My Last Week

My last week in Fargo-Moorhead (for awhile anyway) and I’m being pulled in every direction.

As nice as it is to know that my friends are going to miss me, it’s also tiring. I don’t think I’ve slept more than four hours any night over the past week.

The upside is that everyone seems to want to go out to eat or get a drink. As a result, I’ve gotten to visit a few of my favorite haunts and enjoy my friends.

One of my favorite go-to restaurants in town is the Thai Orchid. The relaxed atmosphere, variety of choices-both with meat and vegetarian, and surprising wine list make either lunch or dinner a great choice.

Close behind is Yuki Hana. While the wine list doesn’t attempt to impress, there are sake and beer choices to make up for it (and I love sushi).

Lunch at Toscana was pleasantly sublime as always and I’m still amazed that they can carry some of the wines on their list.

I even had the chance to eat at Monte’s during the street fair. I was pleasantly surprised. The place was packed and service was slow, but our food was good and the over-worked servers were pleasant throughout.

And Mosaic Foods has given its patrons a new option for lunch. The downtown location has relocated to Vintner’s Cellar on Broadway (just south of Old Broadway) who will also be bringing in some major label wines in the near future for your drinking enjoyment.

As for my favorite drinking holes, I’ve been migrating toward patios again this summer and I’m torn. I still love the hidden patio behind Montes (and Aaron’s new martini).

But Monk’s Pub/Usher’s patio overlooking the Red River is a close second with its “fire pit” and solid beer and wine lists. Not to mention the infamous tuna appetizer. For those of you who had the chance to try the Tuna Napoleon, it should be back in the fall.

My schedule hasn’t allowed climbing up to the Hodo’s rooftop patio, but I have it on good authority that it’s still a hit.
And let’s not forget Doolittle’s Monday night ½ price bottles of wine. They started a trend that has blazed through many area restaurants. Even Yuki Hana has a wine special on Wednesdays.

My friends and I have ventured out to West Fargo a couple of times over the past month and found that the Three Lions Pub has captured the twenty something crowd’s attention, while Maxwell’s (aka the former Littlefields) has become home to a slightly older crowd in the Max Bar. Both are worth a try if you’re looking for a new option.

Sadly, I don’t have time to visit every one of the restaurants that I’ve come to enjoy in the area-I don’t think I’ll get to make it back to Acapulco--still my favorite Mexican restaurant in the F-M area-- or Passage to India.

Instead, I will look forward to all of the new places I’ll get to visit in California (and wineries) both with Travis and the multitude of friends who have promised to come out and visit.

I don’t know if this is my last column (I might be sending insights from the coast?) but I will miss Fargo Moorhead, forty below windchill and all.

As always, stay safe and enjoy.