Convenient to my hotel, the Exchange Food & Drink in Brooklyn Center, MN (suburban Twin Cities) seemed like a good location to tote a big group, of all different ages and palates. Mostly, it was. The menu features sandwiches, ‘bar food,’ burgers, salads, and a few entrees.
Exchange is ‘mildly spendy’ but fairly large servings.
The food was generally well received by our party of ten, and there were no delays in serving the entire party,which is good.
I had the Cuban sandwich, which followed the traditional recipe (made with ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard), but the kitchen tamps it down with a panini press. It was a little “over-panini-ed,” and the bread wasn’t very reminiscent of a traditional “Cuban bread,” usually used for this sandwich.
I have to call the restaurant on a couple things:
1) “Angus burger” is not a designation that means anything, as 80% of the beef cattle in America are angus. If you see “angus” on a menu you can yawn. If you see “certified black angus” you can smile.
2) “House cut fries” – they must have been out of them, as the fries that came with the sandwiches were not house cut or cut anywhere for that matter. They were an extruded fry, made from a mashed potato slurry, pushed through a mold, flash fried and quick frozen before being shipping to the restaurant.
Finally, in a world where everyone has become a foodie (or critic), it’s always disappointing to find a wait staff that isn’t very knowledgeable about a menu or ingredients – nor do they offer to go check with the kitchen, instead punting their way through a non-answer. Oh well.
Should you go? Sure, why not, especially as it is an oasis in an area that is fairly lacking in restaurants. Should you make a special trip? That’s up to you. I wouldn’t.
Cuban Sandwich
Exchange Review