Taste of Scandinavia Bakery & Cafe — Restaurant in North Oaks

I came here with my mother as a means of exploring new places to eat at. However to my disappointment there is little to compliment about the food that I received at a price of $11.99, which was the Old Fashioned Pot Roast. I’m only giving them a little slack since as a bakery something like a pot roast wouldn’t be their speciality compared to other menu items such as pancakes, toasts, and pastries.

With an order total at $32 combined with coffee, I thought it was a bit pricey. The cashier also attempted to force my mother into paying a tip, saying that there were only button options 1, 2, and 3(pre-determined tip amounts in %) on the kiosk. When in reality, option 4(custom tipping) was also a thing that she didn’t mention. Overall service was minimal to none, but I understand since the place was filled with people when we were there.

It took a bit long for our food to come out and when it did it initially looked good- the gravy on top of the “pot roast” made it seem as if it would be nice and hot, having the same effect for the mashed potatoes, which I noticed that it was scooped to look like vanilla ice scream scoops of three. It was a telltale sign for me that the mashed potatoes on my plate were likely not made in house but rather pre-made somewhere else and frozen, or was simply instant mashed potatoes. Most importantly, some parts of it were also cold even with the gravy on top. When looking at it from a customer’s perspective, that is equivalent to that of a slap on the face after paying a higher than average price for a simple meal. The only plausible part of it was the gravy which I enjoyed tasting. It had a hint of saltiness and still retained the richness of a brown beef gravy.

Next, the beef portion of the pot roast. It was rather dry, and chewy in texture. It was also not hot whatsoever, and felt like someone had microwaved it a few seconds short. Some pieces of the beef felt overcooked and came apart like wood chips out of a playground. There were no dense pieces of meat like a fresh pot roast would be made out of, and no cooked vegetable in sight(like carrots, celery, onion), apart from the half-steamed broccolis that came with the order.

The broccoli was barely cleaned properly/not trimmed to be presentable. My final deduction of this review is that even if the food I got that time wasn’t up to expectation, I wouldn’t mind coming here again since the pastries still caught my eye. However if you are planning to come here for meat-based meals I wouldn’t recommend. Next time I am here I will try the breakfast...

Lunch at Taste of Scandinavia; a European Style bakery It's a welcoming atmosphere, and many of the patrons appear to be neighbors, standing and leaning over the half-wall partition, chatting with other tables of seated guests. There is a conquering spirit of determination among those who venture out in Minnesota's sub-zero temperatures, and there is the distinct feeling this is Scandinavian/Viking territory. But now, I wonder, what do those with Nordic heritage eat for lunch? My friend, Mary motions to me, and I unbundle, creating a bulky pile of coat and scarf and mittens on the chair beside me. We approach the counter to place our order. Bakery items in tall glass cases, at the front of the café, display an endless assortment of homemade breads and lemony iced pastries with a sprinkling of almonds and walnuts. They have themed-names like Norwegian Almond Kringler and Scandinavian Holly Berry sandwich. My friend orders a salad with Norwegian salmon. She is presented with an 8 oz. portion of salmon on a crisp bed of red and green veggies. It looks delicious, but the bakery is tempting me mightily, and I can't resist ordering something decadent. I select the Belgian Waffle with fresh strawberries, whipped cream and chocolate shavings. It's inspirational. The waffle is warm and maple-syrupy, and the fresh strawberries are a healthy boost to my immune system. Three large urns of much-needed coffee are available for customers to help themselves. The coffee is lightly roasted with a vanilla bean kind of vibe and goes down smoothly. Cupping my hands for warmth around the coffee mug, I look first at the handmade artwork hanging from the walls; depicting scenes of children frolicking in the snow, of wintering red cardinals, and a clothesline strung with mittens and stocking hats. Then, looking out the window I see the sparkling scenery of this December afternoon, and appreciate the playful artistic expressions. Now taking a peek at the bill, which is a combined total (both meals, and coffee) for under $20, I am astounded! You won't find prices and portions of this quality and quantity in my downtown neck of the woods. My friend and I hug good-bye, but I linger, ordering a hearty salmon salad to take home. Opening the café door to a blast of wind and the luminous-white, frozen landscape, all I can say is “Uffda!” It may require the heart of a Viking to be a Minnesotan, but you will eat well at Taste of...

My husband and I have been coming to the North Oaks location for quite a while. The food is phenomenal (Sweet Scandinavian Lefse Breakfast and Pulla French Toast are our usual orders). However, the seating situation (and organization around it) is seriously lacking, especially in the colder months. While during the summer, they have a beautiful patio space, during the winter, seating is very limited indoors.

This morning we went and it was really busy when we walked in. By the time we ordered and got our number, we realized all the tables were completely full. We ended up standing around for 15 minutes, hoping a table would leave. Our drinks and our food came out to us and we still didn't have a table. The one table that did clear out was pounced on by another family that came in and clearly was given stuff to go but sat down anyway. You shouldn't have to stalk a table and stand over them, waiting for them to leave. Nevermind the horrifically rude folks who were sitting with empty plates and cups just talking, eating up table space. We ended up asking for our food to be put in to-go containers and we left. They only offered a pastry as an apology which seemed really meaningless especially when we spent $50 on breakfast.

Our frustration was if you know you only have a set number of tables, pay attention to if they are full and don't keep handing out numbers if it's full and there is no seating. It makes you look incompetent and unable to keep track of what's happening in the restaurant.

We probably won't be back to this location. Very disappointed. The Little Canada location usually always has seating and is just...