Yum!

I hit up another sizzling hot spot for lunch today...so hot that it takes forever to find the address and phone number. That's how you know if a spot is truly hot...you can't find it...it remains a mirage among the beautiful people, hidden away so that you cannot truly find it unless you crack the code.

Well, I cracked the code due to the fact that I know their office manager. Sara, who used to work at Gold Country. She left to go to Yum! and she gave me the scoop...in fact thanks to her I had the inside goods on the place before the local reviewers. Hmmm...maybe one day this town will come to me for all their food reviews...I can see it now...

Okay, back to business...lunch today...I went even though I am a tish under the weather. Some sort of weird chest cold or if you want my opinion I have pneumonia or some other extreme illness that no one can pinpoint. Stand by for any medical updates....

Yum! is located of course in a hip and trendy locale, Minnetonka Blvd, just behind Lake Calhoun and the Calhoun Beach Club Apartments (by the way, who lives there? A two bedroom is over $2,000 a month! Maybe I should hang out over there and find myself a man so everyone will stop bothering me about being single...but then they would all be jealous cause my man would be loaded...it's a vicous cycle isn't it?)

There isn't a lot of seating at Yum! cause it's also a bakery so people come and go a lot. They have about four or five tables that seat 6-8 and then they have counter stools and some other smaller tables for two.

I went twenty five minutes early to get a spot because in my research (had to give directions) I read that if you want a seat you'd better stalk one out. And boy am I good at stalking!

I found two seats at the counter and began my wait. Very nice workers...they all wear jeans and white shirts with white chefs jackets and red baseball caps. The place is all decked out in white with concrete floors and red Yum! stickers all over. They change their menu each Tuesday and it features salads, soups, sandwiches, entrees, bars, cookies, muffins and tarts.

The nice guy behind the counter (conveniently located near the bakery section - lucky me!) asked me if I'd like a beverage. I asked for Diet Coke...no but Diet Pepsi. He brought it over in a bottle and took off the lid before telling me it was $2. $2 for a petite bottle? Hmmm...robbery if you ask me. Luckily the guy was super nice and told me scoop about what was good and what was just okay. The excited girl next to me RAVED about the tomato soup. I did a quick glance at the tables behind me...two tomato soups and two gumbo's. Noted.

The guy and I chatted for the twenty minutes while I waited. Sara came over and said hello and we talked about the place. She really likes it there - which is good. Usually when people leave a sports job they end up missing it and spend the rest of their life trying to weasle back in or be a consultant of some sort. Stick through it folks or make damn sure you find something better.

So, the guy (should have gotten his name) brought me a sample of the cookie tart - it was FABULOUS! He helped me read the menu - it was really far away (posted on the wall) and I didn't want to lose my coveted seats!

Finally, Jodi arrived and we could eat...we headed over to the counter to order. I went with the grilled cheese (made with muenster and cheddar) and the tomato soup. Jodi went with the same.

The soup was really good...it had a really good texture and a hint of sweetness. Very nice. The sandwich was okay...I think the cheeses were too mild for me because I like really sharp, pungent cheeses. The chips are homemade and super thin and curly.

For dessert I got a brownie to go and when I ate it I wasn't super impressed. It was too chewy and not soft enough for me. I should have gone with that cookie tart - cause that was good!

Yum! also has a GREAT selection of fresh breads (even ciabatta - read by Salut blog if you want to know about ciabatta) and sweet breads that come baked in a soup can. Cute...

Yum! had a great feel and vibe and was filled with too cool, hipster moms who stay home all day or volunteer for charities. They bring their moms, kids, baby-sitters, have charity meetings - all this takes place at Yum! I sat next to a very spoiled child who had a stuffed animal dog that moved and slept, etc. She was very mean to her mother...when I left she was sitting on the floor eating her cookie making her mother wait. And people wonder why I am single....

I plan on going next week with my mom (she is coming to visit and since I consider myself to be an ultracool hipster this week I think I will blend in and take my mom like all of the other patrons). I can't wait to see what the menu is next week.

The jist of the menu is about four things in each category...salad, soup, sandwich, entree, etc.

Scale time...

1-2: Gross
3-4: It's food...
5-6: Tasty
7-8: Delicious
9-10: Yum!

I give Yum! an 8 but only because the grilled cheese wasn't sharp enough for me and the brownie wasn't soft enough and because they don't have fountain soda.

They do have beer and wine...their hours are 7-8 Tuesday thru Sunday and they are closed on Mondays.

Yum! is located at 4000 Minnetonka Blvd...and fyi...they have the cutest take out boxes in the bakery.

I hope you enjoy!