Thursday, March 21, 2013

Review on The News Room Restaurant

I'm grateful that I finally got to try The News Room restaurant and take it off of my list of places to try. It's definitely a place I'd suggest you try at least once. The overall food and quality wasn't really worth the price, but the atmosphere and design of the restaurant would be.




We went there for lunch and were blown away by their extremely large and overwhelming drink menu. I am definitely hoping to stop by there again for their Happy Hour.

However for their lunch, I wasn't incredibly impressed. Although I thought the service was decent as well as the cuisine, I didn't think the prices were worth it. Of course, I am a little bias since I love the hole-in-the-wall or mom and pops restaurants.

For appetizers we ordered:
-Arancini: crispy fried croquettes filled with risotto, benton's bacon,
and bleu cheese, served with marinara $8.95
-Brie Curds: deep fried brie, homemade blueberry ketchup $11.95

For the Arancini, we only received three tiny balls. A little steep for the price, it was good though. We were extra excited about the brie curds as lovers of curds of any kind and extremely intrigued about the homemade blueberry ketchup. I thought it tasted delicious, and the dish was worth it for the blueberry ketchup experience. However, my brother-in-law was not a fan of the blueberry ketchup as he thought it was too sweet.

For the main course, we ordered the Southern Bell Flatbread, Fish 'n Chips, and Kobe Burger. All of these dishes I thought were decent. However, the flatbread barely had any ingredients on it. When you first see it, it looks enormous, but it's definitely lacking any substance. My brother-in-law was super excited about the malt vinegar that came with the fish 'n chips, but having never been a fan of either I thought it was mediocre. I didn't think any of the dishes were something I would order again, but overall I do hope to make another trip there just to check out their happy hour.

Aside from the food and service, we also found the restrooms to be confusing. Still to do this day, I'm not entirely sure I went to the women's restroom. There are no signs and they are located right next to each other. I assumed I went to the correct one since it had more black and white images of women, but after leaving and taking a closer look so did the other side.

Are there any other dishes you've had at The News Room you would suggestion? Have you been to their Happy Hour?



Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Things to Do on a Budget in the Twin Cities

Twin Cities
Twin Cities in Minnesota is an awesome place to live and explore. There are so many things for you to do. I personally love trying new activities and attending variety of events, but maintaining that life style can get a bit pricey. However, if you are on a budget or trying to save that doesn't mean you have to spend your nights staying in.

Here are some fun activities for you to do when you are on a budget:
Indeed Brewery
1. Visit a brewery. What's more awesome than learning about a how beer is made while getting free booze?!

My sister, brother-in-law, and I just visited Indeed Brewery. Although the tour guide wasn't extremely charismatic, because he was under the weather, we got an ample amount of beer samples and great service at the bar. It was probably one of the easier breweries to sign up for. You can also try Summit Brewery and Fulton as well. Fulton you have to sign up for the tour the day of. You cannot sign up for the tour ahead of time, which I found particular aggravating since it's based on first come first serve. But I can't complain to much since it's free!

2. Hear live bands perform for free at the 311 Club. There's never a cover charge and a great variety of music!

3. Watch movies in the park for free. This past summer my friend and I watched "Back to the Future" at a park near by to us. You can see which movies are coming up through Vita.mn or City Pages.  It's so much fun! Make an event out of it and pack a picnic as well. There are a lot of people with dogs and their children. Get there early so you can get a prime spot to watch the movie. Be sure to wear some bug spray as well and bring a blanket or some lawn chairs to sit on.

4. Do something inside which is fun and educational by taking a tour at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The free tours are typically on Tuesday and Thursdays.

5. Watch comedians perform for free at ACME Comedy Club on Open Mic night. You might be a little wary since comedy is a hit and miss depending on the comedian but these comedians are actually pretty good. If they aren't you saved on the show, so grab yourself a drink!  

Hope these suggestions helped you get out into the city without breaking the bank. Let me know any other suggestions you have!