Bites Nearby: This Oakdale Coffee Shop Is A Dream Come True!

Dreamcoat Coffee, a nonprofit coffee cafe with incredible homemade baked goods, is the first of its kind in the country.

Located in the former Mrs. Bʼs coffee location in Oakdale, the nonprofit Dreamcoat Coffee, is owned and operated by The Salvation Army. The first of its kind in the nation, Dreamcoat Coffee and the Salvation Army joined forces about seven months ago. The cafe is run like a small business. According to manager Kristen Carlson, the nonprofit coffeehouse idea was the brainchild of her husband, Lars. “We used to own and operate the Dreamcoat Cafe in Stillwater, MN. The Salvation Army were frequent customers of ours at the old cafe in Stillwater. After we sold it in 2003, my husband went to work for the Salvation Army,” said Carlson. “Our entire family was involved in the cafe in Stillwater and we all missed it,” Carlson said. Once the Mrs. Bʼs…

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Bites Nearby: Golf Fare With A Gourmet Twist

Most golfers come to expect foods that are just “par” for the course, but at Oak Marsh Golf Club, Chef Mike Jagg turns ordinary fare into gourmet fare.

Skies are warming and golfers are finally stepping out onto greener golf courses. Over the next several weeks, Patch will be swinging through area golf grilles checking out what “must try” foods golfers should shoot for when hitting the greens. Oak Marsh Golf Club, located in Oakdale, puts a gourmet twist on all their grille fare, thanks to Chef Mike Jagg. Now in his fifth year at Oak Marsh, Jagg takes great pride in preparing consistent, quality food thatʼs presented in a gourmet fashion. Krista Fahey, food and beverage manager at Oak Marsh, said people are always commenting on the beautiful presentation of the food and how great it tastes. “They canʼt believe the food is coming from the grille,” Fahey said. Fahey said the reason for this…

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Bites Nearby: A Special Themed Luncheon at the Woodbury Villa

The secret is out about this unique dining experience.

The secret is out about this extraordinary luncheon spot! If youʼre looking for an exceptional luncheon experience, then make your reservation now at the Woodbury Villa! The Woodbury Villa is located at the Woodbury Senior Living campus on the corner of Lake Road and Woodlane Drive. Most locals donʼt know that dining at the Villa is open to the public. Campus marketing director, Angela Regan, said that joining seniors for lunch has always been open to the public, but a new initiative to create a few themed luncheons throughout the year has been started. Activity Director Margaret Wachholz said, “Itʼs a great way for some of our senior residents and the local community to interact with one another.” Wachholz, who has only been working at …

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Bites Nearby: An Energizing New Restaurant Opens in Afton

Dave and Dan Jarvis, brothers and owners of the newly opened Current, have completely gutted and transformed the former digs of Catfish Saloon into an electric, lively and energetic dining spot.

Current, the brainchild of brothers Dave and Dan Jarvis of the Afton House Inn family, officially opened on April 1, with a grand-opening scheduled for Saturday, April 30, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. “Our guests and neighbors have been asking us for years to open up something like this, and with the economic indicators finally taking an upturn, it was time,” Dave Jarvis said. As far as the restaurantʼs name, he said they solicited many people for possible ideas and someone mentioned the name, Current. “We wanted a name that kept pace with life, an energetic name of sorts, and yet still had a connection with the St. Croix River, since weʼre located right next to it. The name Current fit the bill perfectly,” he said. You could say the food entrees…

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Meghan Hatalla

10:31 am on Monday, April 25, 2011

Super excited to try out Current--the Jarvis family does a great job of infusing new ventures with the same old-style elegance that put the flagship Afton House Inn on the map.   more ›

Bites Nearby: Be Your Own Easter Bunny with Locally Made Treats

Here are some festive and yummy food ideas to enjoy this Easter season.

With Easter right around the corner, it’s time to start planning what goodies you’ll be sharing with family and friends. Patch has found some incredible edibles to get you started! Chocolates Family owned and operated Chihuahua Chocolates has a variety of all-natural, handcrafted, artisan chocolates to choose from this Easter season. Take, for instance, their chocolate edible egg containers. These hollow chocolate containers are filled with foil-wrapped, solid milk chocolate eggs ($9.95).  Edible egg containers can be ordered in dark or milk chocolate.  What’s the difference between milk and dark chocolate?  “Milk chocolate has a 30 to 42 percent cocoa content and is a little sweeter than dark chocolate,” master chocolatier and owner Darcy…

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Bites Nearby: Cafe Dreams Become Reality in Woodbury

She always dreamed of owning her own cafe and now that dream is a reality for Woodbury resident Angela Verrastro.

Angela Verrastro always dreamed of having her own sit-down European-style café. Part one of her dream was the opening of Angelina’s Kitchen, located at 2170 Eagle Creek Lane in Woodbury. Part two of her dream is now realized with the March 25 opening of Angelina’s Café, which is just down the block from Angelina’s Kitchen. “There seems to be some confusion once Angelina’s Café opened,” Verrastro said. “People were calling and asking if I closed Angelina’s Kitchen or if the cafe was located in the kitchen or what was going on,” she laughed.   Angelina’s Café is in the former Beans and Bakery space, footsteps from her original location. “Angelina’s Kitchen is the main cooking hub for the cafe, and is still providing take-out meals and …

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Bites Nearby: Healthier Fast Food Choices

Busy families love the fast-food drive-thru and Burger King is working hard to bring more healthier and nutritionally balanced food options to your table.

There’s no doubt about it, grabbing fast food solves the problem of what’s for breakfast or dinner. For parents seeking healthier choices at the drive-thru window, Patch has taste-tested some of these more nutritionally balanced food items for you to try at your local Burger King locations. (Nutritional information provided by Burger King Corporation.) The BK Kids Breakfast Muffin Sandwich, BK Fresh Apple Fries and Fat Free Milk (*This combo has 355 calories, 42 grams carbohydrates and 18 grams of protein.) A yummy breakfast muffin sandwich consisting of an egg and a slice of melted American cheddar cheese sandwiched between a toasted English Muffin. Adults and kids alike will love the BK Fresh Apple Fries—slices of apples cut like French …

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Bites Nearby: Fast Fix Dinner Ideas for Under $10

ooking for tasty, kid-friendly dinner ideas you can fix in minutes? Here are a few yummy food finds Patch found at the Woodbury Trader Joe’s—all for under $10!

On nights when you’re scrambling to get the kids off to sporting events and need to put a decent meal on the table that’s not fast food, try one of these delicious kid-friendly dinner ideas. Pot Roast There’s nothing like the savory flavors of a good pot roast during these chilly spring days. The only problem is you have never have time in the mornings to prepare the roast for the slow cooker. No worries—just shortcut the process and buy a Trader Joe’s traditional pot roast ($6.99).   Simply place this already seasoned and cooked pot roast in the microwave for about three minutes. Presto! You have all the succulent, tender flavors of a slow-cooked pot roast. Of course, a little legwork is necessary—boiling up some golden Yukon potatoes and…

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Bites Nearby: Area Shops Help You Eat like the Irish

Create your own “green"-themed family meal at home or head out for a taste of Ireland.

Whether you’re creating your own St. Patrick's Day party at home with the family or heading out to get a taste of Ireland in Woodbury, Kowalski’s Market, O’Malley’s Irish Pub and Great Harvest Bread Co. are a few places to grab a taste of the Irish. Kowalski’s Get the kids involved and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at home. Deb Kowalski, of Kowalski’s Markets, says they have many green and tasty items to help get your party started.  To begin, take home some real vibrant green to your house—a lucky shamrock plant. These green, shamrock-leaf plants have tiny, blooming white-starred flowers that will add color to any room in the house.  For those who have no time to cook and want a “to-go” taste of Ireland, the deli will be serving up corned …

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BITES NEARBY

Jolts on the Go: Drive-Thru Java Joints

When in a hurry, there’s nothing better than getting your java jolt from a drive-thru window.

It seems as though only a handful of drive-thru coffeehouses exist in the Twin Cities, but there are two right here in our neck of woods that you won’t want to miss. And when you do find yourself with extra time, make sure to frequent the insides of these quaint establishments. What’s not to like about Sati Coffee and Crêpes? The drive-thru offers fabulous brewed coffee, espresso drinks, blended coffee drinks, smoothies and fresh-baked goods. Once inside, you’ll feel as though you’ve just stepped into a cozy Parisian bistro. According to owner Karen Mohs, one of the most popular signature drinks at Sati is the Turtle Mocha Latte ($3.90). Consisting of steamed milk, Sati’s own French-roasted espresso, thick and gooey caramel, special …

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