Tongue in Cheek — Restaurant in Saint Paul

I went on a Saturday around 6 and we had a reservation, the seating isn't super small so on a less busy night (like a tuesday) no need for reservation but it was good to have on a saturday. The decor was eccentric and definitely paired well with the food. The menu is the perfect size and even though it may look small everything on it is done exceptionally well. My table tried the steamed pork buns and jerk roasted cauliflower as our appetizers and both were amazing. The buns were incredibly soft and fluffy, the perfect vessel for the tender pork, the flavor was sweet and salty with the freshness of the pickle and salsa. It was an incredibly flavorful and balanced bite. The jerk roasted cauliflower was so intensely packed with flavor in the best possible way. The cauliflower wasn't overly soft or saturated with sauce and it was the best texture for cooked cauliflower. The jerk flavor was full of spices and a hint of sweetness with the addition of feta, jalapeno, and herbs. It was a wonderful bite, and I highly recommend it. For our entrees, we had Bacon Dashi Ramen, Shrimp and Grits, and the Vegasm and all were exceptional in their own ways. The ramen broth was incredibly fresh but still had that classic umami flavor to it. With the addition of toppings it was like a new flavor in every bite but I adored the pickled ginger in it. It was honestly some of the most creative and delicious ramen I've ever had, and I would come back in a heartbeat for it. The shrimp and grits were much more filling than the ramen with a very salty and savory flavor. There was a lot of depth in the sauce and the contrast with the pickled veggies was delish; the grits had almost a mashed potato texture and it was super creamy. I think it would have been more enjoyable with some type of crunch so maybe get the grilled sourdough with it but overall a very satiating entree. The vegasm is a rotating vegan special and for us it was a curry noodle dish with pickled veggies and deep fried bok choy. It was delicious, the noodles were super chewy and held the flavor of the sauce exceptionally well. The curry flavor was a little sweet but had a mixture of spices. Again, I loved the pickled veggies and crunch from the bok choy, overall a very flavorful dish. We ordered dessert, but I would probably skip it my next time here. We ordered the ode to the dome and fried sponge cake. The ode to the dome consisted of toasted meringue, dark chocolate, buttermilk and peanut butter. I loved the idea of this dessert but wasn't a fan. The meringue was delicious and the chocolate was incredibly smooth but the buttermilk really threw me off. I understand the idea of it with the salty sour flavor to balance out the sweet but it really just gave me a spoiled milk vibe. Although it wasn't my taste it doesn't mean it won't be yours, it was a very creative dessert that If you're curious I highly recommend. The sponge cake came with a blueberry sauce and it was amazing. It was tangy and sweet with a foamy texture and a wonderful addition to the rather boring sponge cake. It was very hard on the outside and rather dry in the middle but the sauce really helped. Overall I had a wonderful time, the ambiance was lovely (although it does get quite loud when it's busy), the staff was exceptional, and you can tell that so much love and care goes into the food here. Truly such a flavorful experience and I highly...

First, any review that is less than 5 stars for this establishment is just plain wrong. Second, between Tongue in Cheek & Bruson's Pub (Across the street) these are the two best restaurants in the Twin Cities, hands down. And somehow, they both ended up on the same street in East St. Paul.

I have been to Tongue in Cheek over a dozen times and I can confidently say this is by far the most consistently perfect eating establishment I've ever been to. I have eaten through the menu- front to back- and never been even slightly disappointed. It blows my mind that restaurants like Porzana, Khaluna, and Spoon and Stable get so much press and recognition, and somehow Tongue in Cheek slips under the radar. Those "James Beard" establishments don't hold a candle to Tongue in Cheek's quality, service, and product; period!

I could talk about this place all day, and matter of fact I find myself doing so...To co-workers, visitors to the Twin Cities, friends, anyone I can. I'll say this, there isn't a bad thing on the menu, but a couple of my all-time favorites are as follows:

The Bacon Dashi Ramen: I have had Ramen at nearly any place that has it on the menu in the Twin Cities (try Staff Meeting sometime!) and this is by far the best, hands down. The smokiness and rich bacon broth is something only heaven could conjure. It is the best ramen broth I have ever had in my life. I get it with the chicken which is always perfectly cooked and the perfect addition to this dish. I think about the Bacon Dashi Ramen at least twice a week, dreaming of it, yearning for another bowl!

Chicken & Waffle: Once again, the best rendition of the classic breakfast staple, chicken and waffles. The batter they use for their waffles has the most perfectly balanced sweetness, along with their incredible chicken and the cilantro and peanuts are a welcome addition as well. The flavor of this dish is outstanding. Like everything on Tongue in Cheeks menu: packed with flavor.

Teasers: I love every teaser I have ever tried from here, but my two ones that I could never not order are East Fried Pride (some serious magic must be used to make this perfect bite on pork belly, melts in your mouth!), and Shroomin' that's packed with the most delicious and rich mushroom flavor.

Crosseyed Mary (Cocktail): My favorite cocktail in the Twin Cities, essentially a bloody mary like martini. The gin is infused with a bunch of vegetables to create this heavenly savory flavor with a hit of garlic. Served up in a martini glass, I have to stop myself from drinking more than two every visit. For the savory cocktail lover, this is a must!

Also, the service here is always so dang good. Every single person-front of house to back of house is a master of their craft.

In conclusion, thank you Tongue in Cheek for being my favorite place in the world to eat and drink. I am a forever fan...

I've been eyeing this place for quite some time. I've always wanted to try it. I'm glad I finally did. This place had excellent service. Prices are reasonable. "Tastes" are pretty literal, as in they are 1-2 bite servings. We didn't get any appetizers. The plating was immaculate, like we were in a fine dining place or something.

What we had:

East Side Pride (pork belly): very tasty. However, it is a very thick and fatty piece.

Sgt. Peppers (lightly battered and fried shishito peppers): delightful. Nicely crispy, has a slight sweetness, and the sauce has a lighter taste than I expected, which was a good surprise.

Bacon & Egg: presentation meets flavor. This left me wanting more. The texture of the extremely smooth avocado puree contrasted the crust of the deconstructed egg. And "bacon powder" sprinkled on top?! Need I say more?! The latter was not overpowering or overly salty at all. The inside of the battered egg took me by surprise, texture-wise. It was a mousse, but not so soft that it squished out when I spooned only ½ of it, so my BFF could have the other ½.

Shroomin': sadly disappointing. It wasn't bad, per se, but I wouldn't order it again, which I'm really surprised because I love shitake mushrooms. The added Agave must have made it too sweet for my preference (I prefer mushrooms savory). The deep-fried enoki topping made the overall bite a fun texture.

Weekend at Bennies (cold salmon benedict): AMAZING! I'll have to say that it is by far my favorite salmon benedict that I've had thus far, dethroning the one I had at The Gnome. It doesn't have capers like The Gnome's, but that is not missed at all because it instead has dollops of avocado puree and whatever-the-orangish-pureed-concoction-is-that-tastes-phenominal (has a creamy, light, almost curry-like flavor) on the side. The hollandaise sauce was flavored deliciously, served in the perfect quantity (not too little & not drowning in it), and the poached egg was cooked to precision. I even really enjoyed the side salad.

Espresso Martini: yummy, not overly-sweet (as preferred) and you can barely taste the alcohol. 👍👍

When Doves Cry: bright, refreshing paloma-like drink without much of a boozy taste. 👍👍

Blackberry Basil Panna Cotta (not pictured): absolutely DEVINE! The texture, flavor & sweetness were on point. What...