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Picky as I may be, there are not too many pastries out there that offend me. And how could they? Pastries are delicious. This week’s column will highlight some of my favorite St. Paul Bakeries. Some on the radar, some off.

Bread & Chocolate

This Grand Ave staple has been around ever since I moved to Saint Paul as a child in the late ’80s. My mother would take us shopping at the cute boutiques at Victoria Crossing and we’d ritualistically stop into Cafe Latte spin off, Bread and Chocolate, for one of their light-as-air croissants. Aside from the traditional, buttery deliciousness that is the coveted, beloved croissant, Bread and Chocolate is a full-service cafe, offering not only a smattering of fresh baked pasteries, cookies and cakes, but also a gourmet coffee bar that serves fair trade bevies from locally owned Morningstar Coffee Company. Lunchtime is also a treat at B&C, as they serve tasty sandwiches served on Cafe Latte’s freshly baked bread (or on a flaky croissant!). A great place for a lunch meeting, or even just to relax with a book.

Bread & Chocolate, 867 Grand Avenue, St. Paul, 651-228-1017.

P.J. Murphy’s

While the facade of this Randolph Avenue bakery may fool the naked eye or the uppity pastry connoisseur in it’s non-descriptness, the fact of the matter is, is that P.J. Murphy’s is an institution. Nestled into a relatively residential area, the pocket-sized storefront shop boasts bakery cases piled high with all manners of doughnuts, croissants, danishes, caramel rolls, cinnamon rolls, and more. Their cupcakes alone — which come in a variety of flavors including my personal fave, red velvet — command a whole area of their own, tempting you with their thick, creamy frosting in perfectly pretty peaks. P.J.’s also creates glorious custom cakes for special occassions. When it’s all said and done, however, this bakery is a tried and true neighborhood joint, complete with the 6 a.m. regulars and Weekend doughnut-seeking families, that stroll over every Sunday mornin’. A couple small tables and piping hot coffee are available as well, if you’d like to sit down and read the paper while enjoying all the free smells.

P.J. Murphy’s, 1279 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, 651-699-9292.

Trung Nam French Bakery

Ok, so you don’t typically associate the Vietnamese with the French. But you should. You really, really should. Located on University Ave in an old fried chicken fast food joint (which doesn’t appear to have been remodled as much as it should have been), Trung Nam is the cities answer to the most delectable, heavenly, knock-down-an-old-lady-to-get-one-good croissants. Flaky, buttery and fluffy as clouds, peeps regularly buy out this bakery’s croissant stock before mid-morning. The delicate pasteries are stuffed with a wide variety of different flavors including coconut, strawberry, almond, chocolate, apple and more, though a plain croissant is always a winner as well. And that’s not all, Trung Nam also boasts some of the best Banh Mi sandwiches in town; imagine a freshly baked French baguette jam packed with flavorful pork, marinated veggies and jalepenos and served up warm and juicy for less than you’d pay for a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Trust me, you will not regret a stop here.

Trung Nam French Bakery, 739 University Avenue, St. Paul, 651-229-0887. (Cash only)

Being a picky eater and all, I’m not often tantalized by the whole of any particular restaurant’s menu, but Pop! Restaurant in downtown St. Paul has pretty much won me over. This review, however, is going to be somewhat hard for me to write at the moment, as I’m currently hungry and there is nothing in my immediate vicinity that can do for me what Pop! can.  And Pop! does it oh-so well.

A lunch date with a certain 651-based pal last week proved to be deliciously memorable. Despite the slushy road conditions, I braved the elements and made the cruise to Downtown Saint Paul with one goal in mind: To eat a pulled pork sandwich. Now, Pop!’s pulled pork sandwich is no ordinary pulled pork sandwich. It’s the BEST pulled pork sandwich in all the land, in my humble opinion. The “Asado” sandwich as it’s called, comes with a pile of thick, crispy seasoned fries and features a mound of succulent pulled pork liberally doused in a citrus barbecue sauce, then topped with a tangy pile of  pickled onions. The pillow-soft bun that “holds” the meaty feast together may as well be decoration, considering this monstrous delight is far from being pick-up-able. I opted to eat mine with a fork and knife (like a lady) and got less than half-way through it before giving up on finishing it (and yes, of course I had it boxed up…and yes, I did eat the rest of it in the car).

My companion opted for a slightly healthier, but still to-die-for meal in the Grilled Steak Salad, a meat-heavy bowl filled with freshly grilled chimichurri-marinated steak, springy mixed greens, crumbling blue cheese, avocado, and a splash of Sherry vinaigrette.  In other words, one hell of a salad. I was jealous, but I had my pulled pork, so there wasn’t really much time to dwell.

Pop! also boasts a festive and delectable selection of lunch items such as Ecuadorean Shrimp Ceviche with Cornuts, Chicken Posole Soup, Warm Beet Salad, a panko-breaded walleye sandwich, Swedish Meatballs, hearty burgers (both beef and Salmon), a plethora of pastas and much more. The dinner menu stays relatively the same with some additional entrees, starters and desserts. And true to its name, Pop! delivers a bubbly menu of fancy bevies such Stewart’s Key Lime Pie soda and some not-so-fancy, yet classic sips including Orange Crush. For the booze hounds among you, there’s also a full bar, so fear not!

As far as ambiance, the bright and airy space boasts a very retro-modern feel, with Warhol-inspired wall installations, modern table decor and settings, floor to ceiling windows and lots and lots of color. Pop! is somewhere you could take the kids (they even have a kid’s menu) but it’s got a just-upscale-enough vibe that could translate quite well into a cute date. Service is friendly and prompt and the prices won’t break the bank either. All in all, an unpretentious, happy joint that I’ll most definitely return to, time and time again…and yes, I’ll probably order the pulled pork sandwich every time.

Pop!, 6 West 6th Street, Downtown St. Paul, 651-228-1002
Mon-Thurs 11am-3:30pm & 5pm-9pm / Fri-Sat 11am-3:30pm & 5pm-10pm

Ah, Valentine’s Day. I like you when I have a boyfriend, but not so much when I don’t. This year I don’t. So in honor of that, I’m just going to rattle off a few under-the-radar joints where you won’t need reservations, but where you CAN indulge yourself with delicious food that you’ll probably regret later and also some cocktails (which, depending on your self control and behavior, you may or may not regret later).

Goby’s Grill & Pub

A relatively non-descript little pub nestled between the overly ’80s facade of Rita Ambourn Hair Salon and Plum’s Bar, Goby’s is a little slice of blue collar heaven. Elements of the watering hole and restaurant seem to still have the glaze of the pre-smoking ban days, and the deep-fried smell of the joint is something you may need to shower off yourself (though, if you’re single, why bother). Still, Goby’s holds an air of working class charm that cannot be denied — and they’ve actually got a great menu of delightfully greasy bar fare that includes big, juicy burgers (that come fully loaded if you so choose) and perfectly golden, crisp onion rings and much more. The cozy dive pours some seriously stiff drinks as well, so your chances of successfully hitting on someone in a grubby sweatshirt are relatively high.

Goby’s, 472 S. Snelling Avenue, St. Paul, (651)690-5731

DeGidio’s Restaurant & Bar

While there may very well be some jerks trying to get romantic tonight at this West 7th Italian joint, the bar will surely be all yours. Try to block out the “Lady and the Tramp” references that come to mind when you think of a lovey-dovey spaghetti dinner, and concentrate on what matters most: eating something bad for you and drinking the pain away. The menu here offers a variety of pastas, but the real deal is the Old Fashioned Hot Dago. A spicy, half-pound of Italian sausage is slathered with DeGidio’s homemade spaghetti sauce on Vienna bread, then baked with an unhealthy amount of mozzarella over it. Who can argue with that? Wash it down with a reasonably priced bottle of red and pretty soon you’ll start feeling better about your life.

DeGidio’s, 425 W. 7th Street, St. Paul, (651) 291-7105

Groveland Tap

This popular neighborhood haunt will probably be crowded on V-Day, but then again, it’s crowded every day of the week. You’ll do well to belly up to the bar to grab a spot, or maybe head to the backroom/gameroom where seat-yourself hightop tables abound. In ye olde 2006, the Blue Plate Restaurant group (Highland Grill, Longfellow Grill, etc) took over what was then called B.B. Dixon’s. With some spiffy upgrades to the decor and menu, the Groveland Tap was born. Enjoy a brewski, some cheese curds and/or one of the best Jucy Lucy’s in St. Paul while you angrily throw darts at the imaginary faces of your ex-lovers.

Groveland Tap, 1834 St. Clair Ave, St. Paul, (651) 699-5058

A breakfast out is such a simple pleasure. Certainly, you could fry up some pancakes in the comfort of your own home while wearing pajamas, but let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be the same. After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, they say, so why not let the pros handle it? In this week’s edition of The Picky Eater, we’ll run down some of the best and quirkiest breakfast spots in town.

MICKEY’S DINER

Well, this one’s a given. The famed 24/7 diner is a Saint Paul staple, and probably fits the “greasy spoon” bill better than all the rest…because, well, the odds of actually getting a literal “greasy spoon” are somewhat high. However, pay no mind to minor details such as flies buzzing around the kitchen, cooks that look like they haven’t showered for a few days, or even the crazy homeless guy barking at you from the corner. You go to Mickey’s for that very reason — the ambiance — and of course, the oh-so classic food. At Mickey’s you can eat breakfast 24 hours a day. They fry their eggs in liberal amounts of real butter. They even hand shred their own hashbrowns. They consider a “1/4 pound burger” a breakfast meat. And their pancakes have been on national TV. To get to the point, they basically pull out all the stops to serve you some of the best cheap ‘n greasy eats in town.

Mickey’s Diner, 36 W. 7th Street, Downtown Saint Paul
also, 1950 W. 7th Street, Saint Paul

For more info visit www.mickeysdiningcar.com

GINGKO CAFE

While Gingko is more of a coffee house than a restaurant, the atmosphere here is definitely worth forgoing the traditional eggs n’ bacon fare. This eccentric Snelling Avenue landmark attracts Hamline college students as well as an oddball mix of St. Paul artsy types, neighborhood characters, hippies, and musicians. While working on my laptop at Gingko one evening I messaged a friend: “I am facing a shelf containing an unopened box of ‘Tony the Tiger’ magnets, a mug that says ‘Daddy,’ and a basket full of window scrapers. There is also an Ole and Lena joke book and a couple of twirling batons” — if that tells you anything. Aside from the wonderful weirdness of it all, Gingko serves up Malted Belgian-style waffles any time of the day, as well as breakfast sandwiches and baked goods…and of course an extensive coffee and tea menu that puts cookie cutters like Starbucks and Caribou to shame. Worth a pop in any time of the day, really. Like I said to my friend that night, “if you’re going on a blind internet date with someone named ‘Bookworm99′ and you’re worried that you wont have enough to talk about unless there are an over abundance of young adult novels with religious undertones, or in case you feel safer with a pair of novelty lobster pincers on a stick nearby…Gingko!”

Gingko Cafe, 721 N. Snelling Avenue, Midway St. Paul

For more info visit www.ginkgocoffee.com

CECIL’S DELI

At one point in my life, I lived about 20 yards away from Cecil’s Deli. Now, whether this was a good thing or a bad thing, I’m not completely certain. All I know is that I ate more potato latkes in the year 2002 than I probably should have. One of the “last true established delis in Minnesota,” this storefront delicatessen (founded in ye olde 1949) boasts a variety of traditional Jewish grocery items, plus fresh kosher meats, cheeses, and handmade baked goods. The back of the store segues into a small, no frills, sit-down restaurant where an extensive menu of soups, sandwiches, salads, and yes, breakfast items await. While all the traditional morning fare such as omlettes, french toast, pancakes and the like are available, Cecil’s also has such tasty treats as corned Beef hash, grilled pastrami, and even a Lox Plate for two that comes complete with Nova Scotia lox, two bagels, cream cheese, sliced tomato, onions, sweet pickles and lettuce. Before you leave, be sure to stock up on traditional pastries at the deli counter and perhaps a fresh loaf of Challah bread. Yum!

Cecil’s Deli, 651 S. Cleveland Avenue, Highland Park St. Paul

For more info visit www.cecilsdeli.com

I may be a “picky eater,” but one thing I’m not is a picky drinker. I’ll pretty much sample any alcoholic concoction placed before me, and the holiday season is a great time to merrily imbibe, sans guilt. Saint Paul is home to about a bazillion awesome bars and restaurants, ranging from seedy dives to classy-as-all-get-out establishments. In this week’s article, I’ll list off some of my favorite bars in the St. Peaz, complete with suggestions on the appropriate cocktail to order while patronizing them. Happy holidays!

The Turf Club

Saint Paul’s seminal rock club has definitely seen its fair share of raucous, booze-soaked shenanigans. The iconic venue has been a local staple since the 1940s, when it was known as country two-steppin’ hot spot. Decades wore on and the bar adapted to the times, finally finding its niche in the local indie rock scene sometime in the late ’90s. Since then, the Turf has become Saint Paul’s answer to CBGB’s; a divey watering hole that slings a stiff drink and turns up the speakers way too loud when the Twin Cities’ hottest bands grace its stage. Lined with year-round Christmas lights and cracked vinyl bar stools, the Turf is regularly peppered with a broad spectrum of patrons that range from skinny-jeaned hipster kids to blue collar workers looking for a cold brewski. Bonus: The kitschy basement “Clown Lounge.”

Suggested drink: Rock out with a Whiskey Coke, and expect it to be mostly whiskey.

Turf Club, 1601 University Avenue, St. Paul

Camp Bar

A relatively new addition to the Saint Paul landscape, Camp Bar opened on Robert Street in Mid-2007. This stylish gay bar that has two big, well-stocked bars, a dance floor, a lounge area, and great entertainment just about every night ranging from DJs to cabaret. Camp is one of my favorite spots in town when I’m looking to drink a sassy cocktail with equally sassy friends. Separated into two spacious, connected rooms, you can choose to kick it old school on a stool in the casual yet contemporary front bar, or head to the back room for a more nightclub-esque feel, complete with mezzanine lounge, dance floor and flashing lights. The best thing about Camp is its inventive fleet of bartenders, who are happy to shake you up a unique specialty drink that will almost always knock your socks off.

Suggested drink: Bartenders’ choice, just ask for something “fancy” and watch the magic happen!

Camp Bar, 490 Robert Street N., St. Paul

The Dubliner Pub

This sparse, roadhouse-style bar is a mecca for stereotypical Irish rowdiness and foot-stompin’ live music. While there’s not much that’s special in the pub’s design, it’s the patrons that make this spot a consistently rollicking good time. On any given night, a merry band of ruddy-cheeked drinkers can be found downing pints and exchanging lively tales. A steady stream of Irish musicians such as Tom Dahill, The Langers Ball, and The Wild Colonial Bhoys regularly get the joint jumpin’ with traditional tunes. The Dubliner is most definitely a major St. Patrick’s Day destination as well, with a tent erected in its parking lot and a huge, all-day lineup of musical acts especially for the occasion.

Suggested drinks: Keep it real with Guinness or Jameson if you know what’s good for ya.

Dubliner Pub, 2162 University Avenue, St. Paul

The Saint Paul Hotel

Forget the jeans and t-shirts, people. The Saint Paul Hotel bar is a reason to put on a slinky dress on a Tuesday (or any given day). The hotel itself is one of the most beautiful architectural landmarks in the city and its decadent interior is equally as charming. Belly up to the swanky marble bar in the Saint Paul Grill — the hotel’s upscale in-house restaurant — and indulge in a myriad of perfectly mixed cocktails served by dashing, impeccably groomed bartenders. The ambiance screams (eloquently of course) of old money and relaxed luxury; one may imagine oneself in an sparkly beaded flapper gown, smoking a slim cigarette from a long gold stem whilst leisurely sipping a cocktail. The Saint Paul Hotel is the best upscale bar in the city, hands down.

Suggested drinks: Something classic; a Martini, a Manhattan, or if you’re feeling bubbly, a glass of champagne.

Saint Paul Hotel, 350 Market Street, Downtown St. Paul

I still remember the first time I ate Taste of Thailand. It was 1994, or thereabouts. My younger sister, a candy raver at the time, brought home a carton of the restaurant’s Pad Thai with fried tofu, claiming it was her new favorite and insisting I try it. Me being the “picky eater” that I am, was skeptical at first. After all, it was tofu, and bean sprouts had always irked me on some level. I threw caution to the wind, however, and on a blustery winter night in the mid-nineties, a new obsession was born.

As the years past, my geographic location in the Twin Cities changed a number of times; from Highland Park to Midway to a short stint in Roseville to Northeast Minneapolis to Highland Park again and then back to Northeast Minneapolis. No matter where I went, I always held dear the little hole-in-the-wall Thai joint that forced me out of my bean sprout-hating shell. Return visits, whether they be for take-out or dine-in have never disappointed. And to this day, I almost always order the Pad Thai with Tofu.

Not to say I haven’t tried other delights on Taste of Thailand’s menu, because I most certainly have. We’ll start with the basics: Appetizers. I’ve always been a fan of finger food, small plates, hors d’ouevres, and so on. I have a hard time making decisions when faced with too many delicious options, so when dining out I often opt for a couple of appetizers rather than an entree. I can get down with a Pupu Platter with the best of ‘em. TOT’s app menu is pretty standard for an American Thai restaurant, but they do offer a few weird things that I, picky as I am, won’t touch with a ten-foot pole such as Squid-stuffed Chicken Wings and Bamboo Shoots. I am, however, completely enamored with their cream cheese wontons. Super-thin, delicate wonton skins encase the perfect amount of sweet cream cheese and come with a side of sauce that I imagine has a honey base. Also of note, their fresh Spring Rolls are fat tubular treats jammed with crunchy sprouts, cellophane noodles, lettuce, cilantro, shrimp and pork (veggie option available) and come with a perfect peanut sauce.

Of course I’ve already mentioned the Pad Thai, but I’ll rave about it a bit here too. I can often make three meals out of an order of Taste of Thailand’s Pad Thai, and that’s no lie. The massive portion of flavorful, fried noodles is tossed with crisp bean sprouts, green onion, crushed pepper (1-5 spicy), and whatever meat option you’re into — or the aforementioned fried tofu or mock dock. A mound of crushed peanuts and a lemon wedge accompany, of course. Also a favorite is the Masaman Curry, a saucy concoction of slim cuts of beef, tender potatoes and a fiery yet sweet curry served with a side of white rice — personally, I’d be perfectly delighted to eat the rice and curry sauce on their own. The sweet n’ spicy Papaya Salad is also worth trying, with shredded green papaya, green beans and the perfect balance of heat. Of course, no trip to Taste of Thailand is complete without sharing a dainty dish of their Sweet Sticky Rice with Mango, a cool, delectable finish to your spicy meal.

Ambiance-wise Taste of Thailand is a bit questionable, with a generic-looking storefront, typically slow service and inconsistent decor featuring some modern elements, some traditional, and some aspects that are just plain crappy and old. But what TOT lacks in looks, it makes up for in spirit (and of course, food). The big dining room is quite jovial on the weekends, and chill enough on the weekdays for a cute, unpretentious dinner date. After all, it’s what’s inside the kitchen that counts.

Like many good little Asian restaurants, Taste of Thailand doesn’t have an official website, but you can check out their menu via menuism.com HERE and also read other diner’s reviews via Yelp HERE.

Taste of Thailand, 1669 Selby Avenue, Saint Paul, (651-644-3997)

Other locations include 1753 Old Hudson Rd. in St. Paul, as well as a couple Minneapolis locations.

I’ll be honest, I’ve never been a particularly adventurous eater. Don’t get me wrong, I love food, but many textures and flavors just rub my picky palate the wrong way. I consider myself the food writer of the regular Joe; your unpretentious captain of culinary delights that don’t involve squid ink or foie gras. I won’t quote the French and I won’t educate you on proper oyster-eating etiquette, this I promise. I will, from time to time however, wax poetic about cheese.

Saint Paul is widely known as foodie’s paradise, home to some of the most buzzed-about gourmet restaurants in the state. And while I’ll certainly delve into those kinds of places now and then (complete with tips on how to avoid eating curried goat bladder without being labeled a wuss), my main focus will be filling you in on tasty tidbits that everyone can relate to. My first post, in fact, will deal with a staple, signature favorite: Pizza.

For the first 16 or so years of my life, I’d only eat cheese pizza. I eventually branched out to pepperoni, then olives, then sausage, and at some point I even graduated to the occasional jalapeno or Hawaiian pizza. Risky, eh? Despite my particulars on the eclecticism of pizza toppings, I think one thing can be agreed: No matter what’s on it, a good pizza is a good pizza. The crust, the sauce, the cheese…any of these things can easily win or fail. In my inaugural post, I’ll detail one of my favorite Saint Paul pizza/Italian joints, Grampa Tony’s in Highland Park. Feel free to chime in on the comments section with your own personal faves. After all, the world can always use another good pizzeria recommendation, if you ask me.

I actually consider myself an expert on this joint, because back in the late nineties I waited tables there. But make no mistake, I’m unfortunately not receiving any delicious kick backs — I was a terrible waitress and I’m pretty sure they all high-fived each other when I left. Despite the constant running, bending, lifting and such that I was subjected to at that job, I didn’t lose a pound — most likely due to the fact that I always left with something that had at least a pound of cheese on it. Damn you, employee discount. At any rate, pretty much everything on the menu at this cozy nook is worth a chomp. From sandwiches to pastas to pizzas, Grampa Tony’s is a Saint Paul classic.

GT’s keeps it real with fresh, non-blended mozzarella cheese — and they most certainly don’t skimp on it. To me, cheese is key. A pizza with a chintzy application of cheese that does not hint at early heart-failure isn’t a good pizza in my book. A decent piece of ‘za ought to “spread,” which means the cheese is so abundant that is slides greasily off the edges of the crust once it’s cut. Delightful, right? Grampa Tony’s pizzas definitely achieve this. Each style of crust here is a first place winner in its own right as well. From the crisp, delicate thin crust to the perfectly chewy traditional crust, to the outrageous “Stuffed pizza” (we’ll get that later), each crust allows its toppings to take center stage while still providing a notable foundation. I went on a slight cheese tangent above, but trust me, Grampa T’s doesn’t go light on their other toppings either. For instance, a pepperoni pizza is a multi-layered endeavor stacked with more super-thin circular meat-discs than you can (almost) handle. And the spicy sausage is the cook’s own special blend of fresh, herbed meat that’s torn off in raw tufts and sent into the oven atop a signature mound of mozz.

The Stuffed Pizza is another matter entirely, and in fact, ought to come with some sort of disclaimer relating to possible “death by cheese.” Basically a pizza version of lasagna, this ridiculous Chicago-style deep dish pizza requires 45 minutes to bake and consists of layer upon layer of cheese, your choice of “toppings,” and sauce — with an additional crust layer to keep everything in check. Definitely not for the faint of heart — fork, knife and bib required.

Grampa Tony’s is not just about the pizza, however. They’ve also got a pretty solid pasta and sandwich menu. One of my ultimate favorites is the Italian Roast Beef Sandwich, which comes on a toasted hoagie bun sopped in garlic butter and mounded with savory, paper-thin slices of roast beef. The option to include an ungodly amount of mozzarella cheese is less an option and more of a requirement in my book. Served with a side of salty au jus sauce, this monster pretty much demands to be eaten with a fork and knife, unless, of course, you can unhinge your jaw.

Pasta dishes here are also nothing to scoff at. Heaping helpings of carb-fueled favorites come paired with buttery garlic bread and a side salad, and are almost always under $10. Stand outs include old-school Spaghetti with dense, spicy meatballs, liberally doused in a tangy red sauce; lasagna packed tight with flavorful meats and more mozzarella and ricotta than any human should consume in one sitting; and simple but hearty mostoccoli baked under a crusty layer of stringy cheese. Of course, for the heart-healthy wimp there are plenty of non-threatening, yet still tasty selections such as signature salads, veggie sandwiches and non-cheese-laden pasta dishes.

In regards to ambiance, Grampa Tony’s is a conversation piece in itself. The owners, longtime pop culture aficionados, have literally covered the walls of the restaurant from floor to ceiling with autographed photos of legendary celebrities, sports figures and rock icons, as well as playbills, ticket stubs and other such fascinating tidbits of Americana. The intimate dining room is one part neighborhood pizzeria and one part cute date spot. Dinnertime on the weekends is usually a loud, boisterous affair, complete with screaming children, but if you’re looking for a more chilled out dining experience with a glass of vino, I’d recommend hitting them up after 9pm on the weekends or after 8pm on any given weeknight.

For more info visit www.grampatonyspizza.com

Grampa Tony’s, 631 Snelling Avenue S., St. Paul 55116