , ,

Angelo’s Pizza, Midtown, Manhattan, New York



Sun-Dried Tomato and Garlic Pizza at Angelo’s, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

After he got out of the Personal Democracy Forum a few blocks away, I took Noah Kunin of The UpTake out to Angelo’s for pizza.

Angelo’s is one of the few coal fired oven pizzerias in the city. We were promptly seated upstairs and and we ordered a large pie with sun dried tomatoes and garlic. Large leaves of basil topped an interesting mix of cheese and sauce. I couldn’t figure out how in places the sauce was above the cheese and in others the sauce was below it. No matter though, it tasted fantastic. The crust was crispy but yet chewy, and charred just enough on the bottom. Thin, but still easy to eat with one hand. Overall, very fresh and amazingly well balanced. One of the best pizzas I’ve had in New York.

We couldn’t finish the entire thing ourselves so Jason Barnett, also from The UpTake, joined us to finish off our last slice.

It’s tempting to go back there again for another pizza before I leave New York.

Angelo’s Pizza
117 W 57th St
New York, NY 10019
212-333-4333

Posted 24 June 2008 § Pizza ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged: , ,

Levain Bakery, Upper West Side, Manhattan, New York



Inside the Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

For Emily’s birthday we went to Levain Bakery for a couple cookies. Probably the thickest cookies I’ve ever had in my life. They weighed almost a half pound each. She had the pictured Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie and I had the Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie.

Quite tasty. Moist and chocolaty with a nice crispier edge. The chocolate was rich and sweet and kept together well. I was expecting a large snack but this really served as lunch for us. They had a bunch of other yummy baked goods as well but we were here for the cookies. Pastries for next time. Either way, strongly recommended.

Levain Bakery
167 W 74th St
New York, NY 10023
212-874-6080

Posted 23 June 2008 § Food, Drink and Dining ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged: ,

Franny’s, Brooklyn, New York



Tomato, Buffalo Mozzarella and Basil Pizza at Franny’s, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

I’ve been meaning to catch up with my cousin Bridget and her husband Travis while I’m in New York so I invited them to the Cupcakes Take the Cake Picnic in Central Park last weekend. Unfortunately due to my lack of water and hiking a few too many miles through Manhattan on a hot and steamy day, I became ill from heat exhaustion and wasn’t very fun. Right after they arrived, I left in a taxi to cool off and get better. Sorry.

Anyway, I made up for it today by taking them out to Franny’s which is just north of Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Franny’s pride themselves on their environmentally conscious business and they generally source locally grown and organic ingredients.

We were seated in the back patio where you are teased by their wood fire oven on the way through. I was told that their pizzas were small but in my opinion, they are not. They are served Neapolitan style and uncut but they’re larger than most of this style that I’ve had. I ordered their tomato, buffalo mozzarella and basil pizza, which is their take on the Margherita. Bridget and Travis ordered a couple other pizzas and the first thing I noticed, other than the size was how difficult the crust was to cut! I had a fun time trying to use my knife without shaking the table and Bridget joked about how she felt if she slipped the wrong way the pizza would fly off the plate. It wouldn’t be hard being the plates were smaller than the pizza itself. None of this got in the way with enjoying the very fresh cheese, mildly sweet sauce and basil. The crust, on the edges was chewy and even just smelling the pizza was satisfying. Heck, just looking at it was satisfying. Very balanced overall and a pizza I’d strongly recommend.

It’s a good and very tasty take on Neapolitan style and just as important, it’s supporting sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. I wish there were a lot more places that ran like this around here (such as Habana Outpost which I visited later in the day).

We took our time eating and chatting and by the end, this pizza eater couldn’t even finish it. Bridget and Travis were able to take a half pizza home too. Go, and bring an appetite.

Franny’s
295 Flatbush Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11217
718-230-0221

Posted 22 June 2008 § Pizza ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged: , ,

Otto Enoteca Pizzeria, Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York



Quattro Formaggi at Otto, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

After a wine tasting at Union Square Wines with Aaron and Cara Lynn, we decided to walk down to Otto Enoteca Pizzeria.

After a couple appetizers and being assured that Aaron’s pick of wine paired well with our pizzas, our pizzas arrived. Otto’s pizzas are very thin and crispy, cooked on an iron griddle. My Quattro Formaggi had bufala mozzarella, taleggio, cacio and ricotta segmented into quadrants. Going through the individual cheeses resting on their thin tomato sauce was a real treat. While I could eat it with a fork and knife, it worked just as well holding on the edge of the crust. Quite enjoyable and a good single serving of pizza.

We shared tiramisu afterwards and overall Otto is a great experience with great pizza and service.

Otto Enoteca Pizzeria
1 5th Ave
New York, NY 10003
212-995-9559

Posted 22 June 2008 § Pizza ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged: ,

Batch, Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York



Chocolate Dragon Devil’s Food Cupcake, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

Rachel from Cupcakes Take the Cake and I decided to check out Batch as neither of us had been.

Batch has a cute storefront and inside has a small place for a couple people to sit and the aroma is appetizing. There’s chandeliers for sale and behind the glass are the yummy treats.

I chose first to have the Chocolate Dragon Devil’s Food cupcake, which quite honestly is one of the best cupcakes I’ve ever had in my life. The cake was moist but not wet, the frosting was quite creamy and atop were crunchy chocolate bits. Inside was a caramel surprise that complimented everything quite well. It was rich and sweet and right up to my lines of “too rich” and “too sweet” without going over. They nailed it. If I threw a cupcake party in New York, I’d just get a bunch of these. Wow.

One of the others I sampled was their vanilla bean cupcake, which appeared unsuspecting and simple, but this cupcake is a secret sleeper — a yummy taste of lemon awaits inside.

Service was fantastic too, although it may not be fair to judge as we were treated like rock stars when they quickly realized who my cupcake eating partner was.

We tasted a few other cupcakes as well but I’ll letand Rachel do did a more formal review on Cupcakes Take the Cake. I’ll update this page when she posts it. In the meantime, g Get your mouth watering with this yummy slideshow too.

I love this place. If I’m in the area before I leave New York I’m getting another cupcake here.

Batch
150 W 10th St
New York, NY 10014
212-929-0250

Posted 22 June 2008 § Cupcakes ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged: , , , , ,

Oven, Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, New York



The Classic at Oven, originally uploaded by Aaron Landry.

Even though I had been to Grimaldi’s a few years ago, it is one of those places I keep getting told I have to visit again. No doubt, it is great pizza, but I can’t say I was thrilled about going down just to say I had it again. So I went and was greeted by a long queue. I decided to go down and take a couple photos and when I came back the line was longer.

Thankfully I remembered that Oven was just a few blocks away so I decided to go there instead — and I’m glad I did! It was empty when I arrived mid-afternoon on a weekday and I was served promptly. No waiting at all. I ordered their Classic.

The fresh dough bubbled up and made a thicker crust that’s quite chewy. The tomato-basil sauce was very tasty but there wasn’t much cheese. In fact, it seemed like there was more basil than cheese. No problem though because it was overall quite yummy, and not very similar to other pizzas I’ve had in New York. They’re beautiful too.

Towards the end, even though I was the only patron it was difficult to get my server to come back. To give him the benefit of the doubt it seemed like he was training a new employee in. A lot to eat and I took more than half of it back to where I’m staying to share. Good pizza and atmosphere — I’d take a date here.

Oven
60 Henry St
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-468-6836‎

Posted 22 June 2008 § Pizza ‡ Comments (2) ° Tagged: , , ,