Lapchik's '25 GT

[Lapchik]

Only 45 miles today, and only 47 degrees. Saving my 150-200 mile after work routes for better weather.

I haven't been to State Street before. Chets is very hit or miss, or so I'm told. I've only ever been there on miss days. They are claimed to have great chicken, though I have only ever tasted something akin to the National Lampoon Christmas Vacation turkey.

Before people start thinking I'm too negative (lost more than one relationship that way...) I'll explain the rubric against which I judge restaurants. I'm really not that picky, and I'm by no stretch of the imagination any sort of chef. I just think that a business that relies on people coming in and coming back for food should make a decent product. When the same Cisco truck supplies half the places here, you have to try to screw up. It doesn't even have to be above average fare, it just has to not be bad to make me happy. Service for me is pretty minimal: take the order, bring it out, maybe one drink refill, and the bill. I don't make special requests or complain about the presentation. Again, I'm pretty easy to please. It's rare to see meals under $20 around here in the lakes vacation district of Minnesota, and one of the local (not very fancy) restaurants was even brazen enough to put at the bottom of their bills "suggested tips, 20% - 30% - 40%". You have to do something pretty damn special to warrant a 40% tip, and with absolutely everything getting more expensive I'm not sure that insane request is going to keep people coming back for a luxury item like eating out. I don't see it as very responsible to drop over $150 to take my two kids on a night out, so that restaurant won't be seeing me again. The theme this year takes me to the lower end of the food chain as it were, but that suits my budget and me just fine. These smaller, older places won't turn you away for showing up in bug splattered motorcycle gear, which did happen to me once in Fargo. That's how you know it's time to throw the 'stich in some Tech Wash.

Two of my three favorite places in the area don't qualify for the GT this year, being in Alexandria: BNC's Cafe (formerly Jan's Place) and Interlachen Inn. The third one is Minnewaska Inn near Long Beach/Glenwood, but it doesn't really meet the spirit of the theme and there are better theme appropriate options for both of those towns nearby.