Download: Big 🍽️ Names INSIDE - Sutherland, Wadi, Tomlinson

Wednesday, my friend Blythe Brenden cut the ribbon on the new clinical research center she helped fund at the University of Minnesota’s Masonic Children’s Hospital. We are blessed to have amazing medical care for kids in this community - Masonic, Children’s Minnesota, Gillette Children’s - and I’m always moved by the focus on rare issues. Gillette has one of the best gait labs working on bone and movement conditions. The U works on gene therapies for rare skin conditions or bone marrow disorders. In the fight against something that affects a few, sometimes a discovery emerges to help the many. Grateful to be surrounded by scientists who dedicate their lives to helping our kids. - Jason@JasonDeRusha.com

TOO BUSY TO DOWNLOAD?:

• DDP to open Sports Bar at 50th & France

• New Podcast with Sameh Wadi

• Pick of the Week: it’s in St. Paul

• What I’m Excited About This Weekend

• Father’s Day Gift Ideas

• Great podcast links for the weekend

ALMOST TO 2000 SUBSCRIBERS! Thank you all! We have weekend activities, great gift ideas, restaurant news: Anyone who loves our community should enjoy the Download - so forward this to a friend, and invite them to sign up at JasonDeRusha.com! And our partners have had great success with sponsored messages in the Download - hit reply to this if you’d like to learn more!!

DIALOGUE: I had a fascinating podcast conversation with Sameh Wadi that just dropped - and he said that opening Saffron was a “political statement.” I’ve been thinking a lot about that. [LISTEN: Web Player | Apple Podcasts | Spotify]

He’s rebooting Saffron, 8 years after he closed it to rejuvenate, to focus on World Street Kitchen & Milkjam Creamery. Sameh is Palestinian by roots, born in Kuwait, he moved to Minnesota as a teenager in 1997. Obviously he’s refocused on his parents homeland because of the war happening in the Middle East right now. But the idea in 2007 of opening a fine-dining restaurant in Minneapolis that was not Eurocentric was pretty radical. By “Eurocentric,” Sameh is talking about the French-style cooking with  lots of butter, lots of cream, the concept that fat is flavor. HE brought a style where layered spices provided the flavor: bold, unapologetic, different.

One thing I love about restaurants is that they can be an escape: you go inside those walls and your political disagreements can melt away, if you so choose. Everyone’s the same sitting around a table of food cooked with love - doesn’t matter if you’re black or white or a plumber or a CEO. But Sameh has a point - there can be a political statement in just existing. Today our fastest-growing group of restaurants is run by a chef who was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to parents of Spanish and southern Italian descent (Daniel del Prado). Middle eastern ingredients, like Halloumi cheese, are widely available in the grocery store. And yet, Sameh Wadi may be the first Palestinian person that many Minnesotans meet. That is a political moment.

Hope you’ll listen to the podcast, it reminds me of what Diane Moua told me [LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4bNmLzT] , that being Hmong and opening her own restaurant, she feels the pressure of her ancestry. A political statement by her, as well.

JUSTIN SUTHERLAND OPENING IN MINNEAPOLIS: Now that Justin is done with Handsome Hog, he’s building up his own restaurant empire. Pearl & The Thief, the southern-inspired oyster and seafood restaurant that was in Stillwater is coming downtown. People loved Tennessee Hot Octopus and Smoked Crab Risotto, and it will open alongside his sandwich shop Big E’s in Sherman Associates’ new O2 Tower, near the Mill District and U.S. Bank Stadium. Looks like a nice empty nester second home for the DeRushas. O2 info: https://fluence-media.co/4ecQzHF

BEST BURGERS + THEIR ORIGIN STORIES: What restaurant owner said he didn’t expect his burger to be “our Anthony Edwards?” Which one described the creation of their burger as a way to shut-up a bar manager complaining about drunk guests? I love this cover story I did for Minnesota Monthly: https://fluence-media.co/4aNRvj8

TRAVAIL TO OPEN PIZZA JOINT IN BLOOMINGTON: Via Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal: The owners of Travail will open a second version of Robbinsdale’s Pig Ate My Pizza near Highway 169 and Old Shakopee Road at a former gas station. “In their proposal, owners wrote to the city that they plan to create an ‘inviting, neighborhood pizza restaurant. Our intention is to mimic the model of Pig Ate My Pizza and provide the same quality, value, and friendly local restaurant to a new community in Bloomington.’” Still in the early planning stages: https://fluence-media.co/4c4mdWe

OG BLUE DOOR PUB BECOMING LOCAL RUMOR: Via Axios Twin Cities, “Local Rumor will serve New American food, beer, and cocktails, according to public documents from the neighborhood council. Owner Scott Cochran said in April that he hopes to open early this month, though the building appeared to still be under construction in late May.” https://fluence-media.co/4c2a0kL

FANCY CHEF OPENS SPORTS BAR?: Daniel del Prado is teaming up a local couple for DEXTER’S in the 50th & France neighborhood. DDP Restaurant Group + former server Carla and her husband Spencer Jones are bringing “a casual yet

refined dining experience for sports enthusiasts and food aficionados alike.”

Burgers plus bougie things like caviar waffle fries and a beef tongue pastrami rueben sandwich. Opening in August in the former AgriCulture Space at 50th & Ewing, right by Red Cow (burger battle!) INSTAGRAM: https://fluence-media.co/3VsuD35

WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT THIS WEEKEND: Soccer & Rosé!

Let’s start with rosé. I’ve been spending a lot of time outdoors on my patio and deck, and a nice glass of pink just feels right.

• Surdyk’s Liquor Saturday, June 8, 12p-6p, FREE. More than 100 rosés open to taste. 15% off all of them for the next two weeks.

• Solo Vino Bottle Shop Saturday, June 8, 4-8pm, Kellogg Mall Park, St. Paul, VIP Tickets: $125 (early admission at 3 pm) GA Tickets: $60. https://fluence-media.co/3Qoi9rk

Sam (age 16) also has a soccer tournament at the National Sports Center in Blaine, so we’ll be there quite a bit Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Artisan Home Tour: This afternoon I’m heading to 5111 Woodlane Ct. in Woodbury to check out a home I’ve been following since the foundation was poured! [SEE THIS HOME: https://fluence-media.co/3VpkK7f] I partner with Custom One Homes (if you need landscaping, exteriors or remodeling let me know!), and I love visiting homes and looking for design inspiration. Tickets to tour one home are $5, tour them all and buy your pass at Bachmans’ for $25 (or online for $30.)

PICK OF THE WEEK: Why don’t more people talk about Myriel in St. Paul? What chef Karyn Tomlinson is doing is almost as radical as what we see at Owamni. Just like Chef Sean Sherman is telling a story about Native Americans in our region and the way they’ve been treated through his space and his food, Karyn is telling the story of small farmers, of ingredients that are here now and maybe not forever. She has an ability to make an ingredient the star of a dish without it being flavorless and boring. Myriel has an a la carte component that is more neighborhood-focused (I wish she’d post that menu online instead of the reason why she doesn’t!), but the tasting menu is where the magic is.

Most ingredients come from farms within 40 miles, and the servers name-drop farmers, tell stories about Karyn sitting at the table and picking up the ingredients, foraging for the plants that make up a stunning bergamont tea, every bite prepared with perfect technique. This was one of my favorites - the red wheat porridge with bread aminos, and scarlet runner duck gizzard. The soft scrambled egg in malted wheat pastry shell with those stunning wood sorrel radishes and home made cottage cheese was another knockout, as was the walleye mousseline with sumac beurre monte.

The Myriel tasting menu is expensive by Minnesota standards, but inexpensive by national standards. $145 per person and they automatically add a 22% tip when you buy your ticket. It’s also a long experience - we were there for 3 hours. 12 courses, as you can see they’re pretty small. But the artistry here and the storytelling is really world class. Some of the best wine pairings I’ve had in town in years, as well. RESERVE: https://fluence-media.co/3x83QRi

NASHVILLE TRAVEL GUIDE: I summarized some of my faves in the newsletter last week - see my pictures and more ideas for Nashville from my visit a couple weekends ago on my website: JASONDERUSHA.COM: https://fluence-media.co/3VvlOGM

WIN A TRIP TO LONDON TO WATCH THE VIKINGS: The Vikings asked me to help give away a trip for 4 to London to watch the Vikings play the NY Jets! WOW! Round-trip airfare, hotel and 4 tickets, ENTER TO WIN: https://fluence-media.co/3QYGyE3

FATHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE

(Want your product / business / service in my gift guide? Reach out to Jason@JasonDeRusha.com)

You have one week from Sunday!!! A couple spots I recommend you check out! (Full list at my website: https://fluence-media.co/3yJyOzx)

PENS: I am obsessed with Barry Rubin’s selection of fun and luxurious pens. You don’t have to spend a lot to give a gift that he’ll think of every day. I have about a half-dozen rollerball pens from Barry, email him NOW with dad’s favorite color or hobby and he’ll hook you up. EMAIL: penstore@gmail.com

WATCHES: TC Time & Luxury: i get all my watches from David Brenke. He’s spent his career working in luxury watches - he can find anything you need, but his showroom in St. Louis Park is stocked with pre-loved Rolex, Tudor and IWC to more entry-level Seiko. Tell David I sent you, he’ll give you an even better deal than normal! SELECTION: https://fluence-media.co/3ViIGJw (You can even get this lovely Tudor I’m wearing!)

COFFEE SUBSCRIPTION:  I’ve been a subscriber to Trade Coffee for 8 years or so now. You get 30% off your first month if you use my link. https://fluence-media.co/3w16Iyl (I get $20 if you sign up!)

KITCHEN KNIVES: Eversharp just had a crazy tent sale with unbelievable knives from Wusthof and huge discounts. Everything they have left is now in the shop, ready for gifting. The Santuko knives I’m holding are $99, usually $150. Email info@eversharpknives.com, or stop in 344 Taft St NE, Minneapolis.

DRIVETIME ON DEMAND

SEN. SMITH WANTS TO WATCH THE TWINS: Sen. Tina Smith talks to me about pressuring Comcast to work things out with Bally Sports North. https://fluence-media.co/4aWS4qG

THE E-BIKE REBATE DEBACLE: The state has a great track record with web signups, doesn’t it? $1500 ebike rebate makes me want one! https://fluence-media.co/3Xeb9BB

WCCO-TV REPORTER IN FRANCE: Great conversation with John Lauritsen from France, as he covers D-Day’s 80th anniversary. https://fluence-media.co/3XeyuDo

FIRE ALARM GOES OFF WHILE I’M ON AIR: I tell the story of when lightning hit my house years ago. https://fluence-media.co/3x6IeEV

MORIARTY V. WALZ: I have complaints about both of them. https://fluence-media.co/4aUGFrB

FIND DRIVETIME WHEREVER YOU GET PODCASTS!

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