Two weeks ago I was invited to a VIP event to preview Cafe Zupas, a new restaurant opening in Woodbury. I could bring a guest, so I called up my Aunt Kathy who lives and works in Woodbury. She actually works just down the road from their location, so it was perfect!
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| If you’ve been in the Mountain West, you’ve likely heard of Cafe Zupas. They’re now expanding to the Midwest, and Minnesota is the first state they’re opening in. |
Cafe Zupas makes all of their soups, spreads, and dressings fresh every day. I was able to watch them making their menu items through a large display window outside the kitchen: chopping, sauteing, and blending like crazy. Nothing says made fresh and made-to-order like that!
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| Kathy and I stopping for a picture while we try to decide what to order |
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| I was impressed at how quickly they’re able to make an order. I don’t know about you, but I don’t eat out often, but when I do I’m looking for something really quick, fresh, and healthy – exactly this! |
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| I ordered the Turkey Bacon Avacado sandwich, Garden Chowder soup, Strawberry Harvest Chicken salad with the Chocolate Layer cake as a dessert. |
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| I was so excited to be able to invite my aunt to enjoy the event and lunch with me! We’ve decided to schedule a monthly lunch or dinner together to catch up and visit. Cafe Zupas is right near her work so I think we’ll be eating there often! |
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I can’t decide what I loved most: my sandwich, soup, or salad. Honestly, they were all SO good.
For $8.79 you can choose 2 items (soup, salad, sandwich), and they will come with a side of bread and a chocolate covered strawberry.
Speaking of that strawberry: it was the first one I’ve eaten that didn’t leave me trying to catch chocolate as it broke off in chunks after a first bite. I thought to myself, ahh! This is what they’re supposed to be like! 🙂 |
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| I won a giveaway for my fast social media fingers! |
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| I was so excited to try the layered cake that I dove in before I remembered to take a picture. Oops. Yes, it is as good as it looks. |
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| My aunt’s Salted Carmel Creme Brulee. I think I enjoyed it over my chocolate layer cake? That surprised me, usually nothing tops a chocolate dessert for me! I’m excited to try their chocolate Creme Brulee next time… mmm… |
To enter the giveaway, comment below on what you’ll order from their menu and who you’ll enjoy lunch with! Winner to be selected at 5:00 on Wednesday 10/7/15, so get your commenting hat on! Not so subtle suggestion, ha: your favorite coach and blogger would never turn down an invitation to lunch! Who wouldn’t want to talk training/racing/coaching?!?
I already anticipate comments from Craig and Jeff “a real woman” below, inviting their favorite non-Nichole favorite coach/blogger :).
Have heard about that place, right near a friends house and we were talking about meeting there for lunch! Would love to try the kale and quinoa salad
I am your faithful blog reader, supporter, oh and your aunt. If I won I would agree to take the gifter to lunch.
I would try the glazed chicken chop salad. Either Nichole or my husband could go with me, depending on who could fit me into their schedule first!
The crab avocado melt and a cup of the quinoa roasted veggie soup sounds like the perfect fall meal! Gotta bring my sis since we never have enough time to gab.
So great to see you back in the blogosphere, Nichole! Looking forward to a run with you sometime soon. Amy Olson
Oh man, it all looks so good!! And because we hardly ever eat out, you want to make the right choice!! So I think I would get the roasted red pepper and lobster soup paired with the glazed chicken chipotle salad. Hmm, my mouth is watering!! I think I would take my sister because she would so appreciate this menu!!
Does the try 2 have to be 2 different things or could I double up on tasty soup? I would bring Gandhi, because I don't think he even eats food so I could eat his two soups also. Although if he did eat food and was not dead he would probably eat at this place.
It was a hard choice but: lobster bisque soup and pesto chicken sandwich. I'd bring you, because that would be awesome! Jamie Elskamp
I suppose I would take my lovely wife. It sounds yummy 🙂
Fresh herb chicken sandwich and Asian citrus salad, please! Though the whole thing looks amazing. I'd probably grab a girlfriend I haven't visited with in a long time so we could catch up – what a great excuse!
Roasted veggie and qunioa and a mangoberry salad.
As far as the other person I would probably bring along my new Coach. Coach Mesa isn't allowed into fancy establishments like this so therefore I would get her food to go.
OOOH now I'm hungry.
I just realized the try 2 is a 1/2 order of each a soup or salad. What do they do with the other 1/2 of the order? Why do they want to waste food?
I am with Jeff, the roasted veggie & quinoa salad. I would bring Mesa too but since she can't go I will take Greta…she sings the best songs during runs. 🙂