M1NNA*COM

+ I know I promised pictures, but I just realized last night that I didn’t know where my camera was. After several phone calls, and worrying & fretting, I figured out where I left it. So no pictures for a couple more days until my sister drops off my camera. Whew… Was dreading the thought of having to buy a new camera, let alone the pictures that will be lost.

+ We saw Atonement last week, and I must say I was a bit disappointed. It got such good reviews, but I just found it a little slow & the story really didn’t get to me. It was beautifully shot though.

+ The hubby is so sweet, he let me pick out a late Xmas gift & our anniversary gift (edit: which actually isn’t til the end of the month). I got a pair of bead earrings from Tiffany’s, and a new bag, which I’m going to go back to exchange because I’m a bit picky if the pattern isn’t symmetrical. A lot of people have the Speedy 30, but I’ve always wanted one, plus it’s a perfect size to hold my stuff in addition to Max’s diapers, wipes, toys & blankie.

+ Ok, I was supposed to start the New Year on a diet with Maysee, but I kind of forgot about it & already ate unhealthy stuff. I’m so bad. Sorry Maysee. I’m really going to try again. Really…

+ I’m a little late on posting reviews on restaurants we’ve been to recently, so here goes.

Campiello: My girlfriend Mitsue took me here, and I liked it so much that I went again with the hubby shortly after. Went for their brunch both times. For $16.95/person, you get a lot of food. Bacon, spicy sausage, muffins, fresh fruit, complimentary mimosa, some sort of creamy penne & chicken pasta, some fried potatoes that the hubby LOVED, and a choice of 2 eggs made to order or a shrimp frittata. The sides are served family style. Everything is really tasty & good. Haven’t had a chance to try their lunch or dinner, so will have to go there again soon.

Que Nha: I am kind of disappointed with this place after reading the reviews online. Not only was their food not that great, their service was even worse. I had a bowl of pho with lean beef & meatballs, and the hubby had the beef & potato stir fry. We shared an order of eggrolls with Max. Even though I got a lot of noodles, the pho broth was not anything to rave about. Kind of bland. The hubby didn’t really like his dish. The whole dish was drenched in the usual brown sauce. Que Viet still has the the best beef & potatoes dish. The eggrolls were mediocre at best. The only thing I liked about it was munching on the fried skin. They forgot the meatballs in my dish, so when I asked our server about it, she acted like I was bothering her. We also ordered a soybean milk for Max, but midway through our meal, our server still hadn’t brought it out, so we had to ask her for it. I hate that. Overall, I really wanted to like this place, but I wish the food was better, along with the service. They actually make an effort with the decor, unlike a lot of places, so I have to give them credit for that.

Tryg’s: This is our second time here. Our first time was good, so that’s why we came back. The hubby got a fried walleye dish, and I got a spinach bacon salad. The fried walleye was overdone & the hubby wouldn’t eat anymore after a bite. My salad was ok, but it was missing something. Max’s fish & chips was the best out of all our dishes, but it was from the kid’s menu. The manager felt bad about the hubby’s dish, so he gave us a $20 giftcard to give them another chance. Service was really slow even though it wasn’t very busy. The decor & ambience is nice though.

Via Cafe & Bar: Went here for lunch with a couple of girlfriends. I had a chicken caesar salad, which was good, except my chicken was a bit dry. Our server was kind enough to let us know which appetizers weren’t good. Everyone thought their dish was ok, nothing outstanding though. I thought the prices were a little high ($12 for my salad). I brought the hubby home a chocolate lava cake ($7). Not worth that much. The decor is chic & bright. Maybe we’ll try this place for dinner sometime.

Pepitos: We went to the one located in the strip mall on Nicollet Ave. Decent Mexican food, better than Don Pablos. We’ve been here twice, and would go back again. You order at the counter, and pick up your food when it’s ready. I like how they have like 3 or 4 salsas, varying from mild to really hot, that you help yourself to. Seating is limited if it’s crowded. Decor is pretty minimal.