Some of you are still feeling the love, some of you are feeling a long weekend, and some of you are ready to GTFO. If your feeds have begun to fill with gaggles of pals by the ocean or those annoying toes-on-beach shots, know that you can find your fix without a plane ticket. Within a short drive there's a whole different city with an exciting new eatery, you can eat like you're in Mexico but stay in St. Paul, or just continue to gird your guts against the windchill with whiskey and wings. Sally forth, these are the mids.
OPENS
>> Gavin Kaysen's 20 seat tasting menu shop called Demi is open officially today. Tickets through March have all been sold (though there are waitlists, yo), and the tickets for April will go on sale March 1 at noon.
>> Head down south for a little vacation, and by south, I mean Rochester. Now open in the basement of popular Grand Rounds Brewing Company is a new 24-seat eatery known as Marrow. Chef Jeff Schwenker and his wife Sarah run the intimate space (cooking, serving, and spinning vinyl) for three nights only, M-W. The chef-driven menu changes weekly, beer comes from the brewery upstairs, and if you buy your bottle of wine at the wine shop next door, there's no corkage fee.
CLOSES
>> LouLou Sweet & Savory Thai rolled ice cream has permanently closed in Uptown.
>> Lucky Oven Bakery on 54th and Penn, has closed their doors for good.
COMING SOON
>> Stillwater, which is SO HOT RIGHT NOW, is about to be cooler, exponentially. MN Nice Cream, the cute and Insta-fab Northeast ice cream shop known for towering cones dancing with edible glitter, will be opening a second location in the former Wedge & Wheel space in Stills. Katie Romanski said that the new space will be "Insta Bananas!" with more chances for colorful photo snaps, large murals, neons, and ... scratch and sniff wallpaper! Get your sniffer over there this spring.
NEWS
>> Sad to hear that designer Jim Dayton passed away earlier this week. Besides his clear legacy with buildings like the MacPhail center, Dayton designed The Bachelor Farmer, The Lynhall, McCormick's, and Alma. What always struck me about his work was the sense that he really understood how hospitality could flow together with design. He warmed rooms, he created soft spaces when spare and minimalist trends were taking over. It always seemed to me that his places supported the linger, encouraged you to feel at home even if it was a special evening out. Sad to think he won’t be guiding us into more of our special moments in this city. He will be missed.
>> Scott Pampuch has been snapped up by 4Bells, as their new Executive Chef.
>> The American Craft Spirits Awards were held in town this week, and two locals came away with top prizes. Among the some 100 craft distillers from all over the country, J. Carver won best in class for brandy, while Tattersall won best in class for their barreled rum. Vikre, Bent Brewstillery, 11 Wells, Far North, Loon Liquor, and RockFilter also medaled in the competition.
AGENDA
>> Don't forget ... next week is Winter Restaurant Week! Get your frosty deals on.
>> How was your Valentine's Day luck? Things go well? Not so good? Doesn't matter either way, because you have the Ditch or Hitch 0.5K Beer Dash this Saturday. Yes, not 5K but 0.5K means that y'all are dashing those few blocks between Fulton and Inbound BrewCo. You won't even break a sweat, whether you're breaking up or breaking in those new pick up lines (just: don't).
>> You know how the St. Paul Farmers Market is held indoors at Market House in Winter? Maybe you forgot that Octo Fishbar invites in chefs for a little pop-up action? Well, this Saturday you'll be able to nosh on the sweet south-of-the-border stylings of El Norte Kitchen. Chef Ben Allen is a guy who knows his way around a burrito. From 10am-2pm they'll be serving California burritos, carne asada fries, and 20 orders of their new cheeseburger situation (which looks dope).
>> Then, go Poke Your Bock. Everyone's doing it.
>> Good news! Soul Bowl has brought back the hip-hop brunch for the month of February. Find them at Breaking Bread Cafe on Sunday morning, serving up chicken and waffles with spiced peaches, a Biggie Breakfast sandwich with a T-bone steak, and Bad Boy biscuits and gravy.
>> On Sunday, Town Hall Brewery kicks off Barrel-Aged Week, which runs through the 24th. Since 2001, brewer Mike Hoops has been pushing barrel aging forward, and this week they'll be releasing limited edition brews, hosting a Barrel Dinner, debuting a bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup, offering food specials all week long, and generally clinking glasses.
>> Brewery taprooms suddenly seem to be the best places to catch a laugh. Comedy shows are the new trivia night, and on Sunday it's Pizzazz! at BauHaus Brew Labs. Some of the best young stand-up comics will be performing on stage while a pizza truck fills you up before the show. Your $20 ticket gets you a beer and the show.
>> Doesn't get much simpler: Beer & Wings fest happens at the Bourbon Butcher next week, from Thu,-Su. Get down to the whiskey bar for beer and .75 wings with mix and match sauces, including Smoked BBQ, Buffalo, and Peach Habanero.
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