Tiny snowflakes swirled around me as I entered the airy Yum! Kitchen and Bakery on a bright afternoon in early December. I was greeted by a warm, welcoming cafeteria filled with the delicious scent of home-cooked soups and warm baked goods. I was immediately impressed. Nearly every beautiful polished driftwood table was surrounded with happy, chatting people. More were standing in line at the large glass counters contemplating the many fabulous options. There were two stations for ordering: one for coffee, the tempting scones, cakes, cupcakes, and other baked goods; and one for soups, salads, sandwiches, appetizers, and entrees.
My dining companion and I joined the line behind the other late-lunch seekers. We placed our orders and took the number to one of the few empty tables. Our food came quickly.
The Food
I was enthralled at the first bite of my Chicken Brie Panini on focaccia bread. The grilled chicken breast was tender and moist. The caramelized onions and apricot aioli were sweet and paired beautifully with the soft, creamy brie. The spinach added the always important greens. Every bite was fantastic. I could eat this sandwich every day. All the sandwiches came with a generous heap of crispy chips and a lightly pickled cucumber.
My dining companion had a cup of Chicken Noodle Soup and the Yum! Veggie Panini. He loved the clean, hearty broth, big chicken pieces, and abundance of vegetables in the soup. He was impressed by the homemade taste and look of the chicken pieces. His sandwich was equally delicious. Creamy avocado, cucumber, crisp sprouts, tomato, and spinach layers were topped with softly melted cheddar and muenster cheeses. The whole sandwich was unified by the tangy honey mustard on thick slices of whole grain bread.
Patti Soskin’s Yum! Kitchen and Bakery is definitely a winner. This just might be my new favorite lunch spot.
If you go:
Yum! Kitchen and Bakery is located at 4000 Minnetonka Blvd. in St. Louis Park, MN. Phone number: 952-922-4000. Reservations are not needed. They are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
5 Responses to “Yum! Eating good in Minneapolis/St. Paul”
Those sandwiches sounds wonderful! It’s so nice to find a restaurant with a clean, hearty broth (as you put it). So many only offer cream based options. Everything sounds pleasingly complex, yet very honest ingredients. I’m going to have to try this place.
Sounds like a nice new lunch spot. Would anyone who’s tried it compare it to a Panera-style place? Too bad you didn’t try to baked goods! Or did you…?
It sounds like they use very flavorful ingredients. I will have to check this place out…
Sounds delicious! I’ll be sure to check this one out!
I definitely vote this place for a weekly dinner/lunch spot. It looks so good! Thanks for the great review – I’d love to read more! Where are you going next? Have you done a review for Pad Thai Grand Cafe in St. Paul? I think they’re run by a mother-daughter team from Thailand.
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