For my next blog, I am taking a different approach to the restaurant theme that I have created. I am doing a bio on myself because I love to cook and bake! With the effects of Covid-19, I was running into some struggles receiving my interview questions back from restaurants. I realize they are busy, and I do not want to keep contacting them, so this is the route I decided to go – for that reason!

A little bit about myself: I grew up baking with my grandmother and my mother. Every birthday from a young age, we would spend a day baking. This included pies, cakes, cookies, cupcakes and just about every confection a young kid would want to get their hands on. My personal favorite to make are pies. With pies, you can put your own touch on the crust (lard and flour) and create some really cool patterns on the top – in addition to your choice of filling. I really treasured the time I was able to spend with my family members, gathered around the kitchen, making special treats for everyone to enjoy.

Through Covid-19, I am still working and going to school full-time, so baking has been on the back-burner in the meantime. I cannot wait to be done with school so I can get back to baking! Some of the creations that I have been able to work on lately are Swiss Rolls, Pâte à choux, Red Velvet Cake, and some cookies.

One of my favorite ways to get new ideas is to watch baking shows on Netflix. Some that I really enjoy getting inspiration from are Zumbo’s Just Desserts, The Great British Baking Show and of course: Nailed It! For those of you who have not seen the shows and enjoy baking and creating new things, I would highly recommend watching them. Zumbo’s Just Desserts is focused around technical confections, sugar work, chocolate work and making high class desserts. I took inspiration from the “Macaroon King” when I made chocolate bowls filled with mousse and topped with a blueberry macaroon earlier this year. The Great British Baking Show revolves mostly around biscuits, cakes, tarts, and breads. I enjoy the simplicity of this show. The funny thing about this show is its complete opposite nature from the American baking shows. In American shows, contestants joke about hoping the other contestants fail, so they will win. In the British version of baking shows, contestants can be seen actually helping their competitors! Talk about a wild “competition” haha! Finally, Nailed It is a show that is geared more towards bakers that think they are great – but are far from (I might fall into this category). They take ordinary bakers and put them on a baking competition show. They are asked to recreate baking masterpieces in a short amount of time – it usually does not end well for them. If you are an amateur baker thinking that you could easily do a baking show, I highly recommend this show to keep you humble.

In addition to baking, I love to make pasta too. I learned how to make pasta a few years ago, and I was initially surprised at how easy it actually was – pasta recipe. I purchased a pasta making machine off Facebook Marketplace for around $10 (they can also be found on many online shopping platforms). With only a few ingredients, it really doesn’t take much time at all to make! It is a great way to spend quality time with friends and learn a new skill. With the pasta, we would also make Alfredo sauce and our own pesto from scratch – and of course garlic bread. Knowing where your ingredients are coming from is a great way to keep track of what you are putting into your body – something that is important to me. I get many recipe ideas off Pinterest.

I hope you enjoyed my restaurant suggestions and personalization of my blog posts. I hope you learned a little bit about your blogger, and I hope you try some of the recipes I have listed! My goal is to keep baking from scratch alive! If you have any other questions or want a baking buddy when this quarantine thing is over, PLEASE reach out! I am always looking to try new things 😊

Howie’s sports bar is a little “hole in the wall” establishment that is the perfect getaway for those who enjoy the company of their peers, while still able to be in a restaurant/bar type scene. Located in downtown St. Cloud, next to Taco Bell and near the courthouse, Howie’s is an easy to access, great dining option. Howie’s currently has about 29 employees, including waitresses, bartenders, kitchen staff and management. They have delicious chicken wings and a taco bar to please anyone. They also have a wide selection of other options like burgers, wraps, salads and larger entrees. My personal favorite is the buffalo chicken wrap. I first went in there and ordered the wrap, plus an extra cup of sauce. Usually the sauce is nowhere near hot enough, and I end up using the full cup. With this wrap, it was VERY hot. It was awesome. My nose was running, I was sweating, and my face was hot – just like a hot sauce should be! If you are a fan of hot buffalo chicken wraps, or hot wings, Howie’s is the place for you!

The thing I like most about Howie’s – and something that is unique to the spot – is the sports atmosphere they have in the restaurant. They have jerseys and memorabilia hanging all around from hockey (SCSU, UMD), wrestling (SCSU), and baseball (St. Cloud Rox), to basketball (SCSU, Timberwolves), fishing and golf. You can tell they really enjoy supporting the local community – and want the community to support their sports. They also have dart boards, pool tables and a shooting basketball game. If you’re skilled enough to break the record for amount of shots made in the basketball hoop game, a loud, boisterous alarm goes off throughout the whole restaurant and everyone cheers for you. It is a really cool and unique tradition that doesn’t go unnoticed in the St. Cloud restaurant scene.

Howie’s is a major gathering spot for sporting events. Vikings games, MN Wild Games and Timberwolves Games are ones to name a few. Raffles and giveaways come as second nature to the customers at Howie’s and they are eager to put in for these causes. Howie’s Facebook page gives live updates of their events and carry out options. It is a great feature for checking out information, especially during the Covid-19 changes. When Howie’s is back open for business, they are able to host events such as graduation parties, retirement gatherings, anniversaries, and other special occasions.

At Howie’s the staff are well taken care of. They host a staff picnic every year to show their appreciation. Through working at Howie’s you are able to create a second family – people you can talk to and confide in whenever you need support. Karen Loch, a manager at the restaurant says her favorite part about working at Howie’s is: “Definitely the people! We all really become a big part of each other’s lives – staff and customers – and become like family. Ours is a very laid-back environment, which makes it comfortable and homey. I personally love taking care of people and interacting with all types of personalities.” Due to Covid-19, measures are being taken around the state to comply with regulations, while attempting to keep these businesses afloat. Karen mentions: “Continuity is important for development and retention of a customer base. We thrive off of our “regulars,” and those who come on specific days/nights (lunch regulars, hockey shuttles to SCSU games, Meat Raffle, etc.). Consistency is something there isn’t too much of in this world, and I think that a lot of our customers/regulars appreciate our consistency and the safety and security that comes with it. As a customer and an employee, I can go in there at any time, any day, and know people there and have someone to talk to. Obviously, that has all drastically changed due to Covid-19. It definitely creates a big hole, not being able to see and talk to friends, coworkers, and customers.”

Howie’s is open only under limited hours at this point: M-F 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. This limits business interaction and retention and has laid off a majority of the staff. Karen is hoping most, or all will return, but that is an unknown at this point. If you are able, please help out the small businesses in our area! It is a great opportunity to do your part in contributing for the future of these establishments!

Clearwater Travel Plaza is where many stop to get gas, snacks and other road trip goodies, myself included. But, for others it is a slice (or round) of donut heaven. Clearwater Travel Plaza from the outside looks like a typical gas station: trucker zones, mini mart, small family owned restaurant and a rest stop for tired travelers. Nelson Brothers Bakery lives inside of this bustling city, in a quiet corner in Clearwater, Minnesota – just off I-94 about 15 minutes south of St. Cloud.

Nelson Brothers Bakery is known around the area for their massive donuts. The sign out front reads “donuts as big as your head.” They aren’t wrong. The first time I went to Nelson Brothers, I got a large chocolate iced donut – freshly made – and the most disappointing part of it all was that I couldn’t finish the whole thing. The donuts are made fresh daily, and with over 30 different kinds of donuts, pastries, muffins and more, there is something for the whole crew. Their website boasts that they make 1,600 donuts per day and around 2,200 on the weekend! Talk about a production.

The other thing I really enjoy while stopping for a donut, are the employees. One perk about working at Clearwater Travel Plaza are the wide range of benefits that are offered to the employees, which isn’t too common in the industry. Clearwater Travel Plaza offers food and gas discounts, flexible scheduling, medical, dental, vision and HSA benefits, 401(k) opportunities as well as the chance to work in a fun and fast paced environment. Every time I pay a visit to Nelson Bros. Bakery, I always see a laughing group of staff, all looking like they enjoy their job and love working side by side with their coworkers.

Wendy – a spokesperson for Nelson Bro’s Bakery – was able to give me some insight into what it’s like working at the truck-stop bakery. They currently have 210 employees with about 150 of those working in the attached restaurant. At Clearwater Travel Plaza, they take pride in their employees. They have employee appreciation days several times throughout the year to show how much their employees are valued. Wendy mentions that in successful businesses, great teams are built, relationships are strong, and coworkers and customers can make life a lot of fun. While managing during Covid-19, Wendy stays true to her values. “The key is always treating others the way you would want to be treated, being patient and understanding that everyone learns at a different pace and has different skills they bring to the workplace. You have to have fun with them and the customers. There has to be disciplined learning and motivating, thanking and appreciation to create a successful business. With Covid-19, it just means you have to be even more appreciative to the ones still working and be even more sensitive to their concerns.”

With Covid-19 causing small businesses everywhere to close their doors to customers and limit their hours, Clearwater Travel Plaza and Nelson Bro’s Bakery is still up and running with a limited to-go menu. They encourage you to be kind to all staff as everyone is battling with separation and attempts to meet needs of others. “Customers through the years have become more unkind. It is important to rejoice in all the good ones whether it is staff or customers. It would be nice for mall customers to remember no business wants to a mistake, but chances are if you make a 1000 meals a day, something could go wrong. Just bring it to a mangers attention and let them fix it. They want you happy.”

Keep an eye out for specials and information listed on Facebook and Twitter and other Clearwater Travel Social Media. If you do end up stopping by, share a photo and tag Clearwater Travel Plaza. Happy Eating!

Anton’s is a family owned and operated (since 1973) restaurant located in Waite Park, Minnesota. “Fine Dining” is taken to a whole new level at Anton’s with a supper-club atmosphere and a lazy river in the back of their restaurant. I took a trip there recently with a coworker and really enjoyed the warm welcome we received – and the food! My favorite part about their menu was their famous popovers with the honey butter, which is all made in-house. The waiter made it a great experience all around, and I was thoroughly impressed with the options this local place had. They have options that cater to the meat-eater like duck, pork chops and steak but also adhere to the vegetarians’ tastes through massive salads and vegetarian entrée options.

Anton’s currently has 44 employees, which is quite large compared to the other small restaurants around the area. Some monetary perks the staff can enjoy include: seniority, scheduling flexibility, cross training (bartending, serving, host positions and more), food discounts, no holiday shifts and staff incentives to earn “Anton’s Bucks” to be used toward restaurant merchandise (t-shirts, coupons, etc), food and drink.

I was able to contact the restaurant manager, Patty and gain some insight into what it’s like working for Anton’s. Her favorite part about managing Anton’s is the family first attitude they hold and the comradery. In addition, she stated that many of the customers that come on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis are like family. They have grown together with the customers in the community through schools, college, sports, fundraising events and neighborhood involvement.

I personally enjoyed her answer when I asked for some tips on how they manage a successful restaurant: “Hire great people and be sure they understand your concept. Treat them like family. Make yourself memorable. The most important money you will spend is money that adds value to the guest. Be ready for change, to evolve (even challenging change, such as Covid-19).” Her favorite meal at Anton’s is their Glazed Duck with Wild Rice & Brussel Sprouts, and of course the Popover!

Due to Covid-19, Patty was able to share some insight on that. She says that “if anything positive comes out of the Covid-19 Pandemic, it will be the light it is shining on small business. We run on very thin margins. Our employees are like family, as are many of our customers. We don’t have to think twice about investing in our communities & our schools (through donations & advertising).” With the pandemic on our hands, we can’t forget about the small businesses in our communities and what they offer us when everything was normal. Please get out to these places and support them when things get back up and running!

Patty wanted to add some information about Anton’s for the general public:

• We are hoping the mandate will be lifted May 1 and we can get back to work!
• Our Spring Dinner Theater was canceled due to the mandate but keep an eye out for the new dates.
• It’s almost patio season and we have the greatest view around!
• We will be rolling our new menu in a few weeks and new summer cocktails will be coming soon
• We are still open for takeout and deliveries via Food Dudes.

Lifestyle Nutrition is an Herbalife shake shop that is located by the St. Cloud mall. Herbalife created shake shops (clubs) to help customers and clients reach their health goals through drinking meal replacement shakes, teas and using fat burning supplements. Lifestyle Nutrition is owned by Nikki Eagle-Hiemenz. Nikki started her Herbalife empire with her husband Brandon Hiemenz and together they have opened up 2 shake shops (Brandon’s is located in St. Joseph – Victory Nutrition).

When I interviewed Nikki, she said they chose “Lifestyle Nutrition” as the name because “when people connect our meal replacement shakes and Lifestyle Nutrition together, I don’t want them to think ‘fad’ or ‘diet’ but LIFESTYLE.” Through the connections they create with their customers and the relationships they build from nationwide training sessions, retreats and competitions, both Nikki and Brandon agree that opening their own shake shops to promote Herbalife products was the best decision they have ever made.

Through working at Lifestyle Nutrition, Nikki has connected with hundreds of people and changed the lives of many including mine. Nikki and her coaches have specific coaching strategies that they utilize when they are working with clients. They can help you create a specific plan based on your needs and will help you lose weight, gain muscle, lose body fat percentages and more. Through my personal experience, they created a meal plan with healthier choices and only included 1 Herbalife meal replacement shake per day. They are flexible with what your lifestyle opportunities are as well as where you want to be in your lifestyle journey. My favorite product is the Beverage Mix. Combined with water, it creates a fruity drink that is a great source of protein and vitamins. I still have the Herbalife protein and Herbalife meal replacement formulas that I blend with ice to make a shake every morning for breakfast. These products are very helpful if you are a busy person, someone who doesn’t tend to eat breakfast, or are someone who is looking to improve their diet and overall lifestyle.

Nikki went on further to say the most rewarding aspect of working at a club is “I believe it’s more than just an incredible product we deliver to the community each day- it’s an experience. We want our customers to leave Lifestyle Nutrition happier and healthier each visit. This space allows us to create a healthy environment that can build up a community. The people and connections I’ve made here, that I wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for LN, is truly a blessing. I love that I get to call this “work”.

The club is a great place to visit if you haven’t tried their products. My favorite shake is the Thin Mintz and Nikki’s favorite is the March shake of the month: Lucky Charms. I also really enjoy their beverage mix when I am traveling or don’t have time to pack a snack. I encourage you to stop in anytime to try out the products and the yummy shakes they have to offer!

For more events and information, you can visit their Facebook page.

Dolsie’s Lunch Box Grille is next up on the list of St. Cloud’s local restaurants. Dolsie’s is locally owned and is settled in the heart of Downtown St. Cloud on West St. Germain Street. Dolsie’s menu includes a range of comfort food from cheesesteak sandwiches, salads and soups, to fish tacos and “Olies” – their famous fried potato rounds. Paul and Pam Dols are the owners, chefs and masterminds behind the sweet and savory flavors that emerge from the kitchen. With the burgundy awning out front, you can’t miss it. Dolsie’s is another favorite of the St. Cloud State Women’s Hockey team, one that is always the go-to option on any given day. Dolsie’s Facebook Page brags “If you haven’t stopped in to try us out yet, we would love to see you. If you’re a regular visitor at our second home, we can’t tell you how much we appreciate your business.” This is a place that really cares about their customers and strives to create an environment that will create a second home for all who dine with them.

I sat down with Paul Dols and talked about what makes Dolsie’s so great. Dolsie’s has 4 employees who are as passionate about the work they do and are excited to come into work every single day. They enjoy free lunch, free dinner and flexibility within their personal schedules. Dolsie’s is a very family centered establishment and they understand that life happens, and things come up. Paul’s says his favorite part about working at the restaurant is the “customers that come in every single day –  They are friendly and welcoming, and they know how to have a good time”. Paul and his staff are “all about the customers” and want to make sure that each experience is top-notch and enjoyable for everyone. Customers can be challenging sometimes but the most challenging part of the day to day for Paul is coming up with new ideas for the restaurant, new menu items and keeping the atmosphere new and fresh. He says it’s a creative process that takes time but is all worth it in the end.

As for social media, Dolsie’s utilizes Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up with their customer needs. Everything on social is personalized to the taste of Dolsie’s and they enjoy the natural aspect of that specifically. Paul’s favorite dish is the Philly-Cheesesteak (I would have to agree) and their famous “Olies”. You can’t walk away from Dolsie’s without a cupcake and the go-to for Paul and I is the Peanut Butter cupcake. Stop in during regular restaurant hours for the best lunch in Central Minnesota!

Jules Bistro is a growing small business on the West side of St. Cloud’s downtown scene. It is a fan-favorite dining location for many foodies in the area, as well as a large partner and sponsor of St. Cloud Athletics. Jules Bistro offers fine dining with fair pricing and contributes to the community by showcasing local artists’ work (for purchase) and hosting spectacular up and coming musicians, weekly.

Options for Everyone at Jules Bistro

The largest pull for Jules is by far their food. Made from scratch every single day they have a wide variety for everyone to choose from, including vegan and gluten free options. My personal favorites are the Apple Ham Panini and the gluten free cake options (all made from scratch!). Jules is also a great getaway for students who want to work on homework. With their coffee punch cards, you’re only 10 drinks away from a free cup of Joe!

Cakes are made fresh every day at Jules Bistro

Being the great “diamond in the rust” that Jules is, you have to wonder “why?” They take ultimate pride in their customers and work every single day to make sure their needs are met. Through taking Facebook comments into consideration, to testing new food combinations by providing meals to the St. Cloud State women’s hockey team, they know how to take positive feedback as well as criticism. On their employment application, they ask candidates what their hobbies and interests are as well as the values that they hold in their own personal lives. Questions like these on an application really bring out the best in people and allow them to showcase what they are interested in away from work, something Jules really takes pride in.

I caught up with Donella Westphal, Jules Bistro Manager, and she gave me some insight into what working for Jules really looks like. The reason why Jules is so successful in St. Cloud, Minnesota stems from their employees. From free lunches to listening to music on the job, Jules knows how to keep their employees happy, which in turn keeps the customers engaged and happy. The chefs at Jules also receive a fair amount of autonomy. Everything that comes from the kitchen is made from scratch. The chefs get to be creative and are encouraged to come up with new ideas for dishes. Tying back to the St. Cloud State Women’s hockey team, new recipes are tried out on the team and they give Jules feedback on what the team liked and disliked. Some new dishes that were tried out were barbecue chicken wraps, pesto basil wraps and vegan hummus wraps, so keep your eye out for these new Jules creations!