2024, Business, Family, Food, Uncategorized

Convention Grill Melt-Down

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When I took a leave from college during my junior year, my first job supporting myself in Northfield was as a waitress at Country Kitchen.  Yea, I know, glamorous.  My next job was also waitressing at Ole Piper Inn – a little better money and closer to my apartment.  When Ole Piper went other (rather abruptly), my friend Deana found a job at the Ole Store and managed to squeeze out a job for me as well.  That job was a combination of waitress/baker/cook. 

I’ve heard people say that everyone should be required to spend a year being a waiter or waitress as they’re starting out-kind of like compulsory armed services requirements. I’ve always thought that was a great idea.

Convention Grill in Edina closed down during pandemic and then for a variety of reasons, never got around to re-opening until this past week.  The family who owns it has been telling us for years that they were going to be back in business eventually so I’ve been keeping tabs on their progress for awhile now: when I saw the ads for staff last month, I was ecstatic and YA thought we should go right away. 

It was during this trip that I was reminded about everyone needing food service background – especially YA!  We had a wait, which was expected.  A very pushy gentleman managed to get the young guy monitoring the waiting list to seat him before us.  This outraged YA.  I was more mad at the pushy guy but we got seated immediately after that and it turned out to be a better table.  YA was not mollified. 

Then it turned out that they didn’t have a veggie burger.  My guess is that they will eventually bring that back but the thin paper menus made me think that they might be opening on a restricted listing.  YA was in a huff about this, announcing right as my Diet Coke showed up that she didn’t want anything else.  I said “OK, then let’s go.”   This took her by surprise and she backed down quickly.  She said we could stay but she wouldn’t have anything.  I replied that this wasn’t my idea of a good time and we should go.  Grumpily she said she’d have the triple-decker grilled cheese.  She didn’t want an order of fries, said she’d have “10” of mine.  The one thing you can still count on at Convention Grill is the size of the orders of fries.  One side order is good for two.  YA ate her entire sandwich and about half the fries.

Luckily getting food into her helped a lot but she continued to point out things that could be better, including the wait for the food, the fact that the waitress only checked in with us once, the wait for the check.  When I suggested that the restaurant had only been open for three days and it was chock-a-block full of customers and unsurprisingly they had a few kinks to work out, she was unconvinced.  I also told her it was likely that 100% of the staff were new, she retorted that most of them probably had experience elsewhere, I told no… probably 80% of the staff probably didn’t.  If they had prior experience, they most likely couldn’t afford to work at Convention Grill.  At this point I told her she needed to spend a year working in a restaurant and that she was “harshing my buzz” (quote from Big Bang Theory.  Rest of the time was uneventful.

Anyway, my review is that if you enjoyed Convention Grill before pandemic, you’ll most likely enjoy it now.  If you’ve never been but like retro dining experiences with a variety of burgers, malts and fabulous fries, you’ll most likely enjoy it.  If you’re YA – maybe not.

Tell me about a favorite place that has re-opened since pandemic!

20 thoughts on “Convention Grill Melt-Down”

  1. Especially in our part of the city the trials of the pandemic are mixed with the destruction of the George Floyd riots and some of the places we once frequented, which were not only shut down but destroyed, have not returned in a long-term sustainable format.

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  3. Rise and Shine Baboons from JacAnon,

    The only place that entirely closed,then re-opened following the restrictions was the cafeteria at the Arboretum. Our first visit back there was entirely disappointing in a similar fashion to what you described VS. It is now more itself again but it really did take some time.

    There others that had limited menus and opened outside which at the time, was a wonderful comfort (Tavern 4&5 and Original Pancake House). When those came back to full service it was a comfort. Most of the places that closed entirely remain closed.

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  4. I have a terrible memory, so nothing jumps out at me. People adapted and things changed so much. It’s nice to have student back on campus, and in person classes.

    XDFBen

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  5. Most of the restaurants in our area that I’m familiar with, didn’t shut down completely but offered take-out of a limited menu, and had reduced hours of operations. We don’t go out to eat often enough to suit me, so I don’t really have a sense of what all has changed.

    I do know that one local Mexican market and restaurant renovated their cafeteria style lunch buffet about a year ago, and I don’t know anybody who likes the “improved” version. Previously, you could see all the food as your order was being prepared. You could point to food that looked appealing to you if you didn’t speak Spanish. Most of the people who worked on the line didn’t speak much English, but it worked like a charm. Now you pick what you want from a menu, no food in sight, you’re given a number, and pay a cashier at the end of the line. I’m sure they are saving on labor costs, but they sure have sacrificed the personal touch of interacting with a human being who is preparing your food.

    One local restaurant, Foodsmith Bistro, opened shortly before the pandemic severely curtailed operations. I ordered take-out for a couple of special occasions, and they did a really nice job of both the quality of the food, presentation, and offering curb-side service. A couple of months ago, we stopped to eat there. I was pleasantly surprised at the ambience of the place, and one major thing in their favor, it’s quiet enough that you can actually carry on a conversation with your dining companion. Their menu is limited, but the quality of the food is excellent. Really good house-made fries. Also, pretty pricey. $18.00 for a burger.

    On a recent lunch outing with three Danish friends we went to Christo’s on Nicollet Ave. in Minneapolis. I had had dinner at Christo’s a couple of times when they were located in St. Paul’s downtown depot. I was pleasantly surprised at the decor and ambience of the Minneapolis location. Excellent food and service, at a very reasonable price. And again, quiet enough that we could actually carry on a conversation.

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  6. As you know, I, too, have worked as a waitress, and while I wouldn’t go so far as to make it a requirement, I’d say that it certainly gives you some insights into what it takes to be a good server. Also, having worked in a hotel kitchen, a hospital kitchen, and a school kitchen, I have an appreciation of what it takes to consistently turn out palatable meals. Unlike Hans, who comes from a long line of successful restaurateurs, I’m a generous tipper. You get a different perspective working on the front line.

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  8. Glad to hear the Convention is up and running again – best fries I’ve ever had…

    The aforementioned Blue Heron Cafe reopened Wed. – Sunday, at least – I’ve spoken of them before, but I still miss them when I have Tuesday meetings.

    We don’t eat out much, so I’m not sure of some of them, but Ocean Sushi is finally fully open again, and El Patron – pretty darned good Mexican food.

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  9. Sandra went into care near the beginning of Covid. I don’t go out to eat alone. So I’m not aware of some restaurants in the odd locations. I know many subway locations are gone and a Dairy Queen. A computer store closed. Couple gas stations maybe for other reasons and same with a hardware store. We have nowhere to buy clothing for anyone over 25, but again much of that is due to other factors as well as Covid. It is almost impossible not to shop online.

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  10. Well, my favorite restaurant was The Tavern, in the basement of the Archer House. First there was a fire on the stove in Chapati, above The Tavern, which burned down into The Tavern. That closed The Tavern temporarily. They were doing repairs when covid hit. That really put a wrench into reopening. Then the Archer House fire put an end to all of it: The SmoqHouse, Chapati, and The Tavern are all history now. The owners of Chapati have opened an Indian cafe-style restaurant across from Content Books, which is good. The owners of The Tavern serve Tavern breakfasts on Sunday mornings at the Grand Theater. I haven’t tried that. In the wake of the fire and covid, other venues have opened. Reunion opened in the old Reubenstein. It’s more upscale and the food is just okay for the price. Imminent Brewing is popular but they don’t serve food. There’s usually a food truck parked right in front of Imminent. Also, people walk over to B&L Pizza and bring a pizza in to Imminent. I don’t think there is as much choice in Northfield since the Archer House fire. I hope more restaurants open.

    There has been an explosion of food trucks. There are all kinds but mostly Mexican. They’re okay. I still miss The Tavern.

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  11. Once, on Mother’s Day in Moorhead, in college, I was working as a waitress at Mr Steak, and I dropped three plates on the floor just put on the serving window by the cook. I cussed very loudly in front of a bunch of Mother’s and grandmother’s, and the cook told me he was going to glue the food to the plate so I couldn’t drop them on the floor anymore. I was sent to the freezers to calm down..

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    1. Oh dear! Reminds me of when I was not even a waitress – a buss girl I think it was called – clearing tables. I was new, and not yet clear on how much weight the (huge) tray would hold – dropped an entire load of dishes. I lasted three days…

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    2. To be more accurate, the food slipped onto the floor off the plates. I didn’t actually drop the plates.

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  12. One local restaurant announced they would be closing in June, giving the customers plenty of opportunity to stop in for a last meal or two. I stopped in for lunch a week or so ago, and had a delightful lunch. The radio was playing a lot of oldies but goodies by the likes of Roger Miller, Dottie West, and Emmylous Harris. The specialty is walleye, and it was excellent. It was more expensive than I remembered, but then, what isn’t these days.

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