Review of Chester Creek Cafe, At Sara's Table
At Sara's Table, Chester Creek Cafe
1902 East 8th Street
Duluth, MN 55812
218-724-6811
www.taransmarketplace.com
At Sara's Table, Chester Creek Cafe is a place that advertises Good Food, Expresso Drinks, Beer and Wine, New & Used Books, Internet Access
The Chester Creek Cafe, At Sara's Table is located in the Taran's Marketplace Building on the corner of 19th Avenue and East 8th Street in Duluth, Minnesota. Google Map Here. (opens in a new window).
Atmosphere: Eclectic, trendy and urban, herbal, homeopathic, all natural, home-grown/made local, entrance filled with bulletin boards, handouts for local events and entertainment, many related to local musicians, palm readers, massage therapists.
First Opinions: When we entered At Sara's Table, Chester Creek Cafe, we walked by a quaint fireplace, past an outdoor patio and endeds in walls lined with new and used books for sale. The dining area was clean and the bathrooms were tidy.
Customer Service: Courteous and helpful.
Menu/Cuisine: Chester Creek Cafe, At Sara's Table has daily menu specials, sandwiches and burgers, shrimp, beef, vegetarian, very few selections for kids. We ordered grill cheese and fries, hamburger, and the middle-Eastern Sampler.
Budget: At Sara's Table, Chester Creek Cafe is a bit pricier as we usually dine on a frugal budget. Portion sizes were moderate in relation to price.
As we were walking in Canal Park by the lighthouse, we asked some of the locals where they would suggest eating dinner for a "real taste" of Duluth. Their first suggestion was At Sara's Table, Chester Creek Cafe. We decided to take them up on this "Dining in Duluth Challenge."
We decided to hunt it down. From downtown head north on Superior to 19th Avenue. Go left and up the hill a ways to East 8th Street.
First impressions were that this place was way too trendy for us. We fall on the conservative side of the tracks and the brochure at the entrance inviting us to a palm reading was a bit over the top. However, we had come all this way, it was well-past supper time, and we were hungry! The kids were muddy and grubby from puddle jumping in Canal Park, but a quick wash up in a clean bathroom helped that. (clean is always a plus).
The atmosphere was hip and urban, with a cozy little fireplace, some funky sculptures on the mantle, and a beautiful bouquet of flowers on the counter advertising a local florist shop.
I was surprised at the menu, being a bit over priced for our frugal budget. We almost left, but the waitress had already served us water twice after child number two decided to spill his while singing "Jesus Love's Me" at the top of his lungs!.
Orders were placed, grilled cheese and fries for the boys, a burger and fries for the frugal and less adventurous Geri, and the Middle-Eastern Sampler for "step-out-of-the box" Chris.
This was not a kids environment. There were no color crayons on the table or cute menus to look at. The waitresses were very friendly and sweet to the kids. We watched the chef chop fresh french fries from the potato (we're pretty sure that McDonald's doesn't do that!)
We drooled over the one inch thick cookies and fresh three inch high cheese cakes in the display. MMMMM!!!
Finally dinner was served. The food looked fresh and smelled delicious. The portions were nicely sized. The grilled cheese sandwich was large enough to split between the two boys. That's always a plus in our book.
Between the kids drenching the table and themselves with spilled water, and our three year old repeatedly blasting his Rescue Hero figure on the floor, singing at the top of his lungs, then refusing to eat anything but french fries, it was not the most quiet and rejuvenating dinner.
As we quickly ate the last morsels of food and tried to evacuate before one more glass was spiled, the server surprised us with a gift certificate for $15.00. She invited us to return to enjoy a date-night with a relaxing glass of wine and politely offered a sweet suggestion that maybe next time we could leave the kids home with grandma! We may just take her up on that offer next time we're in Duluth.
Our rating system is based on our straight forward observations and experiences with each destination.
We judge on the following categories: Atmosphere/Experience, Customer Service, Menu/Cuisine, and Budget.
Atmosphere/Experience:
Eclectic, hip, and urban. Very Clean.
Customer Service:
Excellent, friendly and helpful.
Menu/Cuisine:
Very fresh and flavorful (limited children's menu).
Budget:
Moderate to moderately expensive.
Worth the trip?:
Yes. Chester Creek Cafe, At Sara's Table is definitely a unique destination and dining experience. Vegetarians will feel welcome in the homey atmosphere but you most likely should leave the children at home.
Overall North Star Rating:
We give Chester Creek Cafe, At Sara's Table an overall 4 out of 5 star rating.
Return from At Sara's Table, Chester Creek Cafe to Duluth Dining.
