East to White Bear Lake

Other than Marianne's Kitchen we are at a bit of a loss whenever we are looking for a good meal in Shoreview.  The Monday evening before Christmas we headed to Ingredient's Cafe in White Bear Lake.  The lake level may be at an all time low but Ingredient's sets the bar quite high and we've rarely been disappointed.

We started with the Artichoke Dip and a warm baguette followed by Peas 'N Hay and the Farmer Steak Salad.  

The linguine was complimented with home made sausage, carmelized onions, sweet peas and a parmesan sauce.  We really enjoyed the home made sausage which was flavorful, perhaps a bit dry but...

The Farmer Steak Salad was an absolute delight.  The grilled hanger steak, ordered medium, was tender and very flavorful, perhaps the best steak of recent memory.  The arugula was dressed with a champagne walnut vinegrate.  Both the beef an greens component were satisfying on their own but the quinoa, roasted beet and citrus fruit keep me going from component to component and planning my next trip back.

Offering a limited menu and a changing 'specials' menu Ingredients is great for a fine dining date night but welcoming, too, of more casual visitors.  We showed up without a reservation about 8 PM on a Monday evening and were promptly seated and attended to.