It looks like eateries are popping out of the ground like stalks of brussels sprouts. The TC is clicking with all kinds of new life, from food trucks turned cafes and cafes turned food truck, to a reach at finer dining and a cheffy run at hot dogs and ice cream. More places will open, and more places will close. That's the cycle, that's the churn. We're just happy to be along for the ride, with maybe some pierogis on the side.
OPENS
>> The former Mozza Mia/Tejas space is no longer dark at 50th and France. Moderna Kouzina has opened in the space, giving it an upscale zshoosh that perhaps fits its posh neighborhood. Reaching into that finer dining space, the eatery is offering old world flavors with modern interpretations and artful platings of such dishes as beef tartare with quail egg, slow braised short rib with sweetbreads, and goats milk gelato with pear crumble.
>> Food truck becomes cafe as Home Street Home launched this last week on West 7th. Finally buying the commercial kitchen they've been using for a number of years, the trucksters decided to turn it into a bakery cafe. With a larger menu than the truck, you'll find tacos, gyros, and burgers among salads and apps.
>> And cafe becomes food truck as J. Selby's announced the launch of their new truck J. Mobile. The plant-based eatery will be tooling around St. Paul and the Eastside offering up vegan eats such as "gyros," Hawaiian pasta salad, and veggie burgers. Find them at the Twin Cities Veg Fest in September.
>> And yes, it's true. This Sunday, Milkjam Creamery will slide the window open on their second location. The ice cream creatives will take over Dave's Popcorn stand on E. 38th St with a limited ice cream menu and a number of World Street Kitchen-inspired hot dogs on the menu (kimchi-topped dog, a banh mi dog, ya dig?) They'll be open from Wednesday–Sunday, noon to 9 p.m.
>> Kado No Mise/Kaiseki Furukawa have landed on the Bon Appetite Best 50 list of great new restaurants in the country, and I fully concur!! Here's hoping they make it onto the final list in print! Meanwhile, some changes are afoot: Brunch will now be served from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday starting Aug. 18, Kado will now open earlier, at 4 p.m. Monday–Friday, and serve later, until 11 p.m. Thursday–Saturday, and the Kaiseki will now be open on Thursdays. Also, starting Aug. 13, Kado will stop serving weekday lunch.
CLOSES
>> Wedge & Wheel in Stillwater has closed. The artisanal cheese shop was having a pretty good year, but future costs and lack of expansion room made them rethink signing another lease. No plans to move to another location at this time.
COMING SOON
>> Chef Mike DeCamp, please report to 510. That's right, the former La Belle Vie space will be reignited by one of its long-time captains. DeCamp and Jesse Held, along with their Jester Concepts crew, will overhaul the space and relaunch it as a modern steakhouse by November. Well, that's a bit of holiday cheer we'll take early.
>> Market BBQ has announced that it will be one of the newest vendors at U.S. Bank Stadium come this fall, replacing Budd's BBQ on the concourse. They are also well underway with construction on the new Nordeast location.
>> Birch's Lowertown brewpub has announced that it will open in the Market House building on Aug. 30 (updated from the 23rd). Their upstairs neighbors, Shane Oporto and Tim McKee of Octo Fishbar are helping them out with the menu, you should watch their socials to see if they'll be doing another burger preview before then.
AGENDA
>> Do Irish Fair and Polish Fest always happen on the same weekend? It seems like they always do, bookending our twin towns with shepherd's pie and pierogi this weekend. To be clear: I am not mad at this. Of course, I'll be filling my face hole full of corn this weekend, because: Corn Days.
>> Pizza Luce is throwing down with their 15th Annual Block Party on Saturday! It starts at noon and rocks until 10 p.m. in the warehouse district. So much music, so much pizza.
>> I love this HI-LO twofer at Brit's. Check in on Sunday for a classical Summer Pops Concert on the rooftop lawn, which should ignite all your brain cells. Then kill them on Monday night with a righteous viewing of Shaun of the Dead to kick off the summer outdoor movie series. You've got red on you.
>> Growing Lots Urban Farm is hosting their third Pizza Night on the Farm on Monday. Nice that you don't have to drive to Wisconsin, yeah? Get over to Seward for fresh pies from Wild Earth Wood Fired Pizza, a massive 25 variety tomato tasting, games, chalk, and good farmy times in the city.
>> You might need a reset. We all do at some point. If you can see that in yourself, you should check out the Ayurveda Dinner pop-up on Tuesday at The Bird in Loring Park. Nalini Mehta and Jenny Breen, and Shannon Winkel will help you through fresh Ayuvedic cooking, which is like yoga for food. These in-tune women will create a menu best suited to your unique personality type, using the energies from the foods to recharge your mind, body, and soul. Seems like the $55 cost for three courses of soul-juice is quite a deal.
>> The best way to figure out what txakoli is and how to say it without disgracing anyone, is to show up at Txakoli Fest on Wednesday at The Bungalow Club. Come on, your $30 ticket get you a bunch of Spanish wines and ciders to sip on one of the lush patios in the city.
>> The 1029 Bar Tent Party on Thursday will be all about all-star lobster rolls and all-star wrestling. Both are happy-makers.
>> Raise a glass to a great cause at Vintner Uncorked next Thursday, Aug. 16 to benefit Second Harvest Heartland. The Mill City Museum is hosting this event, during which you will be able to sample great wines, beers from Indeed, cocktails from Tattersall, and tons of great nosh all while helping feed hungry families.
>> You still have time to plan a Twexit (that means exiting the Twin Cities ... think that will catch on?? Me neither). Book your Aug. 24–28 at Madden's for the Summer Wine Down weekend. Multi-course dinners, mimosa cruises, wine seminars, beach cookouts, and more await you at the historic lodge that makes you feel like you might be in the Dirty Dancing movie. You don't even have to carry a watermelon.
Photo by Caitlin Abrams
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