So, we were supposed to get snowed in on Saturday. That seemed like a good reason to get out while 'out' was an option.
Where did we go?: To the North Pole of course!
The North Pole Restaurant has been operating in Newport since 1947. Now in its
third generation, and with several remodeling iterations, it is the
closest thing to a small town cafe you'll find anywhere close to the
East Metro.
Polar bear decor, with some log-sided walls, a front porch mural, North
Pole blue booths...and a trusty long-term staff with great
service...this is a throwback to days of family-owned cafes
everywhere. Here, you get the true picture...it's attached to
the locally owned pharmacy (the restaurant started as a soda fountain counter in the drug store).
The mall itself reflects an era gone by. The red diagonal poles
supporting the roof over the walkway--think of the little strip mall
attached to Kowalski's on White Bear Lake...same era, same design.North Pole Restaurant Menu
If you're eating at an old-fashioned family owned restaurant, go with
family fare---for either breakfast or lunch. We split our decision.
When all the reports say good pancakes, order one... or more. Finishing the plate-sized, fluffy and totally filling pancake was too much...'one' was the better choice. Adding 2 eggs over medium let me check
out the range of breakfast choices. Excellent! Two over medium eggs,
not rubbery or browned from being on too hot a burner.
I was able to
eat 1/2 the pancake (because I didn't add any
syrup until I'd eaten a quarter of it--butter was enough; then I tossed
the eggs on top). Knowing my progress was slowing, I added a light
amount of syrup.....and made it to halfway! John worked his way
through part of the rest, but it conquered us...we
made a valiant effort though.
John chose the classic meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy,
served with carrot coins and a green salad with, of course, traditional
French dressing. The salad arrived first, with a slice of tomato big
enough to cover most of the top of the salad.
Three big rings of fresh onion accompanied it, and underneath was a
pretty standard mix of iceberg, carrots, red
How was the North Pole Restaurant lunch, overall?
It was a giant lunch. I really nice-sized slice of meatloaf...with a
crispy edge. An enormous scoop of mashed potatoes--just they way you
want them--rounded at the top, with the overflow of potatoes too much
for the scoop forming an artful base. Then,
a layer of gravy topping the potatoes and the meatloaf. Picture
perfect. And the bright crinkle cut carrot coins add a pop of
color...and the traditional slightly overcooked texture. It could be
1950, 1960, 1970 or today...this meal is a classic!
What a fun, waiting-for-the storm road trip...that
didn't take very
long or cover too many miles. As I've traveled around the country
doing evaluation and research work, this place could have been in
Mahnomen MN, Afton WY, Johnson City TN, or any of the
hundreds of other places I've dined in small towns around the country.
And here it is...maybe barely noticeable...in Newport, that has that feel of a small, isolated little town...even though
thousands of cars pass by each day on Highway 61.
The service at the North Pole Restaurant was exceptional.
Friendly, courteous
(you know, like manners-- "may I take you plate?"...try to find that
anywhere these days)...with a team of young and veteran servers all
promptly doing their jobs really, really well. My
server even noticed that I was having water as my only beverage...so
she picked up the water glass and brought me a giant glass of water with
a straw. Observant wait staff----so appreciated!
Fun decor, a classic meal-too much for one sitting, and great staff.
So glad we made it to the North Pole Restaurant before the impending (?)
blizzard...or rain storm...not quite sure.
p.s. After breakfast or lunch, we checked out one of the locations of Cardinal Corner right next door. They have such a beautifully curated selection of
gifts---novelty socks made in the USA, children's books, bird-lover's
gifts and of course, tons of bird seeds and
a great assortment of feeders. The buyer(s) here do a wonderful job
in their selections. We even picked up a gift from Sweden. A fun
stop.
So, head to the North Pole Restaurant to get away from MN weather.
North Pole Restaurant
Website: http://www.northpolerestaurant.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NorthPoleRestaurant/
Directions: Google Map
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