Hi All,
In my inspection of kitchen hoods and duct systems along with my motorcycling and foosball travels, I love to stop at unique and out of the way food places. Ambiance is most often as important as the food although I enjoy both. I will be writing about many of these "Gems" around the country and world and share my experiences. This first blog has to be on what are my favorite two restaurants that are near to my work and my heart. Prima and Scott Jamama's Hot BBQ. Both located in South Mpls.
Scott Jamamas- Nicollet and Diamond Lake Road. I have been enjoying Scotties for over 20 years and the food is simple and ALWAYS good. I pretty much get the same thing every week that I am in town. Not only is Scott a great person, but the ambiance is the best with a pictorial history on the walls of the small quaint eating area. Pictures of famous and not so famous people abound with Twins posters, old wrestling posters and pictures (Yes- Mad Dog is on the wall!!), old TV shows(Stooges included) along with hundreds of pictures of family and friends. Plenty of good pics for the head cook/owner who is a golf guru. Although it is a take out BBQ place, there are 2 tables available to eat in if you wish and enjoy conversations with many of the customers passing through. One can hardly eat an entire pulled pork sandwich. The ribs and chickens are slow and lovingly cooked over a char broiler and the BBQ Sauce comes in Mild, Medium, and Hot. Hot is actually quite spicy with good heat. Sports is always a favorite subject here.
Prima, located on Lyndale near 54th St S. (next to Kowalskis- a great place to shop), simply is a five star quality restaurant with one of the top chefs and his wife as owners hidden in a great south Mpls neighborhood. The owners, Eliot and Jennifer King, have a family farm where much of the produce comes from. I don't think that you can eat fresher meals in the summer. In all the years, I have never ordered from the menu. It is a great menu with an eclectic italian flare with all foods I love. However, the daily specials are always unbelievable and I often can't wait to see what Elliot concocts each day that I go. His wife, Jennifer is always a joy and forever grateful to see all of their customers. I have never had a bad meal here. In fact, they have always been great(hence my 5 star rating). I can compare them to any of the great restaurants from around the country. I have been to many of them in my travels. Prima would be great anywhere with my including them among the best in New York City(and there are almost an unlimited number of really good and great restaurants in Manhattan) where Eliot worked and trained for his craft for many years!!
Well, time to sign off but with the hundreds of places I have visited, there will be lots of "Tales" to tell about.
- Don Pfleiderer, Lover of food and all things great in restaurants!
