We’re back with our next installment of Griffin’s Food Fight adventures and if it’s got you craving chicken wings, there’s still time to get in on the action! Punch cards are available at the Neighbors office or by clicking here.
—–
A pleasant Sunday drive (it was actually a Wednesday) through the bluffs of Butler Avenue from Neighbors brings me to my second destination: the Cherokee Tavern. Though the brief walk from my street parking spot to the front door was crisp in the February winter air, I was met with a warm hello and a friendly smile by our hostess in a restaurant.
The Cherokee Tavern boasts an impressive seating space, an eclectic menu of new and old favorites, and an intimate back room where one might be able to rub elbows with West St. Paul’s best and brightest (I assume; all conjecture). It’s also a great place to host banquets, wedding receptions and private dinners.
As I sat back and mused on the creative mixture of modern art, photography and Valentine’s decorations that adorned the walls, I had almost forgotten that we had ordered food until the welcoming aroma of jerk chicken wings found its way from the plate directly in front of me to my nostrils.
Full disclosure: I don’t know what flavors normally characterize jerk wings, but, in my amateur taste-testing opinion, these were the real deal. A little spice to animate the palette and a little sweet to give you a pat on the back for making the right decision. The chicken was tender and cooked to perfection, the service exemplary. Pro tip: pair these babies with the bleu cheese dipping sauce to round out the flavor spectrum and impress friends with your culinary acumen.
If you were to fire through your meal with a downed head and a closed heart, you would miss the real treasure of this place: the people. Jim, the owner, came to greet us near the end of our meal: “Hope you enjoyed everything,” he said. “Don’t forget to rate us well!” It was this small, but important, gesture (along with the food) that ensured my likely future return to the Cherokee Tavern.
Another day, another delicious stop on this, my chicken wing adventure. Be seeing you!
-Griffin Danes
