The Mr. and I spent the past holiday weekend in the Twin Cities with our families who made sure we were happy, full, and warm.

Between home-cooked meals of roasted turkey, sweet potatoes made every which way, and kielbasa-flecked stuffing, we grabbed a few memorable bites.

1.  Seafood Pa Jun, Dong Yang, Colombia Heights, MN

I last wrote about Dong Yang last March. We returned and shared a notably fresh spread of banchan,  spicy pork stir fry, and seafood pa jun.

Koreans make delightfully savory pancakes. Before there was Jake, I used to treat myself to Dong Yang’s seafood pancakes. On my very first visit, back when the menu was written in Korean on sheets of dangling construction paper, I saw my first seafood pa jun. I curiously watched a table of friends delicately dab the fluffy squares in a scallion-soy sauce. Then, I ordered one for myself. 
This pancake is thick. It’s stuffed with lengths of scallion and seafood that may include any combination of clams, shrimp, crunchy octopus and/or calamari. Sure, the pancake can be a little doughy in spots and it’s slightly oily exterior will remind you it’s been pan-fried, but I really like this seafood pancake and return for it time and and time again.
The service is like the best kind of stern Korean grandmothering. Just don’t try to pay with an American Express card and remember to bus your own dishes. If you are lucky, you may still get hollered at (on this visit, it was “Don’t bother! Don’t bother!” when I tried to bus my dishes). Totally worth it for our favorite Korean food in the Twin Cities. 
2.  Basic Biscuit Sandwich, Sun Street Breads, Minneapolis, MN

I learned that $5.25 can buy the most delightful biscuit sandwich.

I chose a simple sandwich of ham and white cheddar while Jake splurged on the addition of a runny egg. The amply-sized biscuit was light and fluffy on the interior, and its exterior was crusty enough to provide support and structure. Somehow, the sandwich tasted light and never ended up feeling too rich. I ran my biscuit through the runny egg that dripped on Jake’s sandwich wrapper until he noticed.

3. The M Burger, Mezzaluna, Fargo, ND

The M Burger appears on my list of favorite Fargo things.

Especially at happy hour, when the M Burger and tots only cost $7. Mezzaluna describes their burger as house-ground, and I believe them. The meat is course and arrives medium rare. It’s served on a griddled bun and accompanied by grilled onions and thick slices of sweet pickle that please even those of us who don’t usually enjoy sweet pickles. On our first visit, the burger tasted of a mysterious steak sauce and on the second, was served with dill Havarti cheese.

The tots aren’t bad either. Crisp and savory. Did I taste the funk of truffle oil? My favorite burger in Fargo and possibly anywhere.