My wife surprised me this Valentine's Day with an assortment of yummy truffles made locally here in…read moreLakeville. Masterpiece Chocolates is a fairly new store that focuses on making high quality chocolates with either local or sustainable sourced ingredients. The assorted truffles we sampled were all of very good quality. I especially liked their Raspberry Truffle, it had a bright and fresh berry pop with each bite. Turns out the raspberries are locally sourced from their own backyard garden. They have a standard menu as well as a few rotating feature flavors to choose from. They are still a pretty small operation so hours are somewhat limited but well worth the trip to try out the chocolates! A lot of love goes into their products and you can taste it!

My wife and I were out and about in Edina, MN and my friend had given me a See's lollipop a couple…read moremonths ago and they have a See's in Southdale. Yes, Please. They had a special for $26 for 30 lollipops. If you have never had a See's lollipop, they are better than any lollipop you have ever had. Super rich and creamy and flavorful. They have a lot more flavors than they had when I was a kid. There was only chocolate and caramel and butterscotch when I was a kid. Now they have flavors like sugar free stuff, coffee, vanilla, just too many to name. They are so wonderful. The lady at the checkout was very nice and we even got a few samples of a chocolate coconut piece of candy when we went in. See's was a big thing in California, so I am glad to see some in Minnesota.

This is te best quality candy I have ever had. I have had some every year for about 10 years…read more It's always very special.

The in-laws being in town was the exact excuse I needed to finally stop in here, and oh heck yeah,…read moreI anticipate many future stops. The place doesn't have a big footprint, but it doesn't need to. Types of chocolates are arranged based on their flavors, like those with peanut butter, those with fruit, those with mint, those with fudge, etc. Trust, there's plenty to choose from, and each flavor has a bin of samples available for you to try. I didn't wanna go TOO ham scarfing down sample after sample, limiting myself to four in order to make a decision about what I wanted to bring home (the winner ended up being Orange With Envy Pecans but the Yellow Jackets were tempting). Pricing is a little steep, but you're getting a really good quality product that's produced locally, supporting a small business. I've been weening myself off generic candy (like Nestle and Mars) because it may be cheap but it just isn't quality or that satisfying ultimately. So I'm glad to have found the Droolin' Moose (which is conveniently about a five minute drive from my house) as an alternative temptation. They do have a loyalty program with a stamp card so that every twelve cups you buy, you'll get lucky number thirteen for free. Huzzah! Yes, all the candies are packaged in cups, which have a fun new design for each season! A little something to collect if you want. ;) I also noticed their catalogue which had many boxes or options to bulk order that reduce the price some. They also offer shipping, which may prove dangerous for my in-laws visiting from California, LOL. They also had various apparel for purchase, as well as greeting cards and little plush moose. The employee working there was courteous and helpful, taking the time to explain the store to us since we were newcomers. The parking lot at this location is quite dinky and only fits five or six cars. Turning in off busy Lyndale can be a smidge nerve-wracking, just be warned.

We stopped in on our way home, and I'm so glad we did! The shopping experience was relaxed and…read morecasual, with friendly customer service that made us feel welcome. There's also a spacious free parking lot, which made the visit even more convenient. One of my favorite things was being able to sample different chocolates and candies before deciding what to buy. My top favorites were the Big Shots, the combination of rich milk chocolate and coconut was absolutely delicious. The Cherry Bombs were another standout!! the chocolate covered cherries were so good its hard to have just one. I was also pleasantly surprised by the Yellow Jackets. I wasn't sure if I would like them, but they completely won me over and will definitely be on my must buy list the next time we visit. They were crunchy and the lemon flavor wasn't artificial at all. Whether you're looking for a thoughtful gift or simply want to treat yourself, this is a great place to stop. The quality of the chocolate is excellent, and for the amount you get, I definitely think it's worth the price. We'll definitely be back!

Service leaves a lot to be desired! I was interested in learning a bit more about the flavors and…read morerecommendations the baker/cashier was not interested in assisting much. I did end up getting the wedding cake cupcake. It was okay. The cupcake itself is a bit dry and the frosting is not sweet (the baker did warn me). I quite enjoyed the lemon filling but don't know if I'd be returning due to the flavor. They do offer treats for dogs so that's a win! They also have macaroons and non cupcake treats. It is very quiet and clean inside, great for an intimate conversation or study session. Glad I was finally able to try this place!

I got the gf salted Carmel and my husband got the regular peanut butter crunch. The cupcakes were…read moregood but that's it. They were good. The frosting was very very very light whipped with little flavor. The cupcake itself was moist and tasty but lacking. We've had better (both gf and regular cupcakes). Price wise isn't bad. We weren't blown away. If you're looking for cupcakes (gf or regular) there are more flavorful options available. The people that worked at the location were very nice.

If you are in the MSP airport and looking for a treat for you or someone else, stop by this delish…read morechocolate store! I was looking for some treats for my co-workers and there was such a great selection, I picked up a few things! They have great turtles and the chocolate rates high for me! It is smooth and fresh and you can't go wrong for the price! The staff there is super friendly and knowledgeable. The store is always clean and it is stocked with every kind of chocolate you would want! Def recommend!

They have an abundance of sweets to choose from. It was hard to choose which caramel apple but we…read moresettled on the pecan pie apple. It was delicious! We couldn't have asked for anything better. However the other items we bought were good but nothing that blew us away. The shop itself was nice and clean. The service was fast and the people were helpful. If you are looking for a delicious caramel apple and other sweets you can't go wrong at Rocky Mountain.

A few weeks ago, I walked by this Lindt Chocolates store at Eagan Outlet Mall. It had a window…read moredisplay of bears. Without much thought, I walked in. I was immediately offered a gingerbread chocolate as a free sample. I thanked the woman and continued to browse as I savoured it. Another woman came up to me and offered a sample. "Do you normally give out more than one sample?" I asked her. "No. Did you get one?" she asked me. "Yes, which would explain my answer," I replied. "Oh, I didn't know," she replied. I knocked off a star in my rating for a lack of communication between staff members handling samples. If I weren't so honest, I would have inhaled two gingerbread chocolates. Not horrible, but it wouldn't sit well with me. At the rate that they are going at, they could slowly lose their inventory with dishonest moochers. They need to give the impression that they know what they are doing. I was so happy to see no-sugar-added chocolates. I bought a few of them to taste-test. They were yummy. They were also sold by weight, so it can add up if you feel like getting a pound of chocolates. I went to pay for my items. I didn't know that Lindt has a rewards program, so I signed up for it. I used a credit card to pay for my purchase. Done! Even though a bought a small bag of chocolates, I brought some of them back to Markham. Still yummy. Still deadly. No complaints here. If I am craving chocolate, it's worth dropping by this Lindt store. If you feel like getting more than one free sample, I'm sure that you can get away with it! (468)

This shop is proof that samples really do equal sales. Upon entry, you are offered a choice between…read more2 flavor options- usually a staple, like the original or a seasonal, like the snickerdoodle. I opted for the snickerdoodle this round, then purchased a bulk bag at regular price. A proud moment when I didn't get talked into the upsale for the discounts! Even if you don't plan to buy, swing in and have a sample and a look. It smells great!

It wasn't there. And I'm so hungry! The directions took me to a gas station??? Really bummed out.read more

I've seen Tacos Tacuba food truck in Burnsville many times with super long lines even during a…read morepandemic. Finally, I decided to try it upon recommendation. What a great decision! Everything is made to order of course they have a few specialties but the most popular is their quesadillas and volcan. I tried 3 tacos- cochinto pibil, chorizo and chicken definitely get the chorizo! Make sure to get the volcan with chorizo!

First and foremost, the staff was outstanding!! Very friendly, from the hostess that greeted us to…read morethe waitress, Jenni, that served us. She was absolutely perfect. Her food knowledge and suggestions were spot on!! You could tell she was passionate about her job and the place she works. The next time we go there we will asked to be seated in her section. The food was outstanding!! I had the Seafood Cannelloni and my wife the Parmesan Shrimp. The Cannelloni was perfectly done, well seasoned and the portion was enough to share some with my wife and satisfied my appetite!! The shrimp, lightly coated and pan fried, came hot and cooked with a perfect texture. We chose the Crème Brulee for dessert. It was sinfully delicious!! You gotta try it. From the decor to the place being over the top clean, to the staff to the whole experience, Chianti Grill is a hidden Gem!! You have to visit. We will definitely be back!! Thanks Jenni you made a return customer out of us!!

Chianti is really our go-to restaurant. It's in our neighborhood, which is a bonus. Their steaks…read morerival their sister restaurant, Porterhouse, and the service is ALWAYS incredible. This last time we visited, Mitchell was our server and he was simply amazing. He made our experience fun and so much more enjoyable. We will definitely ask for a table "under his umbrella" going forward. The food at Chianti never disappoints. Tonight I had the lasagna which was everything you want it to be. My husband had the short ribs which fell apart on his plate and he said he didn't even have to chew because it was so tender. I can't say enough about Chianti. After COVID, they have found their niche in opening at 4pm and doing a fantastic dinner business. The restaurant is always busy. We often take advantage of having dinner in the bar for happy hour where the service is equal to the main restaurant (except Mitchell isn't there!) For all the reasons stated, we will continue to be regular customers at Chianti.