Lead image via axelsrestaurants.com

By Eleanor Ostman — Food critic

Trepidation. That’s what nagged me when I took two friends to Axels for lunch. One had achieved her 75th birthday, and while she declined a party, she did permit a midday meal on her Big Day. Her husband, whose birthday is a week later, was also in favor of a celebratory dining event.

When I received a suggestion that Axels on Cleveland Avenue in Roseville might be good to review, I did what a modern day reporter does: I Googled it. Consumer comments on its website were, for the most part, not favorable. But I had already invited my friends, so, fingers crossed, we met there on a Saturday noon.

Axels and I go way back. Decades ago, my husband and I would often meet friends at the original Axels after a pleasant drive to Mendota, Minn. Because it was a bit of a trip from Crocus Hill where we lived then, it seemed like an adventure with a delicious dinner as reward. That restaurant has since closed, as has the second iteration, Axels Bonfire at Grand and Victoria Avenues in St. Paul, with which I had a close and contentious relationship. Our garage was across the alley from that Axel’s back door, and practically every weekday morning when I tried to pull out so I could drive to work, a delivery truck blocked me. I had to track down a driver who could move it enough so I could escape. He wasn’t happy and neither was I, but I didn’t boycott the restaurant for it. On occasional evenings, my husband and I dined there. No need to find a parking spot. We just walked a half block.

When we moved to a house on Lake Josephine, Axel’s was again in the neighborhood, and we ate there a few times, lured by complimentary popovers. But it had been awhile, and I was worried.

The person who encouraged me to review the place, located in the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 2540 N. Cleveland Ave., is charmed by its clubby dark wood decor and steakhouse vibe. I agree. It exudes elegance. 

However, popovers are no longer free. Add $1 each to your bill. Sadly, on that Saturday, they were a bit dry. Yes they were warm, but I suspect they had not just come out of the oven. Maybe leftovers from a previous baking.

That is my last complaint. Everything went uphill after that.

First, our waitress was a delight. Her name is Rio. “River,” she said. “My dad gave it to me.” She was friendly, attentive, and not only took our orders and delivered the food— she remembered, without request, to bring a carafe of hot water to refresh my teacup.

I remember Bull Bites from previous Axel’s visits, so I settled on the Bull Bites Salad, and was happy to find blue cheese, crispy onion strings, lettuce and tomatoes studded with 14 cubes of seasoned sirloin, saturated with a tingly vinaigrette in my bowl. The gentleman birthday celebrant chose the Bull Bites appetizer, which was accompanied by cups filled with horseradish and bearnaise sauces. Lots of crispy onion strings, too. We agreed the meat was tasty and totally tender. He cleaned his plate but the salad was too much for me to finish, so I took leftovers home. From long association with doggy bags, I know that second-day salads are usually a soggy mess. Yes, the greens and onion strings had lost their allure, but the Bull Bites, even after overnight refrigeration, were still pleasing.

The Birthday Girl chose Coconut Shrimp, which were jumbo, crunchy and definitely superior to Red Lobster’s iteration we’d both had a week earlier. Her sides were seasoned fries plus green beans, carrot slivers and sesame seeds touched with a flavorful dressing. Going back to the shrimp, she didn’t get the full portion. I got one and her husband snatched two. We all dipped them in a spicy orange marmalade sauce. I will definitely return to Axel’s to experience them again, and I hope I get the total portion.

Finally, it was dessert time. I brought a tiny birthday cake from Byerly’s covered in white frosting and sprinkles that cost $7.95. But when I was told Axel’s would charge $25 to slice and plate it, I told my friends to eat it at home. Instead, Rio offered the restaurant’s birthday treat: two peanut butter cookies accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream drizzled with chocolate sauce, enough of a sweet ending for the three of us.

Going back to the negative reviews on Axel’s website, nevermind them. Maybe only those with a bone to pick send in their opinions.

We were totally pleased with our lunch, and I was happy that my old friend Axel still offers appealing fare.