Dear Graduates, congratulations! You have slogged through the wet and boring spring to finally achieve summer! You have earned your day in the sun, with a cold beer, and some cabin cocktails. Maybe you'll take your vastly expanded BBQ IQ and hit a new spot, or perhaps you'll use your seasonal acumen to choose a picnic sandwich wisely. You can pull an all-nighter this weekend, but we promise it will be the fun kind. Now toss that fedora in air, you've earned it.
OPENS
>> Eli Wollenzien has opened the second location of his popular Excelsior restaurant, Coalition, at 50th & France. Completely overhauling the old Pearson's spot, it finally feels like a whole new corner. The menu is quite close to the Excelsior location, which has quietly become one of the most solid restaurants near the lake.
>> The Marquette hotel in the IDS has been given a modern makeover, and a bit of zshoosh. Gone is the Marq VII lounge and now open is Jacques', a new full service eatery with Italian leanings and a massive burger. Plus: good happy hour vibes.
>> Two former Heartland chefs have thrown down and opened their own sandwich shop in the former Colossal Cafe space. The Original on 42nd is Andy Lilja and Stephanie Kochlin's answer for a sandwich desert, in which some people have been stranded without access to grilled cheese with asparagus or a souped up muffuletta. Help is here!
>> Storm King is Jordan Smith's new BBQ joint now open on Eat Street. Tucked in behind his Black Sheep Pizza, the counter service spot is putting up brisket, beef ribs, duroc pulled pork, and more, even offering curbside pick up!
>> Speaking BBQ, remember those rumblings of the Travail boys opening a shop? Well, their Spotlight Dinners this month are being run by Kale Thome as he rocks out trial barbecue dishes. Starting last night, there was brisket. Grab a vacant seat or take it to go, they'll start putting up pre-orders on dinners for two starting Wednesday, June 14.
CLOSES
>> Zzest, one of the forward thinking eateries in Rochester, has announced that it will close its restaurant on September 16. The lunch counter by the same name, in the center of town remains open.
COMING SOON
>> The New Bohemia guys have a huge idea. Right next door to their recently opened West Seventh spot in St. Paul, they're building something called Seventh Street Truckyard, which should open by August. The idea is to set up vintage food truck service INDOORS and create a gathering space that feels like a road trip camp ground. They'll have chicken, pizza, tacos, ribs, and such served out of "an eclectic collection of classics including a 1976 Palm Beach Lime Green RV, 1975 Terry Travel Trailer, 1970 VW Bus, 1950 Gruman Olson Milk Truck, and a 1979 Winnebago.”
NEWS
>> Chef Remy Pettus, who wooed away the Rachel's NE space (which will always be Bobino to me) has announced that his re-do of the space will be christened Bardo when it opens hopefully still this summer. Currently under design-work by Shea, they say they'll work to highlight the architectural features of the space, which is good. Let's not tart it up too much, that space was delovely. And that patio ....
AGENDA
>> Starting at sunset on Saturday, it's the most artful all-nighter you've ever pulled. Northern Spark will have you singing Those Summer Nights as you tool around along the LRT GREEN line that connects our twin towns. Brilliant! Hop a train, see some art, hop another, go to the robot controlled night library, hop another, land at the Little Mekong Night Market, and reward yourself with a bowl of chilled ramen.
>> Not quite the posh frock and seersucker set, but want to support the arts? I got you: Tiki-a-Gore-Gore is your gig. Support the artistically fantastic and gross Haunted Basement at this anti-gala and fundraiser on Saturday. Think tiki-party hosted by cannibals. Dinner, drinks, fortune telling, bloody makeovers, the normal blah blah blah.
>> If ever there was a patron artist of the local foodist universe, we all agree that it would be Adam Turman, right? What with his murals adorning breweries, bars, restaurants, and beer fest T-shirts around town. Well, this Saturday you can get in on some of his art at the Turman & CHUX Garage Art Sale at Steel Toe Brewing. Pick up some affordable prints, have some custom T-shirts made, and be one of the first to score the first series of MPLS Landmarks pint glasses. Any kid going to or graduating from the U of M should get those as a gift.
>> Saturday's beerists will be either mingling on the State Fair grounds for the St. Paul Summer Beer Fest, or trying to win free beer for a year from Indeed at their Peach Bum IPA Beach Party at Hi-Lo Diner.
>> Like a crash course in what to do with farmers' market bounty, the Ramps to Rhubarb: Early Summer Vegetarian Dinner at Black Dog on Sunday is not only inspirational, it's better than aspirational, it's $18 per person.
>> You always want to know the best tailgater in the lot, and if that guy happened to be chef Adam Eaton of Saint Dinette, you'd park right next to him, wouldn't you? No need. The crew is once again opening their restaurant for Ballpark Mondays during home Saints games. They're inviting their beer friends to come in and at the first one on Monday, June 12, the old Able Seedhouse Brewery will be there along with cheeseburgers, cubans, tacos, floats, booze, bats, and brouhaha.
>> Psssst... You coming to our Best of Summer party on June 20? It's going to be a blast and half. If you come, I'll sign your yearbook ...
Photo by David Bowman
