ENGL 388 Review Extravaganza: Review

Doolittles Woodfire Gill Restaurant Review

Doolittles Woodfire Grill was founded in 1989 by owners Lynn Reimer and John Sheehan. The original inspiration for the chains name of Dootlittles comes from the owners’ fascination of aeronautics and the accomplishments of Jimmy Doolittle in the Second World War. The menu and mission is focused around serving quality food for all occasions including woodfired rotisserie chicken.

Atmosphere

Doolittles Woodfire Grill in Alexandria Minnesota starts hinting at its warm decor even before you reach the front door with the smell of the wood burning fire pit located on the outdoor patio. The interior is centered around an inviting u-shaped bar with leather stools and both high top and booth seating surrounding. The dining areas around the exterior walls are mostly made up of booths with tables for larger parties. Overall it has a very elegant and sophisticated appearance but also casual enough that children are welcome. Besides the theme of woodfire cooking the restaurant is filled with vintage airplane murals and memorabilia. One drawback about the atmosphere if you are looking for a place to have an intimate gathering is that there are no completely private areas to reserve for large groups. Reservations can be made, but are not necessary to be seated.

Complimentary Bread) (Woodfire Buffalo Wings)

Appetizers

After ordering drinks the server returned with a basket of warm thinly sliced white bread topped with their seasoning blend accompanied by individual packets of butter. One thing to note is that at lunchtime they will not bring you bread unless requested but at the dinner hour they will bring it automatically. Doolittle’s is known for its signature Woodfire grilling one of the most popular appetizers that the server suggested is their unique Woodfire Buffalo Wings.($9.95) There are fourteen different spices and herbs used in the rub and sauce that contributes to the smoky flavor. Another appetizer that had a lot of flavor was the Grilled Tenderloin Skewers that is served with two fantastic dipping sauces.($11.75) However the meat wasn’t cooked consistently throughout the dish some part were more well done than others.

(Rotisserie Chicken Sandwich) (Flying Tiger Chicken and Peapods)

Main Courses

Doolittles offers a full gluten free menu and there are also kids menus available upon request. Another dish that falls within their realm of Woodfire cooking that I selected was the Rotisserie Chicken Sandwich. This meal is served with a choice of fires, coleslaw or mashed potatoes. ($10.95) When the plate arrived I was surprised that the substantial amount of meat that the sandwich contained. The potato bun was crispy and more dense then a typical white bun. The fontina cheese pared well with the chipotle aioli and completes the whole ensemble. If you are in the mood for something more international inspired I would suggest the Flying Tiger Chicken and Peapods. This stir-fried dish has some kick to it containing carrots, jalapenos, scallions, bell peppers, napa cabbage, peanuts dressed with thai peanut sauce and crispy wontons for a nice crunch texture. ($12.95 L/$14.50 D)

(Chocolate Nirvana) (Key Lime Semifroddo)

Desserts

At Doolittle’s there are specialty desserts that are offered seasonally. One dessert that is consistent on the dessert menu is Mudslide Pie. Mudslide Pie is mainly consisted of a creamy coffee flavored ice cream on an Oreo crust topped with a rich chocolate fudge layer and adorned with whip cream and sliced almonds.

Wines

There is an extensive wine selection at Doolittles Woodfire Grill, in fact the whole backside of the menu is solely consists of wine over fifty in total. Bottles of wine can range from $23 to $79 and glasses from $5.95 to $11.95. They also have a sampling option called Wine Flights if you are interested in testing a series of four different types.

Service

When arriving at the first set of doors during the dinner service I noticed the hostess making a dash to open the second set of doors. Once inside I was greeted in a respectful manor and then lead my party to our table. Our server reached the table and greeted us within moments of us being seated and made suggestions for our drink order. The servers seemed well knowledgeable and checked back once our food arrived to make sure everything was to our liking. However, when coming in for happy hour around 9pm the servers were much less attentive and it was much more casual and there were no hosts to seat us. Overall I have had great experiences with the service and would highly
recommend for the quality of the food at Doolittle’s Woodfire Grill.