Mallards Southern Kitchen — Restaurant in Forest Lake

I can only say AMAZING things about this restaurant! The food, the drinks, the service are all top-notch. My sister and I were here for lunch on a Sunday at mid-afternoon and it was not too terribly busy but still hopping. The menu was updated on May 1st and there is a wide selection. The starters are $2 off all day on Sundays and we started with the corn fritters and the daily bread. They came out very quickly, no more than 5 minutes. The corn fritters are served with a corn salsa, avocado cream, and slices of lime, and the fritters are topped with a spicy mayo type sauce and cilantro. The flavors blended BEAUTIFULLY! Absolutely delicious and I wish there was more than the three pieces it comes with but then again we had plenty of food on the way. The daily bread comes with 3 spreads, honey butter, jam, and pimento cheese. With a fabulous loaf of sliced bread, the range of flavors wowed us for a simple bread appetizer. Perfectly light, well-balanced appetizers before the entrees and I regret not taking pictures (I was very hungry with no patience). For entrees, we each chose a pasta dish. My sister had the wild mushroom pappadelli with blackened salmon. The salmon is not usually served with this pasta, but it was requested. The blackened seasoning, according to my sister, does not match the pasta dish but nevertheless the salmon was delicious and cooked to perfection. Long, wide homemade noodles and fresh, robust wild mushrooms were the highlight of this dish. Served in a wine sauce with a bit of cream, the dish came together perfectly. Not too saucy, not too dry, and neither over- or underwhelming. Wonderful comfort food that doesn't put you to sleep. As for my pasta dish, I got the ever popular lobster mac and cheese. Now, if you are looking for a nice and comfy comfort food, you cannot go wrong with this one. Cavatappi noodles, lobster meat, and bacon in a creamy cheese sauce and topped with fresh green onions, this twist on a classic pasta dish hits all the spots! Incredible flavor, and cooked to perfection, this is easily my favorite. The lobster mac and cheese has been on the menu since the beginning (if my memory serves right). There is a reason why it has not left and I don't think it will go away anytime in the foreseeable future. There is something for everyone here and it is the perfect destination for any occasion. Thanks for listening to my TEDtalk. Have a great day and...

Staying in the Forest Lake area for a couple of overnights, I decided on a whim to take my lady out to dinner. The only problem was, neither of us knew the area too well. And so, our quest began. It wasn't a long, arduous journey, to be fair. We settled on Mallards fairly swiftly, convinced it was our best option. To say it was our best decision that entire weekend would be quite the understatement. We were at Running Aces, where I found myself reeling after two consecutive hands - in which I was dealt pocket Aces and then pocket Kings - turned my healthy stack of chips into dust. I usually prefer to get fcked AFTER someone buys me dinner, not before. Anyway, this was our situation, and so we forged a path onwards to our salvation. First impressions were superb. The menu had attracted us, but the location and venue were equally impressive. The menu on scene was a little updated to the one we had seen online, which was actually a bonus, as it included other things we thought sounded really tasty. It's worth noting that I am a notoriously picky eater, but I found myself wanting to be a little more daring here. Everything just seemed of a higher standard than we were even expecting. We were even talking about how this could become a regular spot for us whenever we visit the area, before the food had even arrived! And it was glorious, by the way. Simply excellent, without any flaw whatsoever. Given all this, the most surprising thing of all was the price. Though there were only two of us, we ordered three plates (one to share) - so much of their menu sounded just too damn good to pass up - and our bill still only landed at just under $70 (plus tip). We did only drink water, but still, we've had our wallets shredded for significantly worse experiences elsewhere. Magnificent. For dessert, we returned to Running Aces, where I was dealt another round of pocket Aces, only to find myself getting fcked again. So that was both before AND after dinner. Wow, that would normally be a good night. Not this time. Except for Mallards. They get the easiest five star review I've written for quite a while....

I have only been to Mallards a few times and my last experience will have me as a customer for life. NYE it was packed but thankfully I had a reservation. We got there early & sat at the bar. After a little while of no service (REALLY not a big deal, it was BUSSYY) a guy behind the bar took our drink order & a few minutes later we were at our table. My drink was perfect, and my boyfriends was great, nice and stiff. You were out of prime rib but the replacement was MAGNIFICENT. I definitely not complaining. A bit into our meal that same guy from behind the bar approached us, asking if I needed a new one - & he remembered what it was. He asked my boyfriend if it was OK, as he hadn't drank much. We chatted very briefly and off he went. I saw him a few times at various tables throughout the night so I just knew he was the manager. A bit later I grabbed his attention and asked for another drink since he made the first one, and you know, it was perfect! We ended up chatting for a bit after he dropped it off & I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed the conversation with Mark. He was friendly and bubbly, accommodating and extremely generous & every person that passed by as they left he said goodbye to or shared a laugh with. I told him he would be the reason we would return & I meant it. His service (coupled with our servers, Alex) was above & beyond what you see nowadays and it was a perfect way to spend NYE. Mark ended up flipping us a few free beer tokens and I know we cannot wait to come back. Please never lose Mark or Alex. They are gems, truly. Mark, if you see this, thank you for making our NYE memorable and gaining customers for life. Apologies for gushing, but it was an experience I felt deserved to be shared. Thank you Mallards for the wonderful food & for employing some of the best staff around, and thank you again to both Mark & Alex for their incredible service, especially on a night usually filled with...