1) High Shores Supper Club: the supper club is a phenomenon that seems to be unique to the Upper Midwest. They are typically family-run, and serve up meat...lots and lots of meat...prime rib is usually a house specialty. High Shores is about as representative of the the classic Wisconsin supper club as you're likely to find around these parts, and it has the added bonus of being located right on the shores of beautiful Lake Wissota, a body of water that some of you may recall was mentioned anachronistically in the film, Titanic. Before you sit down to dine, be sure to stop at the bar and order a brandy. Wisconsin drinks more brandy per capita than any other state in the US. High Shores serves up some exotic meats like alligator, but you really should stick to the steak menu. All meals come with a choice of 5 different kinds of potato, but why anyone would want anything other than a classic baked spud, fully loaded with sour cream, butter, and chives is beyond my ken. In keeping with another supper club tradition, the "salad bar" contains practically nothing that most of us would recognize as salad fixin's except for lettuce. For some odd reason, Wisconsinites like to pile carrot sticks, radishes, peaches, and green onions on their bowl of rabbit food. For the dressing, you are practically obligated to drown your plate with bleu cheese dressing so thick you can stand a fork up in it.

2. Mona Lisa's Restaurant: Located in an old brick storefront on Water Street in downtown Eau Claire, Mona Lisa's is adjacent to the University of Wisconsin campus, and smack dab in the middle of the student drinking district. The walls are adorned with art by local artists, and the bar has the best selection of microbrews in town, along with a very good wine cellar. The mixologists behind the bar are no slouches either, and typically meet my high standards or even exceed them. The menu is mostly upscale Italian pasta, with a few meat and fish dishes thrown in for balance. I should also mention that unlike most places around here that serve vegetables so soggy and tasteless that they seem to have come directly from a bag of frozen Birdseye, their veggie sides are fresh, tasty, and seldom overcooked.

That's it for Wisconsin. On to the Land of Godless Humphrey Socialists...Minnesota.

3) Moscow on the Hill: located in the quaint little shopping district behind the massive Cathedral of Saint Paul, MotH is a very cozy spot to toss back a couple of shots of premium vodka, followed by a delicious bowl of borscht with black bread, then a dish of pork dumplings (pelmeni) topped with vinegar and sour cream, then crepes for dessert. Try not to stare at the Russian mafioso and their gorgeous Ukrainian girlfriends hanging out at the bar.

4) Caravan Serai: Mrs. BH and I have hung out regularly at Caravan Serai, a delightful Afghan/Indian restaurant in Saint Paul, since our dating days. We were always treated like family there, so when they suddenly disappeared a few years ago, it felt like the death of a close relative. Fortunately, they appear to have recently reopened at a new location, so we'll definitely be going back for a reunion in the very near future. Be sure to ask for seating in the area with cushions and low tables. The appetizer sampler platter is killer, as is the lamb shank with creamed spinach.

5) La Belle Vie: The highlight of our many visits to the gingerbread Victorian bed-and-breakfast community of Stillwater, MN always used to be our dinner at La Belle Vie. Classic French cuisine was the bill of fare, and the wine list was unmatched. To our dismay, they were lured away to the bright lights of Minneapolis, and fled Stillwater a year or so back, despite the pleas of the town council to stay. We haven't been back since then, but it won't be long until my unholy cravings for their seared foie gras bring me crawling back on my hands and knees, begging to be admitted.

That's it. To the relief of many of you, no doubt, I won't be tagging anyone else with this. However, if you want to pick it up and run with it, knock yourself out.