I'm on a bender now. I'm set to prove that you can find good places to eat and drink in the suburbs. One of these days I'm going to take a field trip to Blaine, where I hear there are all kinds of fun food things happening.
But today, I'm going to talk about a place that opened near me in Chanhassen late last year, and I'm so glad it did.
School of the Wise II. This is the younger sibling of the Victoria School of the Wise, and it's just what Chanhassen needed. Coffee shop and cafe by day:
Wine bar with live music by night.
Isn't it lovely? It feels upscale without being pretentious.
But of course, beautiful surroundings aren't worth much if you can't get a good meal, at least in my opinion. And that's where SOTW shines.
Roasted tomato soup, available every day, along with a soup-of-the-day.
The sandwiches are just about to die for. I've tried most of them, and loved them all. This was particularly yummy:
The reuben (yes, I had reubens two weeks in a row, so what?), loaded with corned beef and sauerkraut on marble bread. I just love a cafe that understands you need lots of sauerkraut. I hate when I order a reuben somewhere, and it comes with just a couple of little strings, looking like a combover on the meat. Corned beef demands sauerkraut.
There are also pizzas on the menu, and salads. Service is friendly and accommodating--I had the audacity to once order the Spa Salad (mixed greens, apples, pecans, dried cranberries, lemon vinaigrette) and asked to have them hold the blue cheese. I know, I know--I really can't even pretend to be a foodie when I don't like blue cheese. And I have been places where the servers had a hard time not rolling their eyes at that request. But no one at SOTW made fun of me. I could even do that again. And would, because it's so good.
There's live music several nights a week. So take your pick: breakfast, lunch, dinner, late night. It's all good, baby.
Non-food photos courtesy of photographer Bobi Murray.
This looks great! And we're always looking for places in Chan since we're there so much. Terrific!
Posted by: Keri | February 03, 2009 at 10:22 PM
Oh, sigh. I wish we had a place like that near me. I go to the Lazy Loaf and Kettle, but it's not as glamourous. I'll have to take a camera with me and get some pictures next time I'm there.
Posted by: Heather | February 01, 2009 at 05:16 PM
When can you and Terri and I meet there?
Posted by: deb | February 01, 2009 at 09:37 AM
Oh my combover! That "coffee shop by day" shot looks identical to a conference room we have set up at work!!!
I'm not really a kraut fan, but that sandwich does look delish. I think it's the marble bread!
Posted by: bezzie | January 30, 2009 at 05:08 PM
You don't like bleu cheese? Well, neither did I for the first 50+ years of my life. It's never too late...
Posted by: kmkat | January 30, 2009 at 02:25 PM
Mmmmmmmmm blue cheese!
Posted by: Sue | January 30, 2009 at 01:31 PM
"....looking like a comb over on meat" ROTFL!! But you're right, there's nothing worse.
That not only looks delicious but the ambience looks fabulous and I love the name!
Posted by: Carrie K | January 30, 2009 at 12:16 PM
Combover corned beef HYSTERICAL
Posted by: kathy b | January 30, 2009 at 11:32 AM
I'll meet you there! I'll meet you in Blaine, too! :o)
Posted by: Miss T | January 30, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Sounds yummy. But I'm still having a hard time getting past the fact that you don't like blue cheese.
Posted by: Jeanne | January 30, 2009 at 10:45 AM
I wish I lived close enough to visit!
Posted by: Carole | January 30, 2009 at 10:28 AM