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Closed Restaurant
The week started with a few restaurants deciding to move to takeout only, before anybody had to make the decision for them. That started to feel familiar, like March, so that when the powers that be rolled the news of restaurants closing for service, except delivery and takeout, well: here we are again. As we move into a restaurant and bar lockdown, we'll hold on to hope: that another stimulus will come, that our All-Minnesota team of eaters rally once more for takeout, that we slow the spread and empty the hospitals so we may once again have nice things, like restaurants. Let's do this for the workers.
Doing Good in the Neighborhood
>> Not sure I can say this enough: no matter who you're mad at or who you blame for the shutdown, we have to get back on that #takeout2liftup train, yo. Since we are being asked to hang only with the same humans in our household, the spice of life is going to have to come from your food. Think in thirds: focus 2/3 of your takeout on the places you love the most, and 1/3 on places that stretch out of your regular lanes.
News/New Stuff
+ The employees at Spyhouse Coffee have voted, and after a push to unionize that started in August, the vote was 14 of 25 against. The union did not pass.
+ Local pastry queen, Artisan Bread in Five author, and Instagram star Zoë Francois has landed a tv show with the Magnolia Network. Andrew Zimmern's production company, Intuitive Content is on board to produce the show, Zoë Bakes, which will showcase her crazy friends, her crazy life, and her insane baking skills. Look for the show to debut in spring of 2021.
+ Plymouth has its first craft brewery. Luce Line Brewing opened officially this week (yes, just off the popular biking trail), so you could pop by today to check out the digs, but starting Saturday they'll be open for crowlers/pickup.
+ Yes, many of the Thanksgiving Takeout kits are already sold out. BUT you can focus on the places that have had to drop reservations for planned indoor dining, like The Hewing. It's just $55 per person for a meal that includes a charcuterie board, kale salad, a savory smoked confit turkey leg, roasted breast gravy, whipped pomme purée, roasted Brussels sprouts, Parker House rolls, cranberry sauce, chestnut stuffing and pumpkin pie. Plus you can add on wine or pie for extra. Just choose your pick up time on Turkey Day and maybe you just even throw a coat over your pajamas to go get it and that's awesome.
Adjusted Sails
>> Tiffany's Sports Lounge in St. Paul will be having all day happy hour until 10pm tonight. All menu items will be $7.71 in tribute to their first year in business, 1971. Then, for the rest of the weekend (Sat, Sun, Mon) they'll be feeding restaurant industry people for free. From 4-8pm on those days, anyone with a restaurant paycheck gets free food, call or order online through Chow Now (pickup only). Flash your paycheck at pickup. After that, Tiff's will go dark until it's safe to re-open.
>> Meritage, which was juuuuuuuust about to re-open for the first time since the FIRST lockdown, is now offering meal kit takeout instead. Available at least until next week, oysters, French onion soup, foie gras, even duck leg cassoulet are all yours for the ordering.
>> The lads at Meteor are now offering mulled cider kits to warm up your guts. Pre-oder for pick up on Wed. so that you can have fresh local cider and pomegranate, spiced with juniper, cinnamon, clove and star anise while you Turkey Zoom with your rellies. Order with or without a bottle of @vermouthdolin. And while you're at it, why not order a pie from Athena's Appetite Quarter Cup Kitchen, which will also be ready for pickup at Meteor on Weds.
>> Right, after this week and the fact that we kinda lost Thanksgiving, feel free to just move right on to Christmas or whatever that's going to end up being. Lawless Distilling, which any other year would be decking the damn halls with lights and baubles, instead this year will be selling Miracle at Lawless cocktail kits. Whether you order the Christmapolitan or the Gin & Tonika, you should also indulge in some special order glassware, like a Santarex mug. Let's just stay holly jolly and toasted through the new year, hmmmm?
>> Centro needs to clear out those kegged cocktails (UNTIL WE CONVINCE THE BOSS THAT WE NEED COCKTAILS TO GO) so all margs and other tap cocktails at half off until 10pm tonight. Also: the oysters are already sold out.
Closes, Cancellations, and Cuts
// just/us, in Lowertown, which originally closed a few weeks back to reconfigure for the winter, has closed permanently.
// The ambitious elevated truck stop project in Cannon Falls, known as Artisan Plaza, has thrown in the towel. Thanksgiving meal kit orders will be honored, but after that the doors close.
// Corner Bar in Seven Corners has temporarily closed due to a fire last week.
// We've got a list of restaurants closed since the pandemic began, and we'll keep updating it as we need to.
