Fargo is cool.
Everyone who’s been to Fargo already knows this. Everyone else doesn’t always believe me.
When I think of Fargo-Moorhead, I think of hanging out on our friends’ big front porches and drinking wine. I think of tromping down main street in a snow storm, popping in and out of bars ordering pickled eggs and Chuck Norris shots.
I think of the troll lounge at the Sons of Norway building, cheese plates with slices of cheeses fanned out as opulently as a peacock’s tail feathers at Mezzaluna (half-price at happy hour!), and knoephla soup. I think of overflowing molcajete and ridiculously cheap beer at Mango’s and buttermilk pie at Josie’s.
I think of blowing up Peking ducks with air compressors in M State culinary school and the madness that was German Sausage Chowder day in the Sanford hospital cafeteria.
Our time in Fargo gave me a sense of wonder for the Midwest and taught me how to be less judgmental of new (to me) places. I will forever appreciate Fargo. These are the places my friends took me to that have opened since we moved:
Himalayan Yak is owned by Saru Pokharel and Ben Dangi proprietors of Everest Tikka House in Moorhead, MN. It’s located in the same space our old favorite sushi place (Cafe 21). “It’s been a couple different places since then,” my friends added.
Some background information on Himalayan Yak’s opening published in the InForum .
Himalayan Yak’s menu offers Nepalese and Indian cuisine. Our meal began with papadam chips and a sweet chutney, followed by an order of momos served with a spicy dipping sauce.
Entrees arrived in these bowls that kind of tilted, along with big bowls of fluffy steamed rice. We quickly dished-up before they dripped onto the tables. This was no problem, as we were quite hungry.
Vegetable korma, lamb, chilly chicken, garlic naan, everything as served in generous portions and simply tasted really good.
Here in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Jake and I love Himalayan Restaurant on Lake Street. Himalayan Yak’s food has the same depth of flavor and heat that keep bringing us back.
This little coffee shop is located next to Wasabi. The owners’ style aims to showcase a “West Coast” approach and feature West Coast beans.
Some background info on Young Blood published in Daily Coffee News.
When I worked at a coffee/doughnut shop last year I struggled to make any type of latte art in regular sized cups. This perfect little heart in a tiny little espresso cup made me smile. The coffee’s delightful; the toast is where it’s at.
.Order a slice of toast or a whole loaf for only $5.
Toast flavors come in cinnamon-sugar, almond butter and honey, and strawberry jam.
Pretty as a jewel. Each slice is massively thick with a perfect chew and sourdoughy tang.
BernBaum’s, which opened last spring, is owned and operated by wife-husband team Andrea Baumgardner and Brett Bernath. In addition to bagels, Baumgardner and Bernath create dishes inspired by their Jewish and Icelandic heritages.
Slightly full from the gigantic piece of toast at Young Blood, I ordered bagels to take home. One of my mottos is “bagels are life,” and these certainly gave my challenging week at work some life. The bagels’ outside texture had a perfect chew and blistering and, of course, they had lots of flavor. My friends highly recommended their beet hummus.
Latkes are a dish I simply can’t make at home. I screw them up every time. BernBaum’s latke plate overflowed with crispy potato cakes, sour cream, and sweet cooked apples. My friends swooned over their bowls matzoh ball soup garnished with crispy chicken skin.
If I lived in Fargo-Moorhead, I’d be here every weekend.
Josie’s Coffee Corner & Bake Shop (CLOSED in December 2017)
This visit was personal. While I was in culinary school and soon before our transfer to Iowa, I worked here. There are fancy bakeries and bakeries that serve whatever Instagram atrocity erupts, whether or not it tastes good.
Josie’s serves time-tested grandma recipes. Seriously, they’re the owner’s grandmother’s recipes.
Each shift, I ate a pumpkin cookie. My coworkers taught me how to wiggle the cookie and spread the homemade cream cheese icing so that it formed a perfect swirl. On this holiday weekend, the shop was filled with customers buying desserts for their Easter meal.
My eyes widened when I noticed a single pumpkin cookie sitting on the tray in the bakery case. The woman in front of me hemmed and hawed about her order. Everything the employee suggested wasn’t good enough. Finally, she relinquished her turn while she continued to deliberate.
“Is the last pumpkin cookie?” I asked. She ran in the back and checked.
“It is,” she confirmed.
“Great! I’ll take it!” I stated with no apologies. The fluffy pumpkin cookies taste as good as I remember. I also added a few chocolate chippers (my second favorite Josie’s cookie).
Then, I headed back to my car and headed for I-94. After a nine-hour commute to and from St. Louis, MO, 3.5 feels like a breeze.
Some of our friends told a story about some people from the Twin Cities that they met at the Hodo. One winter, they got stranded in Fargo on a business trip. They had such a blast that they return every year, just for fun.
Don’t let bad weather be the only reason you linger in Fargo. It’s cool. I promise.
Thanks to Karis, @PrairieStylFile & @NaomiOrre for sharing the weekend with me!
The Places:
Himalayan Yak
450 25th st S
Fargo, North Dakota
(701) 478-0011
Facebook Page
Young Blood
623 NP Avenue N
Fargo, North Dakota
(218) 770-4728
BernBaum’s
115 Roberts Street
Fargo, North Dakota, ND 58102
(701) 306-4131
Serves breakfast, lunch, and weekend brunch + carry out.
I’m not sure which looks more delightful, the coffee, the bagels, the bread, or the donut! YUM!
YUM!!! I want in one all of this. I might have to do a fargo road trip soon!
I want to do a road trip with you. Will you PLEASE let me know the next time you had one? I will fly to you and go along . 🙂 Miss you terribly.
YUM! I haven’t tried any of these places yet, but look forward to it sometime prolly in Aug.
I’m so happy you touched on Josie’s Corner. Such a great spot to study or have a mellow bite to eat. One of my favorite spots in Fargo. 🙂
The Real Person!
Thanks for reading! I miss their buttermilk pie.