For a casual lunch or dinner, especially when sharing with friends, nachos are king.

It’s a full meal on a plate — carbs (chips), vegetables (I mean, at least salsa or tomatoes), dairy and protein. Plus, if you’re having a meeting (or just a meeting of the minds), it’s great to have something you can nosh on casually when someone else is talking.

Great nachos must have plenty of cheese, be it shredded or in queso form, but also a protein, be it meat, beans or both. House-made chips are definitely a bonus, but not strictly necessary if the toppings are good enough.

Here are the best versions I’ve found around town. If I missed your favorite, let me know at eat@pioneerpress.com.

Nico’s Tacos

Nachos at Nico’s Tacos on St. Paul’s Como Avenue. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

These are, hands-down, the best nachos I have ever eaten. House-made chips, whole pinto beans, phenomenal queso, stellar salsa, guacamole and crema are layered so well that you get a little bit of everything with every bite without even trying. Honestly, these are what all nachos should aspire to be.

They are obviously crafted with care by someone who knows, and loves, good nachos. We had the chicken, but you can choose your own adventure — all the proteins at Nico’s are fabulous. Get a margarita while you’re at it. Nico’s serves some of our favorites.

Nico’s Tacos: Three Twin Cities locations, including 2260 Como Ave., St. Paul; 651-450-8848; nicostacobar.com. $13 at lunch or dinner.

Pajarito

Nachos at Pajarito on St. Paul’s West Seventh Street. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

Although these beauties are available only at happy hour, they are worth an early visit to this West Seventh Street eatery.

The house-made chips here are some of my favorites in town, and the salsas are pretty much unmatched, so this little boat of happiness was sure to be a winner in my book. The chips are topped simply with your choice of protein (we chose the tender, tasty chicken tinga), a stellar, creamy house-made queso, pickled jalapenos and a little pico for freshness. A lovely roasted tomato salsa is served on the side for extra heat and flavor.

Pajarito: 605 W. Seventh St., St. Paul; 651-340-9545; pajaritorestaurant.com. $8, happy hour only (Monday-Tuesday, 4-6 p.m.; Wednesday-Friday, 3-6 p.m.)

Juche

Nachos at Juche on St. Paul’s Payne Avenue. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

Nachos at a Korean place? Yes. Are they delicious? Also, yes!

This addictive plate starts with the restaurant’s killer Korean-spiced chips, which are layered generously with nacho cheese, lettuce, sour cream, pickled jalapenos and a little Korean hot sauce. We added the smoky, umami bulgogi bacon, and there were zero regrets around the table (and also zero leftovers).

Juche, in the former Cook St. Paul space on Payne Avenue, keeps getting better — and busier — with good reason. Chef Chris Her knows how to make craveable food.

Juche: 1124 Payne Ave., St. Paul; 612-490-3380; juchestpaul.com. $12; add bacon bulgogi for an additional $4. Dinner only.

Urban Growler

Nachos at Urban Growler Brewing in St. Paul. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

I’ve long been a fan of these nachos, which start with house-made chips and a smooth beer cheese made from the brewery’s flagship Cowbell Cream Ale. Pickled jalapenos, pico, sour cream and a roasted tomato salsa finish things off nicely. We added the flavorful chicken tinga, but bacon, pork and black beans are also options.

Urban Growler: 2325 Endicott St., St. Paul; 651-340-5793; urbangrowlerbrewing.com. $12, add chicken, pork, bacon or black beans for an additional $3. Dinner only on weeknights, lunch and dinner Friday-Sunday.

Homshuk

Nachos at Homshuk in Apple Valley. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

I’ve got to say I’m a little sad this new Apple Valley Mexican restaurant with its adjacent market and deli isn’t closer to my home. Still, it’s worth a little road trip for authentic, soulful dishes and craft cocktails served in a modern space.

Everything we tried here was phenomenal, including these nachos, loaded with refried beans, house-made queso, pico, guacamole, salty cotija cheese and fresh red serrano chiles.

Homshuk: 6999 W. 152nd St., Apple Valley; 651-300-1380; homshukmexicankitchen.com. $14, includes choice of meat. Lunch portion, $10.

Iron Ranger

Iron Range Nachos at the Iron Ranger on Grand Avenue in St. Paul on Wednesday, August 2, 2018. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

This Grand Avenue restaurant and bar is one of my favorite spots to meet friends for drinks — especially during the summer months, when we can sit on the cute, sprawling patio.

And what goes better with drinks than nachos? True to brand, the nachos here are topped with the restaurant’s very tasty, very Iron Range porketta as well as spicy, pickle-y giardiniera, black beans, corn, cheddar and basically everything but the kitchen sink. The portion is ginormous — four of us split a half order last time I was there — and $3 off during happy hour, which ends at 5 p.m. every day except Saturday.

Iron Ranger: 1085 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651-203-7096; homshukmexicankitchen.com. $17.25 lunch or dinner. Half order, $12.59.

Habanero Tacos

Nachos at Habanero Tacos on St. Paul’s Snelling Avenue. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

We’re loving this new addition to Snelling Avenue, with its expansive menu of Mexican favorites. The nachos start with house-made chips (excellent) and canned nacho cheese (not so excellent). We’re willing to forgive the neon orange sauce, though, as the other toppings are plentiful and good, including meaty carne asada, refried beans and guacamole.

Habanero Tacos: 80 N. Snelling Ave., St. Paul; 651-666-3961; habanerotacosstp.com. $16 lunch or dinner.

Related Articles

Crepes with asparagus, ricotta and lemon give the taste of spring

A quick skillet turkey dinner you’ll make over and over again

A sneak peek of Diane’s Place, now open in Northeast Minneapolis

Quick Fix: Moroccan Burgers with Cucumber Slices and Tomatoes

A creamy, dreamy soup to make in the Instant Pot

The Timberwolves essentially could’ve clinched the No. 1 seed in the West and home court for the duration of the conference playoffs with a win Wednesday in Denver.

They didn’t get it.

Instead, Minnesota was turned away by the defending champs, falling 116-107 to the Nuggets.

Denver (56-24) now holds a one-game lead over the Wolves (55-25) with just two games to play, and the Timberwolves are tied with Oklahoma City in the standings. Minnesota holds the tiebreaker over both teams, but the Wolves now have to win each of their final two games to guarantee a top-two seed.

Minnesota isn’t dead in the race for the top seed in the Western Conference, but it now needs Denver and Oklahoma City to each lose once, or the Nuggets to lose both of their two remaining contest. That appears highly unlikely given Denver’s final two games are against cellar dwellers in San Antonio and Memphis.

Minnesota simply didn’t rise to the occasion in the fourth frame Wednesday.

For the first two and a half quarters, the Wolves looked like the better team, as they’ve looked throughout much of the previous three meetings this season. Minnesota matches up well with Denver.

But Denver knows how to execute to close out big games late. The Nuggets had to do it numerous times en route to their championship last spring. After the Wolves defense appeared to give Denver trouble at various moments on Wednesday, Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic shredded Minnesota time and time again over the final eight minutes in Denver.

The Nuggets got whatever shot they wanted. Jokic was the catalyst. Even against Rudy Gobert — the presumptive Defensive Player of the Year — Jokic scored with ease. The best player in basketball finished with 41 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists while going 16 for 20 from the field.

And when Minnesota had to compensate for his dominance, Jokic simply used his gravity to find teammates for open jumpers or cutting finishes.

The game was tied 84-all with fewer than 10 minutes to play, only to see Denver go on a 26-10 run to put the game away.

Minnesota’s Achilles’ heel all season has been clutch-time performance, and the Wolves were taken to school in late-game execution by Denver down the stretch. By game’s end, Minnesota misses were routinely resulting in Denver dunks on the other end. What looked like a title bout quickly devolved into a laugher.

Wolves coach Chris Finch emptied Minnesota’s bench with 2 minutes, 40 seconds to play and the Wolves down 16.

That late-game weakness likely cost Minnesota the No. 1 seed in the West. The challenge now is for the Wolves to make sure it doesn’t cost them a playoff series.

That will be the narrative moving away from Wednesday’s contest. All season, the Wolves — even amid their success — have been doubted at the national level. They’ve been lauded for their success, but never taken seriously as a title contender.

No one who watched the fourth quarter Wednesday on ESPN will think any differently.

Related Articles

NBA won’t get involved in Timberwolves’ ownership dispute anytime soon

Report: Timberwolves prospective owners submitted budget with Wolves below luxury tax next season

Anthony Edwards scores career-high 51 points in Timberwolves’ win over Wizards

Karl-Anthony Towns cleared for full contact and is ‘progressing toward his return to play’ for Timberwolves

Naz Reid building a strong case to be Timberwolves’ first Sixth Man of the Year winner

Pitching for the Schaumburg Boomers, an independent team in the Frontier League, in 2021, Burnsville native Aaron Rozek was resigned to the fact that his dream of reaching the major leagues had reached a critical stage.

If he still found himself in independent ball at season’s end, he was prepared to call it a career, one that included pitching for Minnesota State-Mankato from 2014-18.

Everything changed on June 24, 2021, when he signed as a minor-league free agent with the Twins. Less than three years later, he’s back in his hometown, pitching for the Saints.

“As far as I’m concerned,” the 28-year-old Rozek said, “I’m playing with house money.”

Rozek was all smiles prior to the Saints’ 4-1 loss to the Iowa Cubs on Wednesday at CHS Field as he detailed the journey that brought him back to the Twin Cities. He joined the Saints four days ago, called up from Double-A Wichita to take the place of right-hander Jeff Brigham, who is sidelined with a left oblique strain.

While playing with that house money, Rozek has beaten the odds.

“Knowing where velo stands with pitchers, I thought that there was a very small chance that this was going to happen,” Rozek said. “When I went to indy ball, it was just to
extend being a kid without many responsibilities for as long as possible.”

Not a hard thrower, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Rozek has relied on good control, keeping hitters off balance by changing speeds — and family — to make it to the Triple-A level.

“I’ve been really blessed to have a great support group,” he said, “With my wife, Cassidy, and my parents, to be able to continue to pursue my dream.”

Rozek, who attended Burnsville High School, grew up a Twins fan. His favorite player was left-handed pitcher Johan Santana, whom he was thrilled to meet after joining the Twins
organization.

“He’s the reason I fell in love with pitching,” Rozek said. “He’s why I love the change-up; that’s my go-to pitch. He’s the reason I wore No. 57″

Now that he’s one step away from the majors, Rozek said he has allowed himself to think about what it would be like to put on a Twins uniform.

“But I’m just taking it day be day,” he said. “There’s so much that goes into being called up, I don’t want to have that take away from the day-to-day thing.”

Rozek’s parents are still in Burnsville, and he has extended family in Fridley and Columbia Heights that he looks forward to seeing at CHS Field. Now that he’s here, he knows he has to show that he belongs.

“Hitters are hitters,” said Rozek, who will work out of the bullpen after primarily being a starter. “The best still get out seven out of 10 times. So I just have to remember that. As long as I put the ball over the white, house-shaped object in front of me, good things are going to happen, more than likely.”

Rozek, who has yet to appear in a game for the Saints, has six pitches in repertoire: a four-seam and two-seam fastball, a cutter, a sweeping slider, a curve and a change-up.

“I’m not going to blow anyone way with velo,” he said, “But hopefully command is going to be where it’s been in the past.”

Briefly

Saints starter Randy Dobnak cruised through four innings on Wednesday before giving up a three-run home run to Patrick Wisdom, who is on rehab assignment from the Chicago Cubs.

Related Articles

Despite Camargo’s efforts, Saints can’t battle back

Nashville holds Saints to 4 hits, wins game in 10th

Injury-plagued Saints open season with victory over Columbus

‘Ozempig’ remains Saints’ mascot despite uproar that name is form of fat-shaming

Charley Walters: Futures of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell hinge on picking right quarterback