Auntie B's Wax

After skipping last month’s Dive Night outing due to pressing and exhausting personal matters Husby and I once again met up with Ruthie and Ray for an evening of culinary and atmospheric experimentation.  Tin Cup’s is the place, and if any of you are familiar with St. Paul, MN, it is located in St. Paul’s Rockin’ East Side.  *gulp*

We weren’t even sure if Tin Cup’s was still in business, so Husby called to confirm.  Not only are they open (and under new ownership) the woman on the phone called him Sweetie when telling him about the Friday Night Fish Fry.  Sweetie.  You know a place has got to be good when the staff refers to patrons as Sweetie.

This is Michelle. She served us in a most friendly and efficient manner. I don’t think she called anyone Sweetie, but there might have been a Darlin’ or a Hon.

The place was decked out for Easter, which was kind of a contradiction to the overall environment, at least in my opinion.  The chair covers were definitely surreal.  But who am I to criticize anyone expressing a festive holiday mood?

I really liked the lights hanging above each of the booths though.

Tres Cool!

There were three TVs playing: one was showing The Big Bang Theory, the second was showing Wheel of Fortune, and the third was showing a golf game.  If it were football season would they all be showing football?  Hard to know, but when we were there the variety of viewing pleasure was ample.

We weren’t there to watch TV though.  As usual we started out with a drink.  We’re not too creative when it comes to cocktails.  Ruthie and I usually get a glass of wine and the guys usually get a beer.  (Special note to Charlotte: they have Guinness!)

And what’s a bar on the East Side without pull tabs?  Tin Cup’s has ’em.  We saved our money for the food.

Paper Crack

Time for the appetizers. We went cheesy, with a cheese quesadilla and cheese curds. The quesadilla was complete with lettuce and tomatoes, sour cream and salsa. Curds came with a yummy ranch dip.

On to the entrees.  Husby, Ruthie, and Ray all ordered the fish fry.  They ordered the three-piece dinner, but for two dollars more you can get all-you-can-eat.  Now that we’re older we can’t really eat much more than three pieces, so it was great plenty.  The fish came with french fries and coleslaw.

Ruthie described the fish as hot, flaky, and plump. Ray and Husby agreed ~ all three were very happy with their meals.

For the sake of testing out the menu a little, and because I never have been one to do what everyone else does, I ordered the Minnesota Wrap.  Our server Michelle said it’s really good and really big.  I’m all for that.  What’s a Minnesota Wrap?  Walleye fingers, lettuce, tomato and sauce all rolled up in a tortilla.  I don’t do tomatoes so I asked Michelle to keep those out of my wrap.  She was right, it was pretty big.  Unfortunately there was way too much lettuce and not enough walleye.  Oh, it was good, but I guess I never realized how tiny the fingers of a walleye really are.

The Minnesota Wrap. I got a dumb picture of this as you can’t even see the inside of the wrap. There was lots of lettuce and some very tiny fish fingers inside.

My wrap also came with french fries and coleslaw.  I really liked the slaw, creamy and sweet.  The fries were good and hot.  My favorite part of getting french fries with fish is I get to dip the fries in tartar sauce.  Delish!

Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.

I’d definitely go back to Tin Cup’s and try some burgers and all the other things they have to offer.  I’m pretty sure I’d see many of the same people at the bar too.  Seems to be a place of regulars.  I especially liked the curly-headed lady.  Hair was dyed jet black with a poodle-style perm.  She had to have been pushing eighty years old and most likely has been sitting at a bar her entire life.  She has a hump on her back to prove it.  Party on!

She’s a wild thing.

All in all I liked Tin Cup’s.  The service was great, the food was tasty, plentiful and hot and served in a timely manner.  The clientelle ranges from people like Poodle Lady (pictured above) to families with small children.  One drawback we encountered was the windshield washer guy outside the restaurant when we left.  You know, those guys who squeegee your windshield and then want money for it even though you didn’t want your windshield washed in the first place?  Totally obnoxious, but I suppose the guy’s got to earn a living somehow.  We managed to avert his unwelcome wash water by taking a different exit out of the parking lot.

Check out Tin Cup’s if you haven’t already.  It’s located on the corner of Rice Street and Maryland Avenue in St. Paul’s Rockin’ East Side.  Chances are pretty good someone will call you Sweetie.