Vittorio Renda is very excited about the food at Mozza Mia, but he is especially proud of his mozzarella caprese. This simple looking dish—made of fresh mozzarella, basil and tomatoes—is pretty common fare at many Italian restaurants. But according to Renda, nowhere else in the metro area serves mozzarella 15 minutes after it has been made on premises. In the video above, Renda shows how to make the easy yet delicious appetizer.

Chuck Laster, sous chef at Spasso Italian Restuarant in Minnetonka, took some time recently to show us one of their delicious specialty appetizers. Bacon-wrapped scallops are quick to prepare, simple to cook, and offer big, complex, flavor in a small package.

Wondering why exactly your favorite restaurant decided to wrap that bacon-wrapped pork chop in another helping of bacon? We paid a visit to McCoy's Public House to see what goes into a successful test kitchen menu change. Owner Marty Collins said it all begins with "going to our competitors and copying everything they do." Chef Josh Carrol served up everything from thrice-fried French fries (exactly what you'd imagine) to a new bravo burger, combining a sun dried tomato spread with two types of cheese and an all-natural ground beef patty on a brioche bun. Don't forget to feast your eyes on …

Enchiladas. Tacos. Margaritas.Rojo Mexican Grill offers the Mexican flavors most would expect to find, but also showcases a few tweaks on popular favorites. This is perhaps most evident with the restaurant's strawberry jalapeno margarita, which combines jalapeno slices, tequila, Brazilian orange liqueur, strawberry puree and margarita mix to create a sweet and spicy drink.The experimentation is a hit with customers, as assistant general manager Weston Winkler said the strawberry jalapeno margarita is the second most popular drink at Rojo.Rojo's kitchen boasts a massive wood-fire grill, where …

"You have vegetables, bread and potatoes and gravy," explains head chef Donnie Handeland. "It stands on its own."He's talking about Neighbors Eatery & Saloon's famous Roast Beef Sandwich, a staple of the restaurant's menu. It's an open-faced combination of roast beef, mashed potatoes, mushrooms, onions, provolone cheese and sourdough bread, all slathered with homemade gravy."It's a full meal right there," Handeland said. Owners Joe Holtz and Joe Stafsholt decided to enter the restaurant business on somewhat of a whim. Holtz was driving a truck in the 2010 Albertville Friendy City Days Parade …

Wild Boar opened just after St. Patrick's Day and has been dishing out ribs, pulled pork and other foods at a breakneck pace ever since. Using a kitchen not more than three people deep, chef Dave Donner has crafted a menu of flavors unique to Main Street.  Chef Donner takes a personal, creative approach to everything that happens in his kitchen and on the floor. He takes particular pride in the two sauces that give a distinct taste to the Sassy Sow, the most popular sandwich on the menu. While he doesn't give a complete recipe, he's eager to share some of the ingredients that make them so …

Editor's Note: Today, Patch is debuting another of four new video series. "Order Up!" introduces the personalities in the kitchens of various local restaurants. New editions of Order Up! will appear every Thursday. Curious what goes into making that turkey burger so delicious? According to Edina Grill Chef Erik Rehpohl, the popular dish expertly combines ground turkey with jalapeno to create "a nice little snap to it." Rehpohl allowed Patch inside of the restaurant's kitchen last week, where we were able to get a feel for the personalities at play behind the packed 50th & France destination's…