It’s fascinating to note how geographically disparate cuisines invent the same thing at the same time. In this case, we’re thinking about rolls. Food wrapped up in a roll is globally popular: think of burritos, egg rolls, sushi, wraps—you get the picture—each distinct in itself, yet each one in roll form. The appeal is obvious: rolls are versatile, convenient and bursting with creative culinary opportunity. From easy-to-walk-and-eat street food to dainty nibbles at a royal tea, yumminess rolls everywhere. Check out a few of our best local rolled-up wonders.
Holiday Cannoli
Roma Restaurant Bar and Market
Cannoli, meaning “little tube” in Italian, is a classic Sicilian dessert and the stuff of legend— who can forget the famous “leave the gun, take the cannoli” line in The Godfather? A cannoli is made from a deep-fried, rolled up, crackly and bubbled shell and filled with a creamy, lightly sweetened ricotta. There is always a featured cannoli at Roma, made in-house. If you’re lucky, you’ll snag a holiday version, made with mint-flavored liqueur and studded with a profusion of peppermint sprinkles. A light dusting of white chocolate heralds the heavenly intensity of this pastry. $4. 460 Stillwater Road, Willernie; 651.653.4733.
Carne Asada Burrito
Casa Lupita
The word burrito means “little donkey.” Perhaps because this popular Mexican conflagration of meat, vegetables, rice and whatnot rolled into a soft flour tortilla can be about the size of a small pack animal. We love the carne asada burrito ($7.15) at Casa Lupita: a large flour tortilla stuffed with your choice of black or refried beans and carne asada, i.e., grilled steak. Add lettuce, pico de gallo and whatever else you desire; definitely include some creamy, cooling guacamole for 50 cents. This beloved “hole-in-the-wall” type joint keeps a low profile next to an abandoned gas station: look for the small “Tacos and Burritos” sign. It’s worth the hunt. 1350 Highway 96 E., White Bear Lake; 651.348.7571.
Mini Morning Buns
Kowalski’s mini morning buns are a standout in the market’s pantheon of delicious house-baked treats: they’re tender, flaky and buttery, dipped in cinnamon sugar and rolled up like a snail. It’s not every morning that you get to unravel and savor such heaven; pick some up to share with office mates or pump up a weekend brunch. A selection includes 18 original and 18 caramel pecan beauties for $24.95. 4391 S. Lake Ave., White Bear Lake; 651.429.5913.
Shrimp Spring Rolls
Rice paper is a handy Asian wrapper, supple and neutral-flavored, used in myriad rolls and buns. Orchid’s shrimp spring roll makes excellent finger food, a bounty of texture and taste bound in soft rice paper. Fresh shrimp snuggle up with springy rice noodles, lettuce and lots of cilantro. The rice paper is steamed until translucent, so you can see vague pink and green shapes straining at the wrapper. A light meal for one or a lovely app for a couple, these rolls are bright with fresh herbs, clean greens and crisp textures. An addictive Thai peanut sauce is the ultimate dunker. $5.75 for 2, $8.95 for 4. 1190 County Road J, White Bear Township; 651.426.3558.
Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Here is a DIY roll for a bit of fun: lettuce wraps to assemble yourself at the table. Lettuce wraps are an Asian-inspired dish that have jumped global borders to become a popular menu item even at non-Asian restaurants like Ingredients Café. The concept is simple: scoop a bit of chicken into a crisp romaine leaf, add vegetable slaw and peanuts at your discretion, and roll it up. The Szechuan barbecue dipping sauce is perfectly sweet and jauntily pungent. $11. 4725 Highway 61 N., White Bear Lake; 651.426.6611.
Spicy Tuna Maki
Red Lantern Sushi
Sushi rolls (maki) in popular Japanese eateries have gotten more and more elaborate; super-rolls have swarmed the scene with jumbles of multiple kinds of seafood and vegetables. Not so at the super-authentic Japanese tavern Red Lantern, where the rolls are traditional and modest, all in the service of super fresh fish, high quality toasted nori (seaweed) and perfectly cooked, slightly sweet, sushi rice. A simple spicy tuna roll emphasizes the ruby red flesh, firm texture, and clean, sea-kissed taste; the element of spice is an enlivening accent, but by no means steals the show. Freshly ground wasabi root is a revelation bearing little resemblance to the usual lump of pea-green paste. $9. 2125 4th St., White Bear Lake.
Clubhouse Wrap
Cobblestone Café
A turkey bacon club sandwich is a classic. At Cobblestone, the usual clubhouse ingredients jump into a large wrap with plenty of lettuce and tomato; more compact and manageable than the typical triple layered toast. The turkey is clean and fresh and the salty, smoky bacon is generously applied. Served with chips and a pickle. $7.25. 4760 Washington Square, White Bear Lake; 651.429.6793.
