AppetitePortland

Celebrating the culinary wonders of Maine's foodie hub

Archive for category Breakfast & Brunch

Wunderbar!!

Sep 18

Posted by dawn in Breakfast & Brunch, Informal Dining | 3 Comments

I haven’t been this excited about something German since they reintroduced the Volkswagen Beetle.

Schulte & Herr's fantastic lox and potato pancakes

Just three blocks from my house – under a lime green awning – is the new culinary object of my affection.

Schulte & Herr.

Run by the former Fräulein Schulte and her husband Herr Herr (no kidding!), this breakfast and lunch joint serves hearty heaps of homemade food straight from Berlin. Having never fullfilled my fantasy of a Bavarian getaway, I have no idea how authentic it is.  But judging by her accent and the sheer marvelousness of the dishes – it’s spot on.

My first encounter was a lunch of bratwurst, sauerkraut, German potato salad and a side of beets. All for the ridiculously reasonable price of $12. I was blown away by the generous portions and the pungent sharpness of the sauerkraut. This is no Americanized “dog cart kraut.” A tart punch and a hefty fullness kick it into another realm. Sizable chunks of skin-on red potatoes bless the creamy salad, and beets of both ruby and gold sparkle with pickled perfection.

It truly was surprising that I polished it off, as I couldn’t keep myself from snarfing the homemade rye bread that preceded my meal.

A second lunch was a $10 daily special that featured two chubby beef mounds that resembled burgers, but tasted like meatloaf. Paired with pickles and an enormous pile of mashed potatoes (that miraculously can be described as both “velvety” and “chunky”), it filled me up so much that I skipped dinner.

The vibrant awning of Schulte & Herr in Portland, Maine.

But it was my first breakfast at Schulte & Herr that moved me from fan to neighborhood regular. Melt-on-your-tongue house cured lox ($9) had me at first bite. Cured in salt, sugar and orange juice and edged with a thick fringe of fresh dill, it elicited a long breathy “oh my” that started in my brain and hissed from my mouth in a loving growl. Pile it on a forkful of crackly potato pancakes with a swab of the horseradish sauce, capers and slices of gherkin pickles and you’ve got yourself a mini tower of heaven.

Next I’m gunning for the Bergmannkiez, a German breakfast plate that includes sliced hams, two kinds of cheese, jam, fruit, and a bread basket for $10.

In addition to the outstanding cuisine, the service from Frau Herr couldn’t be more charming. As the frontwoman of the two-person operation, she’s warmly welcoming and prompt with water and coffee refills. She and American-born chef Herr have years of restaurant experience in the kitchens of Berlin and western Massachusetts, but – thankfully – decided to put down roots and open their own place here. They arrived in May and opened their Cumberland Street bistro just a few weeks ago.

Not only does Schulte & Herr brighten Portland’s food scene with a solid “old world” European option, it also brightens Bayside – a place blessed with Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, but cursed with a dearth of good restaurants.

As a Bayside resident, I couldn’t be more thrilled.

My only complaints are that the coffee is a bit weak and that they are closed on the brunchiest of days – Sunday. But I guess they deserve ONE day off!

Schulte & Herr on Urbanspoon

Portland Breakfast on the “Go”

Sep 12

Posted by dawn in Breakfast & Brunch, Informal Dining, Snacks & Street Food, Stores & Purveyors | 2 Comments

The item varies. It depends on the precise hour. Some things are best (or only available) at a certain tick of the morning clock. But the place is always the same. When someone says “breakfast on the go” in Portland – I can only picture myself strolling out of one glass door – fresh pastry in hand.

Standard Baking Company's absolutely perfect almond crossiant

It’s not original, but it is classic: Standard Baking Co.

7:00 breakfast: Morning bun with nuts. Always my choice if I’m there when the door creaks open. Sticky, oozy warm. Nuts still crunchy and pert. A perfect counterpoint to the SBC dark coffee – roasted special by CBD.

8:00 breakfast: Gingerbread. Though available from minute one, the gingerbread (for my money) is best an hour in. Icing top has had time to harden and form a crackly hat, and the moist, dense cake has cooled just enough to let the ginger flavor shine past the sweet. Lovely.

9:15 breakfast: Almond croissant. Don’t even think you’re gonna get one any earlier than this. I’ve learned that hard lesson. My favorite item by a nose, the almond croissant fits best for me as a “sleep-in day” ritual. Sundays more often than not. Arrive a tad past 9:00 and you’ll catch them coming out of the oven – the marzipan center melty from steam. Mass of almonds on top toasty crisp. One bite and you can sense loads of butter charging toward your arteries. But you frankly don’t give a damn.

10:00 breakfast: Chocolate cork. As an early riser, this falls more into the category of “breakfast dessert” or “sweet brunch” for me. Intense chocolate explodes oily rich, yet somehow light on the tongue – miraculously avoiding gumming up in your mouth like so many lesser brownie-ish things. Adam loves the cork and could write odes. If I come back from a stroll to Standard (no matter what the hour) without one, I get a steely stare full of hurt (and a touch of malice).

11:00 breakfast: Cheddar cheese scone. When the time pushes closer to noon, this cheesy, chivey option fits the bill. Not a scone fan by nature, I can’t get enough of Standard’s savory, flaky version. Not always available, I make sure and snag it when I see it.  Back home, perched on my kitchen stool, it’s awesome with a glass of cold milk.

Blogger’s note: Visit Portland Food Map for a round-up and links to other blogger reviews of favorite “Breakfast on the Go” places.

Standard Baking Co on Urbanspoon

Portland’s Winter Culinary Wonders

Jan 28

Posted by dawn in Breakfast & Brunch, Informal Dining, Snacks & Street Food | 5 Comments

Coming from a decade in San Francisco and a few years in the mid-South (where three inches of snow meant TOTAL shut-down), I’m enthralled by living in hearty Maine.

Little Seoul's hearty and delicious Udon soup.

Bar banter abounds with tales of snow boarding and ice fishing. Portland Harbor Hotel’s ice bar sells out in mere hours. Winter is not just embraced – it’s celebrated.

I know, I know – we’re still in the honeymoon phase with months to go. Luckily, our fair city provides loads of culinary wonders to comfort us through the cold.

Below are some of my favorites. What are yours – and why?

The Seafood Udon Soup at Little Seoul. Out-of-this-world kelp broth steams my pores as I plunge the depths of a great big bowl for hearty chucks of salmon, scallops, Maine shrimp, fresh veggies and thick, meaty noodles. This newish Korean restaurant is doing MANY things right (I’ll publish a full review soon), but this stellar Udon deserves a separate spotlight.

Karmasouptra’s Borscht. Lunch-time lines snake through the Public Market this time of year, but the little soup purveyor’s frothy bowls are well worth it. I’m partial to the tangy, beety Borscht – crowned with a dollop of sour cream. Karmasouptra’s vegetarian version isn’t shy with the cabbage, which adds a bitter bite that’s right down my alley.

A Vietnamese Coffee at Bard. When the temp drops, I set aside my usual French press – and even my large latte – and go straight for the calorie-laden condensed milk and dark espresso of Bard’s Vietnamese. Creamy, sweet, rich and hot. ‘Nuff said.

Sitting Fireside at Flatbread. While I’m usually more of an Otto gal, I find myself drawn to Flatbread’s wood-fired ovens this time of year. Nothing beats sitting near the arched earthen doors watching flames crisp up a disc of milled wheat laden with homemade maple fennel sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, caramelized onions, mushrooms, cheese and herbs. Yum. (That’s right – I said yum).

Ginger Manhattan at Havana South. Ginger-infused whiskey brings a flush to my cheeks as warming waves envelope my body. Sweet vermouth adds a touch of lightness and enables a second round. Heartier souls than I might enjoy The Scorned Woman. Its chile-enflamed (“infused” is too tame a title) vodka will set your hair on fire.

Baked Beans and Brown Bread at the Front Room. Something about the thick and crusty dark bread and hot, hearty beans just seems, well – right – for wintertime brunch. Topped with an oozing, basted egg, the dish delivers solace when the winds howl off Casco Bay.

Tags: , , , , , ,

Beacon Hill Bust

Sep 17

Posted by dawn in Breakfast & Brunch, Fine Dining, Outside Portland | 7 Comments

Adam and I spent a few days in Boston for the Rush concert (yes Rush – we ARE that old AND that geeky) and took the opportunity to hit a few Beacon Hill hot spots.

Okay, so this photo has nothing to do with food, but it made me laugh. Where do you think the "specialty hooker entrance" might be? Yes, I have a 10-year-old boy's sense of humor.

While I know that it was not – of course – representational of all Boston’s food scene, I have to say that the West End certainly didn’t have much game. Clink sucked. Mooo. . . . was good, but WAAY overpriced and The Paramount was a flat-out joke.

I’ll elaborate.

But, before I do, I have to share a realization: Portland restaurants are gaining the rep – in large part – because of the presence of the chef-owners.  Not to take anything away from their hard-working sous chefs, line chefs and staffs, but the reason Bresca, Miyake and Bar Lola are consistently good is because Krista, Masa and Guy are (for the most part) THERE. They are committed and constantly creating.

So, back to Boston.

At Clink, located in the trendy Liberty Hotel, hungover line chefs and attention-starved waitresses seemed to run the show. Flirting was more on the agenda than serving. We received our wine and then lost our waitress to more important endeavors, such as chatting into the open kitchen. She must have felt me starring daggers into her back because she finally came to take our order. (And let me be clear, this was pre-concert, so it was early and the restaurant was practically empty.)

When the food came, I was sorry we’d bothered. The yellow fin tuna was days past its prime, the mussels uninspired and chewy, and the foie gras over-chilled. The meat in the goat curry was moist and flavorful, but the accompanying “homemade gnocci ” were simply flavorless gobs that managed to be both mealy and pasty. Truly a mess of a meal.

The next night’s dinner at Mooo. . . .was much better. A swank steak house with cream decor and dim lights, the place was packed and vibrant. The food was extremely good. Adam’s fries in his Steak Frites rivaled Duck Fat’s and our sauteed spinach was simply – and perfectly – cooked. My (ah-hem) beef with the joint? A 14-ounce New York Strip was $44 and it came with nothing.

Nothing.

A Napa Cabernet that I know to retail at $15 was listed for $65. An $8 Spanish Tempranillo was $42. This ain’t The French Laundry folks.

Now, on to the – apparently – celebrated neighborhood spot, The Paramount. Granted, we had one simple breakfast there instead of the much-acclaimed “diner” fare. But, if the overcooked eggs, undercooked potatoes and watered-down coffee are representational of, well,  anything – we just didn’t get it. Adam also was particularly annoyed at the non-neighborhoody marketing speak plastered on the walls. Attempting to explain their policy of not letting you sit down until you’ve ordered and paid, the faux-friendly phrasing just made us gag – “it may seem strange but it actually makes sure that the delicate balance of tables and guests is not upset – ensuring that you have a table when you need one”

A more honest approach would have been to say, “Its been working since 1937, so who are you to question? Just order your food from the distracted kitchen help, stand around for awhile, then try to guess when they throw your order on the counter. Got your food? Good. Now you can see if there is still a table left for you. If not, the john in back might be free.”

Overall – our Beacon Hill dining experience was a disappointing, overpriced, unfriendly bust.

Tags: ,

Bene-full Round 1: Havana South

Sep 15

Posted by dawn in Breakfast & Brunch | 2 Comments

Cunning plan: Spark Adam’s waning interest in this blog by proposing a review series featuring his favorite breakfast item: The Benedict.

Mexican Benedict at Havana South

Surprising start: Expecting to begin with “benes” at a blantantly obvious venue — such as Bintliff’s — we instead found ourselves on Wharf Street on Saturday — drawn toward the funky brick façade of Havana South. What a marvelous space. A scan of their brunch menu revealed four benedict options. Aha!

Choices:

Lobster Benedict: with lobster, poached eggs, huitlacoche and a fennel hollandaise over gorditas ($12)

Mexican Benedict: with Mexican chorizo, poached eggs, and enchilada hollandaise over a homemade English muffin ($9)

Veggie Benedict: with marinated tofu, poached eggs, spicy spinach over fried polenta cake with a cilantro hollandaise ($8)

Traditional Benedict: with poached eggs, slab bacon, over homemade English muffins and hollandaise ($8)

Selections: Lobster Benedict for Adam, Mexican Benedict for me.

Impressions:

Enamoured with the accompanying potatoes, it took me a moment to turn my attention to the Mexican Benedict itself. When I did, I found it somewhat tasty – but lacking. Lacking in hollandaise, lacking in balance, lacking in crispy muffin consistency. An overpowering mole and ancho chile sauce was not so much with the benes — but with the cubed taters — and a mere smudge of hollandaise colored the tops of the eggs. Odd. The ground chorizo provided the expected kick but seemed a tad, I don’t know, overstewed. Mexican Benedict score: C

Adam fared better with his Lobster Benedict. The gorditas provided a crunchy corn contrast to the tender lobster meat, which was nicely cooked and very fresh. A sauce of fennel and huitlacoche sparked up the flavor quotient. Also known by its less-elegant nickname “corn smut,” huitlacoche is an infectious corn fungus. Seriously. Latin traditions scrape it right off the husk and use it instead of peppers to add a rich smokiness without the heat.  It lent a pleasant, pungent earthiness to the dish. Again, however, the eggs received just a tiny drizzle of hard-to-even detect hollandaise. (Side note: a query of our waitress revealed that more Hollandaise will be provided upon request. Question is — why not provide more in the first place?) Lobster Benedict score: B

While the benes were pretty good, the highlight of the meal was the side — little fried potato nuggets spiced with ancho chile powder, cumin, cinnamon and paprika. Crisp and full of zest, they were a delight. Potato Score: A

Havana South on Urbanspoon

Tags: , ,

Pine State Palate Passions

Mar 6

Posted by dawn in Bar Scene, Breakfast & Brunch, Informal Dining, Outside Portland | 2 Comments

In honor of Maine Restaurant Week, I offer a partial list of my Pine State edible obsessions (hat tip to my friend’s so-named blog). In my view, these are some of the “best ofs” in Portland and a little beyond:

New-fangled fish and chips at Big Fish in Kennebunkport.

Best thing in a bun: The blackened fish po’ boy at Po’ Boys and Pickles. Massive pile of seasoned New Orleans style whitefish stuffed in a crusted French bread bun — oozing roasted red pepper mayo and Cajun coleslaw. Perfection.

Best tubular bakery item: The chocolate cork at Standard Baking Company. Essentially the world’s most awesome dense chocolate cake packed into a portable, palm-sized tube. A “to-go” cocoa rush.

Best new take on a classic: The fish and chips at Big Fish in Kennebunkport. Tempura-fried ahi crusted with pepper and crunchy panko crumbs. Hand-cut shoestring fries crisped to a golden brown and dipped in hoisin ketchup. Killer.

Best booze named for a dead British actor: The Rathbone Sour from John Myers at The Corner Room. Brilliant at all things cocktail, the mix master has outdone himself with this one. Ingredients — basil muddled in ice, a dash of lemon juice, gin and — the kicker — St Germaine Elderflower Liqueur.

Best reason to stay overnight in Camden: The pork breakfast sausage at The Hartstone Inn. Cumin-spiced sausage patty the size of a fist wrapped in thick, juicy slices of applewood smoked bacon. Seriously. Made by James Beard Award finalist, chef Michael Salmon.

Best thing to squirt in your Latte: The liquid “crack” at Scratch Baking Co. in South Portland. Espresso and sugar boiled down into a gooey simple syrup. ‘Nuff said.

Best noggin’-sized breakfast pastry: The cinnamon roll at The Good Table in Cape Elizabeth. Steamy fresh, the size of my head and wafting with fragrant sugar and spice.

Best drink in a plastic-coated paper cup. The What’s Shakin’ Bacon shake at Silly’s. Thick sprigs of meaty bacon sprouting from peanut butter creaminess. Picture a well-tended chia pet. A mind-blowing blend of salt and sweetness.

South Portland Bagel Battle

Mar 3

Posted by dawn in Breakfast & Brunch, Informal Dining, Outside Portland | 1 Comment

The Unwitting Competitors: Scratch Baking Company and 158 Pickett Street.

The sweet chicken wire bagel bin at 158 Pickett Street.

The Judges: Adam and me

The Battleground: South Portland, Maine — one weekend in late February.

The Weapons of Choice: Everything and Sea Salt Bagels.

The Reason: Foodies we deeply respect deemed the bagels at 158 the “best in Maine.” Yet, the voraciously happy bagel buyers at Scratch seemed to know something. Who was right? Which of these former partners did bagels best?

We were determined to find out.

Scratch: Bagels purchased and brought home for toasting:

My face scrunched in doubt when I first pulled the Scratch bagels out of the bag. They were so light. When they buckled under the pressure of the knife – reacting more like croissants than bagels – I got worried.

Once toasted and slathered in Scratch’s homemade herb and chive cream cheese, however, my fears went out the window.

Good. God. Almighty. They were great bagels.

Light and airy, yes, but intensely flavorful. The Sea Salt bagel, especially, hit my tastebuds with a savory barley malt. Smoky salt slowly dissolved on my tongue. As I chewed, the wheat and grain came alive and perfectly blended with the fluffy cream cheese that was whipped into a delicate froth. Simply marvelous.

Now, bagel purists may say that Scratch’s soft-style bagels are simply rolls with holes posing as bagels. But me? I am more a stickler for flavor than texture. And these were killer.

­

A pile of Sea Salt and Everything bagels at Scratch Baking Co.

158 Pickett Street: Eaten in the restaurant:
Bedazzled by an abundant bagel bin and the aroma of fresh bread, my senses were heightened simply by walking into 158. Tempted by the more expansive options (Scratch only offered three), we nevertheless stayed the course and ordered the Everything and Sea Salt with herbed cream cheese.

Denser and chewier with a more assertive wheat taste,158’s bagels certainly were more traditional. An interesting fact considering the common beginnings.

Piled high with seeds of all sorts – including copious amounts of sunflower – the Everything was the perfect example of what a classic bagel should be.

The Sea Salt bagel, however was a bit too salty. An herb cream cheese­­ mellowed it slightly, but I still puckered.

The Verdict: Scratch by a nose. But, just barely. Both establishments make truly fab bagels. And, If there is one thing I’ve learned, it is that bagel preferences are extremely subjective – and very, VERY personal.

Tags: , , , ,

Deadly, Decadent Donuts

Feb 18

Posted by dawn in Breakfast & Brunch, Informal Dining, Outside Portland | 4 Comments

The Goal: Review both breakfast and lunch at The French Press Eatery in Westbrook.

Sign for the French Press Eatery in Westbrook.

The Plan: Hunker down and work and eat my way through half a day.

The Start: 8:15. Breakfast order in, I am booted up and typing at a round wooden table along the large, front windows facing Main street.

The Early Fail: 8:30. A basket of three steaming hot donuts appears under my nose. Crystal clear that the cashier’s minimizing “oh, about this big” hand gesture was utter lie.

Goal sunk.

Even at 2:00 pm – I still couldn’t handle a sandwich.

As big as regular donuts, twice as puffy and piled high with ingredients, these outrageous donuts are not for health nuts or the faint of heart.

Two of my three choices – the Bacon-Maple and Cinnamon Sugar –  even sported mini “hole” versions of themselves tucked into their middle voids. The third, Double Chocolate, was more of a donut sandwich — extra puffy, sliced in half, and coated with a thick chocolate glaze that trickled down the sides and oozed out the middle.

Completely ridiculous. And, deadly, decadently good.

At $5 for three, the donut basket was a great deal. It could feed a family of four. A dozen costs $18. One costs $2. Other options included a classic Crueler, Raspberry Jelly, Boston Cream, Chocolate Glazed and a peanut butter-and-banana-filled concoction called The Elvis.

Biting into the donuts caused an intense “fresh from the fryer” reaction in me –  a slight film instantly coated my tongue as the jolt of sugar and fat hit my blood stream. After eating only a third of each, I was ready to explode (okay — confession — I eventually nibbled my way through most of the Bacon-Maple). Topped with real bacon crisps and a dense maple glaze, the mixture of sweet and savory was right down my alley (see Whole Lotta Shakin’)

Decadent donuts (from left to right): Bacon-Maple, Double Chocolate and Cinnamon Powered Sugar.

I sat there in a bit of a food coma and spent the next few hours sipping too many cups of French Roast (beans from Rock City Roasters), working and glancing around at my surroundings. A wooden, almost deco style, semi-circle coffee bar extended across the vast majority of the room – rugged, chipped concrete pillars breaking up its mass. Thin, hand-blown drop-lights illuminated the order counter and expresso machine. Local art and photography graced the walls.

After two hours of morning quiet, I worried that the eatery had yet to capture a following (a cause championed in a January Maine Today review), but by 10:30, the place filled up with “ladies that lunch,” local moms and other laptop-toting self-employeds. A constant chatter and buzz continued until I left at 3:00.

My new goal: Spread the word about the killer donuts and – someday – go back for lunch.

The French Press Eatery on Urbanspoon

Tags: , , , ,

Beer at the Brunch Room

Dec 24

Posted by dawn in Breakfast & Brunch, Fine Dining | 1 Comment

In Portland, Chef Lee Harding Smith has renovated a Room for every occasion. The moody Grill Room proves a match for meat cravings and cocktails. The bustling Corner Room fits the bill for power lunches and pre-show appetizers. And The Front Room? For my money, the Munjoy Hill bistro is all about brunch and beer (albeit not together).

The Front Room's mussels can't match its Brunch items. Thanks for the photo, Kate!

The Front Room's mussels can't match its Brunch items. Thanks for the photo, Kate!

The latter reason drew me to the East End eatery a few days ago to meet my friend Kate (of The Blueberry Files). When a chill hits the air, The Front Room’s welcoming bar warms with conversation and cheer. Laughing locals and the rhythm of a martini shaker can sustain me through March.

But, while the atmosphere sings, dinners at The Front Room have never set my toes a’ tingling. A recent dinner there with Adam yielded a good, but unremarkable, meal of roasted half chicken and cedar-planked salmon. So, my expectations were properly aligned when Kate and I ordered a bowl of mussels and two salads – Caesar for her and spinach for me.

Featuring mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, onions, and feta, my salad was tasty and filling, but the vinaigrette lacked a certain zing. The mussels – set in a stew of garlic, wine, tomatoes and herbs – were well-cooked and plentiful. They did not, however, secure a spot on my top five list (see previous post). Nothing about the basic broth overly impressed either of us.

No, it is brunch where The Front Room truly shines. I’ll patiently wait the half-hour required to procure a plate of Baked Beans & Brown Bread on a Saturday morning. Served with a basted egg, the massive pile of maple-basted beans coats thick chunks of hearty Boston-style bread – delightful. Other morning winners include a rich Potato Gnocci with spinach, bacon, two poached eggs and hollandaise; and a baked egg dish with cream and parmesan.

My Front Room bottom line: Brunch – Yes. Mussels – No.

North Star Music Cafe on Urbanspoon

The Okay Egg

Dec 6

Posted by dawn in Breakfast & Brunch, Informal Dining | 4 Comments

The place was hopping. Speakers piped soothing strains of Keane’s “Crystal Ball.” Large Coffee by Design mugs steamed from every table. A quick scan through the menu revealed a curious item titled “Eggs from Hell.” I sighed, contented, and settled in. All signs pointed to a fabulous brunch.

Asian eggs dish failed to inspire at The Good Egg cafe

Asian eggs dish failed to inspire at The Good Egg cafe

Unfortunately, not so much. The Good Egg was simply okay.

On the positive side, dishes were creative. The menu blended standard fare (French toast, multi-grain pancakes) with the aforementioned devilish offering (a popular entree featuring eggs, super-spicy black beans and a smoky, chipotle hot sauce).

On the negative side, execution was uninspired. My order of Asian Eggs with Mushu Pancakes seemed more Scranton than Shanghai. Chunks of onion and a hint of ginger struggled mightily – but failed – to provide much zip to what was, essentially, a decent scrambled eggs with veggies.

Adam’s Homemade Corned Beef Hash was warm, moist, hearty – and completely flat. Carrot was the prevailing flavor (not herbs, not seasoned beef). Over easy eggs were – drum roll, please – “fine.”

Service was cheerful and earnest, if a tad slow. And the specially blended CBD coffee held up its end of the bargain. Adam’s crisp oatmeal bread was a surprising stand out. Smothered with a gooey strawberry jam, the thick slices packed a sweet, wheaty punch.

But, alas, brunch cannot stand on toast alone.

The Good Egg is the morning incarnation of the Pepperclub restaurant on Middle Street. A recreation of a much-admired breakfast cafe from the 80’s and early 90’s, I give credit to the owners for preserving a Portland tradition.

And, to be fair, it was just one visit.  Maybe I should have tried those Eggs from Hell. Perhaps the multi-grain pancakes are totally mind-blowing.

I’ll give it another try — just not all that soon.

North Star Music Cafe on Urbanspoon