Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Maynard's Restaurant Review


If you are looking for a great place to eat that has a wide range of delicious items on the menu, a great atmosphere, even better service and a beautiful view of Lake Minnetonka, right in the heart of Excelsior, is where you will find Maynards restaurant. The restaurant occupies the historic property of the Excelsior amusement park from 1925-1973. Maynard’s has been happily serving their customers since 1998 and I don’t see them stopping any time soon. Sail lake side and park at the docks, cruise through down town and take advantage of free Valet, or ride your bike on the trail until you make it to Maynards.


The restaurant is filled with locals who most of which are regulars at the restaurant, but there are always new
costumers who are welcomed into the Maynard’s community. I have lived right down the road from the restaurant for about 8 years now, and considering the amount of times that I have eaten there, you would think I would be sick of it. Well I’m not. I’m always trying new things on the menu because so many times I end up getting the same thing knowing it will be good; but then again, it’s all good.

After ordering one of the many local beers on tap, my favorite being the Big Island Blond, brewed just down the street at Excelsior Brewing co., Something that is a Midwest must try are the cheese curds. These curds are the best in town. They are the perfect thing to keep the table satisfied while waiting for entrees.

I have three favorite appetizers, and the cheese curds are just the beginning. The Italian waffle fries with seasoned sour cream are a crowd pleaser, but if you don’t order them as an app, be sure to get them as your side, if your meal comes with one. My other favorite appetizer would be the nachos. With every chip being individually cheesed, you always get a perfect bite. I have never seen nachos quite like these:


When it comes to Entrees, there are many things on the menu for everyone, including gluten free items. There are separate menus for the restaurant and the Wharf, but if you want the inside menu outside, there’s a section for that too! Their lunch menu includes appetizers, burgers, desserts, entrees, flatbreads, light meals, salads, sandwiches, sautee entrees, sides, wings, and tacos. Now if you ask me, that’s a nice variety of options and they are all guaranteed to be excellent!

For lunch, I usually end up getting the Frannie's chicken salad. With fresh lettuce, diced tomato's, shredded cheddar cheese, artichokes, avocado, a hard boiled egg, and breaded chicken to top it off, this salad is more than satisfying.



The Dinner menu offers many of the same options, and then some. Something that I must mention that is listed under sandwiches, is the Excelsior. With the perfect combination of smoked bacon, ham, turkey, sliced tomato and Swiss cheese on grilled whole wheat bread, its the perfect combination to make your mouth water.


The summer is by far the favorite time of year to enjoy a Maynard’s experience. With the restaurant inside viewing the lake and the wharf that is built over it, you never miss out on the wonderful view.
                             
                

Happy hour is always a blast and the specials are tailored to everyday of the week. You can always expect great service because the owners of the restaurant hold it to the highest expectations, and the food is always consistent. I would highly recommend Maynard's Restaurant for all ages and all occasions. 

See you there!


4 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great spot. Make sure the photos are working and improve the links. Read this aloud to help hone your voice.

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  2. No Headings, first person, links, no images, and first hand knowledge. It's a good start but unfinished.

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  3. The review definitely meets the expectations for the genre. If I were reading a restaurant review, I would want to hear about meal options, specials, the menu variety and all the other things that Kayla includes. I don't think there is much to be expanded on other than the end where it says "ica food shelf donations" it seems unfinished but I'm sure the picture would make it more coherent. The order flows naturally, she starts at appetizers and works her way through the topics. She does not include headings but I think they might be helpful. The review is written in casual first person which creates the idea that she is writing directly to the reader. It is definitely appropriate that she chose to write this way because if I'm getting a recommendation on a restaurant from someone I want to feel like I trust them. I think headings might be helpful for organization. After seeing the pictures on her computer I think they work well in the review. The food really makes you hungry. Once they are working they will definitely be beneficial to the review. The links are also convenient, once they work they will add to the accessibility of the review. I can really tell that Kayla has been to this restaurant. She has first-hand information about the food that you would only have if you had eaten there.

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  4. The indication of the genre is clearly defined and the overall piece has great voice. However, I would include headings to organize your information because there are points where I feel the content jumps too much. The added photographs does help with picturing the food but make sure all your photographs are showing up. Right now I can't see anything (same with your hypertexts). I also feel that your bodies of content could be longer by either adding bullet points or a deeper explanation of one the food options or atmosphere. By adding more information, this could really help keep the reader's attention and make them realize that this restaurant is the place to go. Other than that, you're off to a great start.

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