I have been to Minervas a few other times for receptions but never for lunch or to order from the menu. This was also the first time I drove there and that scared me a little bit because I have never drove on that side of town. But it was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be, there was some minor construction going on that caused some distress but I made it on time so that is all that matters.

When we sat down at our table the waitress and other staff were very pleasant when our group number changed and we needed more room. This time when the waitress come around to get our drink order I decided not to go with ice tea but instead I ordered a Mojito. It was delicious! There was a lot of mint and the lime was not too much. It came in a pretty neat glass also (see picture below).

Mojito

On the lunch menu there is no appetizer list so if you want  one you have to ask for a dinner menu. I did not order any but I did try the onion rings from another persons, they were really good. They were crunchy but they did not have too much breading on them and the onions were completely done.

For lunch I ordered the Seafood Mac & Cheese ($10.50) and the Italian House Salad ($2). The salad came first and was what I expected. The lettuce tasted fresh and crisp. The vegetables on it also seemed fresh. The cheese was sliced into thin pieces. The presentation could have been better. For instance they could have placed the toppings in different areas, that way if someone did not like that certain one it would be easier for him or her to take it off, instead of all of the toppings being put on top of each other.

Italian House Salad

Next the main course came out and I was surprised that my salad had seemed to be a larger portion than my seafood mac & cheese did. As for taste it was awesome! The white cheddar cheese sauce was great on the schrimp and scallops (I did not get salmon on mine). Usually I would add salt and pepper to mac & cheese but this time I did not have to.

The presentation was nicely done: everything in the inner circle and a nice clean rim. I loved how the scrimps were shaped like the Cavatappi noodles. The seafood was placed in a mannor that you could see it and not be shocked or surprised when taking a bit, in other words it was big enough so you could see it.

Seafood Mac & Cheese

For dessert I got the Red Velvet Cupcake and oh my gosh it was huge! I did not expect a cupcake to be that big. The red velvet cake was good but the cream cheese frosting was the best part! Oh it was good. When I finally made it to the center of the cupcake there was a cream cheese filling also, it too was awesome. The plate was stunning, as you can see from the picture below. The cream and strawberry sauce around the front was done beautifully and tasted just as good.

Red Velvet Cupcake

Overall I love going to Minervas. The food is great, the staff are wonderful, and the atmosphere is inviting. This is a classier place so if you are planning a date here I would say to wear something that falls into the category of business casual.

Link to Minervas- http://www.minervas.net/minervas-sioux-city/