The 5 best things our food writers ate in the Twin Cities this week

For a while, I'd been following on social media these adorable retrofitted school buses with chimneys built right into them, but had never spotted one in the wild. So when I saw a yellow pizza-making bus at an event, it wasn't only my preschoolers who were giddy to step on board.

That's the fun part: You climb inside to place your order. Then, a rapid blitz in the brick oven at the back of the bus turns out a pizza to order in three minutes. When they call your name, you pick up your pie through a side window.

A concise menu relies on top ingredients, including naturally leavened dough (made with yeast cultured from Minnesota grapes), imported San Marzano tomatoes, and toppings ranging from artichoke hearts and basil to pineapple and cupped pepperoni. Specialty combinations are $16.

The business started five years ago, all thanks to a little girl with a fascination for school buses. Her dad bought an old one and had it in his driveway (that's dad of the year-level stuff right there) when he got the idea to make pizzas out of it. Now, the company has a small fleet of them, which they park at events and breweries all over the metro, from Elk River to Lakeville and beyond. (Sharyn Jackson)

Check the upcoming schedule at brickovenbus.com

Every other summer weekend of my youth was spent at Grandma Gidgee's golf course-adjacent cabin on the Iron Range. For those who love the quiet, slow-paced sport, that probably sounds like heaven. To the average kid during the era of three channels (and only two came in), it was torture. Worse, when we weren't on the screened-in porch watching men in bad pants hit a white ball, we were watching people whisper about it on the one TV. Just as the boredom was about to make me burst into an epic fit, my dad would shoot me a sly look and say, "Wanna go for a drive?"

We'd hit the back country roads in search of a local tavern with frosty beverages and a great burger and fries. It's where I found my love for local taverns, and it's everything I think about when I cross the threshold into Doug Flicker and Amy Greeley's bar and restaurant.

It doesn't need to be a long and winding drive to Bull's Horn, but I'll still cruise along the Mississippi River and Minnehaha Creek to get there. I make my kids, who will never know the torturous existence of not having anything to watch, put down the devices and watch the greenery pass by before we arrive and grab a seat out on the back patio. We order a round of burgers: thin, but not smashed, topped in oozy orange cheese and a couple of slices of meaty bacon ($13.95) for mom and dad. The fries are skinny, bedazzled with salt crystals and a nice side accompaniment to the reservoir of ketchup my daughter insists accompany every meal. Just like my dad and I used to do, we don't talk much during our meal, but instead listen to an insistent cardinal broadcast an urgent message from a treetop. It's a moment to savor while I ponder how grateful I am that this is the only birdie anyone here will mention. (Joy Summers)

4563 34th Av. S., Mpls., bullshornfoodanddrink.com

It's never a bad idea to spend a beautiful summer night in Stillwater, where stellar views are accompanied by a stellar food scene.

The Mad Capper isn't new — it's been around since 1979 — but the faces behind it are. Sara and Nathan Jespersen took the reins in 2021, spiffed things up and recently unveiled a menu of "elevated bar food." Wings get a blackened mango-habanero upgrade, creamy burrata is front and center in a crostini appetizer and a popular gnocchi dish, squash ravioli is dusted with a Kahlúa-rosemary cookie crumble, sandwich bread is dusted with Parmesan — you get the idea.

But our favorite? The Cheese Ravioli Bites ($14). Three giant cheese-filled ravioli are lightly fried and topped with mozzarella, giardiniera, pesto, Parmesan and drizzled with a balsamic glaze. It's all delicately piled on toasted crostini, making it a delicious celebration of flavor (and carbs). Order it to share as an appetizer or as a light summer meal, but definitely order it.

While you're there, soak in the surroundings. You'll see local artwork, plenty of hats and remnants of the boxing ring where onetime owner (and professional boxer) John Ertle sparred. There's also a second-floor private dining space, a vacation rental with rooftop views of the city — and ghosts. We love a good time, but a hauntingly good time is even better. (Nicole Hvidsten)

224 S. Main St., Stillwater, madcappermn.com

This interactive new dessert ($14) at Mara is supposed to evoke fine art, like the "Mona Lisa" that inspired French pastry chef Eddy Dhenin to craft it. But smashing into a sheet of edible paper with my spoon to reach a surprise of a dessert underneath felt like a game from "The Price is Right." Would there be a ticket for $5,000 under there? A dust ruffle? A new car?

Instead, I hit the jackpot with a swirling constellation of cake crumbles and ice cream, more "Starry Night" than "Mona Lisa," but impressive nonetheless.

Wooden frames made by a local carpenter hold a sheet of paper that's been printed with the Mara logo. While it is technically edible, don't waste any time getting to the treasure beneath it. Dhenin's citrus olive oil cake is scattered around swirls of orange cream and scoops of tangy labneh ice cream under olive oil "snow" for a harmoniously refreshing dinner-ender that stands up to the rest of Gavin Kaysen and Thony Yang's impeccable Mediterranean menu. It's a work of art indeed. (Sharyn Jackson)

245 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., mararestaurantandbar.com

On behalf of downtown Minneapolis workers, I'd like to say: "Dear food truck row, we have missed you." Since the pandemic, food truck operators have radiated out of downtown and into all the taprooms and event venues around the city, leaving those clocking in with even fewer lunch options. What was once a sure sign of warm temperatures — long lines of the cubicle crew — had vanished for far too long. Now, the food trucks are slowly making their way back to midday hours, again lining up on Marquette Avenue between 5th and 6th streets. Even better: There are some new faces.

Tender Lovin' Chix is a candy-apple red truck with bold white lettering and a powerhouse partnership behind it. At the register when we visited was Marques Johnson, who ran the now-closed Uptown chicken tender window Chx with two partners. For the truck, he's partnered with food truck veteran and downtown restaurateur Billy Tserenbat of Billy Sushi.

It's only been about three weeks since the truck launched, but the crew said business has been good. The bestseller on the short menu is by far Rush Hour 4 ($13), a mix of panko-breaded chicken breasts served on top of buttery fried rice. Alongside is a Yum Yum sauce for dipping. While it might not be fancy fork food, it is joyfully simple and easy to eat while standing on a curb enjoying the summertime sparkle of sunshine on the downtown skyscrapers. (Joy Summers)

instagram.com/tender_lovin_chix