by Bob McClain
(www.wordsmithbob.com)
2/12/08

Bungalow Inn story

The roadhouse has returned. Or rather, a roadhouse that was built in the Thirties is still thriving in Minnesota. The place is called Bungalow Inn and it’s just off of I-94, just before you get to Wisconsin. A place like this should require a bit of travel to get to. It’ll put you in the proper mood.

As one would expect, the place has pull tabs, and a game room, a CD Wurlitzer, online trivia, a big screen TV, a serve yourself popcorn machine and of all things, a pay phone. However, as with any popular roadhouse, it’s also a nice supper club. That old fashioned, small town style of supper club. Like the ones you still find in almost any small town in Wisconsin or Minnesota. The place where everybody goes.

So let’s talk food. American, but with some delightful twists. Steak, pasta and seafood are their mainstays. While I was there, I tried the Butterflied Perch Basket. Too many times, when I’ve ordered a small fish fillet, it arrived dried out or a little tough around the edges. This was the moistest piece of perch I’ve ever eaten.

I also had the Vegetable Chili which had a nice kick to it. My brother would have turned his nose up at a chili with no meat but it was like a vegetable soup with attitude. I loved it.

When I talked to the owner / chef, Bill Eisenmann, he recommended I try the Fallen Chocolate Souffle for dessert but I couldn’t resist having the Apple Crisp. Traditional, yes, but amazing. What I liked most about it was that it arrived chilled. So the ice cream never melted through the whole wonderful experience.

Prices range from $6-$9 for appetizers, about $5 for a bowl of soup, $9 for a specialty salad, sandwiches and burgers run from $7 to $12, and dinners can run from $12 up to $24.95 for the porterhouse or $23.50 for the Surf & Turf (8 oz. sirloin and jumbo shrimp).

They are located at 1151 Rivercrest Rd N, near I-94 and MN 95. They are open Monday - Thursday 11:00 am to 9:00pm, Friday - 11:00 am to 11:00 pm, Saturday- 7:30 am to 11:00 pm, Sunday- 7:30 am to 9:00 pm. The Bungalow has a nice little wine list, features Lienenkugel Original in the fish batter, and Happy Hour is 3-5pm Monday through Friday. Phone number is 651-436-5005.

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