Tootie's on Lowry

It is Tuesday Evening and I am content. I have eaten a wonderful meal at Tootie’s on Lowry and NCIS is on TV tonight.

Tonight I ate a wonderful meal of Meatloaf. Now, I know what you are saying, “how could meatloaf be a wonderful meal”? Let’s start with the “Where”. Tootie’s is a North Minneapolis institution. It has been there for years and years. It was one of the reasons that I bought my house where I did. It is family run and they are all their pitching in. The Bar has character. Not quite the same as Nye’s but it has its own distinct character.

Tootie’s is well known for their burgers. They have wonderful tasty burgers that I would be remiss if I didn’t mention. Tootie’s has one of the top ten burgers in the Twin Cities. (I will write about Twin Cities burger’s some day.) Meanwhile, back at the ranch, let’s get back to the story… On Tuesday, Tootie’s has a Meatloaf dinner special, Thursday is a wonderful Turkey dinner and Friday is a tasty Fish dinner. The meatloaf is what I am going to write about.

When you first enter Tootie’s you will do so through the bar. Keep going and you will enter the seating area of the restaurant. I have always been served promptly. I avoid the water as it has a unique “Minneapolis” taste that I do not enjoy. There is the perfect amount of seating. You are far enough away from the next table so you don’t have to listen to them, but close enough to ask for more salt if you need it. There are tables for two and there are tables for ten. There is a game room, but I have never seen anyone playing any of the games. As for the restrooms, I live close enough so I try to avoid them.

The main reason I am writing this is to write about the food. I like comfort food. The food that you know and trust and brings you back to that place in life that you love and trust. One of my favorite comfort foods is Meatloaf. My dad makes a very good meatloaf that he has no recipe for. He makes it from memory and he never makes it the same way twice. It is wonderful. I like meatloaf. It reminds me of home and that comfort that only my parents can bring.

The meatloaf meal at Tootie’s starts with coleslaw. My grandma made coleslaw from scratch. It is what I judge all coleslaw against. She used food fresh from the garden that she grew. Tootie’s has fine coleslaw. It is a good start to the meal. When the meal comes it will come in one of two ways, one big piece or two pieces. It just depends on who is in the kitchen that day. You also get a great big dollop of mashed potatoes and gravy. Now I haven’t figured this next part out yet, you get toast with this meal. Sometimes I get two pieces, sometimes three or four. There is just never any consistence with the toast. OK, the meatloaf, it is always moist and tasty. I have never had a dry piece here. The meat is juicy but never greasy. The gravy is yummy and never lumpy. The mashed potatoes are smooth but sometimes a little lumpy, which I like. I think there is a time and place for instant potatoes. This isn’t one of them. They serve real potatoes here.

You will get your beverage refilled constantly throughout the meal. Tootie’s has a wide selection of beer and other beverages, but I usually only have a Coke.

Tootie’s also has a well lit parking lot. They also have a camera pointed out there so I always park where the camera is pointed. Tootie’s is located at 2706 Lowry Avenue North, which is just a few blocks from North Memorial in Robinsdale.