Martha+Tom

Patio Party at Urban Bean

Yesterday Martha and I had the pleasure of attending Urban Bean’s Patio Party (Martha heard about it on Facebook). Most days, Urban Bean is an unassuming coffeehouse located on the corner of Bryant Ave S and W 33rd st that, I’ve been told, makes great coffee. But with temperatures peaking over 80 in the Twin Cities yesterday the gloves came off and we had a party on our hands. A party featuring a carnival trailer serving up hot dogs, bison burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, french fries and a really broad condiment station. And free beer. Yes, free beer.

It's a pulled pork sandwich!

Given those choices, I’m always going with pulled pork. The pork itself was a little dry and not super-flavorful, but the Urban Bean crew partially made up for it with the quantity and quality of toppings available. I was really impressed with the extent to which they home-made everything: the purple cabbage coleslaw with raisins, pickled cucumbers and carrots, and bacon ketchup. Ever since my elementary school cafeteria days a big jar full of free pickles gets me pretty excited, all the better if they’re homemade.

Pabst Blue Ribbon

And the free beer? Well, it was PBR, but you don’t look a gift beer in the mouth. Much less a couple of gift beers.

Of course, free PBR can’t help but attract a certain crowd, and the whole time I was there the patio was awash in tight jeans, wife beaters, big sunglasses, and irony, oh so much irony. 

With this 80 degree afternoon coming out of nowhere from what has been a pretty dismal week, Urban Bean couldn’t have picked a better time.

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6 comments on “Patio Party at Urban Bean”

  1. Joe 24 April, 2009 at 7:28 am

    Hi, I shot you a link in my twitter. Regarding last night Urban Bean. http://www.twitter.com/twinscities

  2. Martha 24 April, 2009 at 8:49 am

    This was fun; I wouldn’t want to miss it if they decide to do it again (start following them on facebook to get in the loop). It was also great to discover that UB actually HAS a patio, something I never noticed in my wintry visits there. I wish more restaurants (like Common Roots and UB do) would use Facebook to keep us informed of deals and such, because it works! Remember the BOGO on entrees at Common Roots?

  3. Martha 24 April, 2009 at 8:52 am

    Actually, I should also add that I wondered up until the last minute …is this really happening??? I only believed it when Marcela confirmed she had a physical, PAPER flyer confirming the event.

  4. Uncle Don 24 April, 2009 at 12:52 pm

    Someone will have to explain Facebook to me sometime? Don’t even try Twitter though!

  5. Linda 24 April, 2009 at 12:53 pm

    I love reading what you two write. It’s just fun to come to the site and hear the excitement of things like free beer at Urban Bean.

  6. Marcela 27 April, 2009 at 5:57 pm

    Yes, I picked up a physical flyer at Urban Bean. Physical flyers are cool. And plus, you are famous on Facebook. Excelente!

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