Happy MEA weekend: A Unique Review from Dara, Pasta From Hope Breakfast Team, Another Elevated Sports Bar
Grackle opens, DDD hits Minneapolis, Podcasts for To Enjoy!
It’s MEA weekend - if you have kids, you know. If you don’t have kids - maybe you remember your childhood trip. With a high school senior, this is our last MEA break. Sam’s friends are mostly out of town so he said, “Maybe we can hang out and do something fun Saturday.” When a 17-year-old says “maybe we can hang out” you cancel anything you were thinking of doing. Can’t wait. Still not sure what we’re going to do - if you have any ideas, hit me up by hitting reply or email Jason@JasonDeRusha.com!
Only $50 a year gets you exclusive subscriber-only posts! Also a way to say THANKS JASON for putting this together each week. Thank you for reading!
We welcome Minnesota’s own Room & Board as a Download partner! We just worked with Heather in the Edina showroom to select the perfect furniture for our main level renovation. “Calm the Chaos” was the theme - the free design service was a game-changer! I just shared a video showing the best delivery service I’ve ever experienced: IG: https://fluence-media.co/3Y3EIog
TOO BUSY TO DOWNLOAD:
Aster House is Open in St. Anthony Main area
Inside Grackle Maple Grove
Sioux Falls Happening?
Inside Salt & Flour (pasta!) plus a new focus at Fhima’s
Podcasts To Get You Through The Weekend
DOWNLOAD DIALOGUE: Dara’s Chilango Review
I absolutely love the way Dara Moskowitz-Grumdahl handled her review of Chilango, the formerly Tex-Mex, currently Mex restaurant opened by fabulous chef Jorge Guzman. [MSP MAG: https://fluence-media.co/3zVQdWQ]
We went when it opened and enjoyed it, but felt like it was a confused restaurant. The food on the table and on the menu didn’t match the soulful, heart-felt, love of Mexico that Guzman often expresses on his Instagram. Maybe that was ok - I wrote about that in my first look at MNMO [https://fluence-media.co/4d7ylaa]. “it is a neighborhood restaurant, it is fun, it is approachable, and it isn’t designed to win anybody a Beard Award.”
But I haven’t been back. Why not? Because Guzman was clearly working through it - what did he want the restaurant to be? What did the audience want? This hit me in Dara’s piece: “To me, he concluded: “You should come back in two months.” I definitely will. The Chilango I tried was both amazing and a hot mess, and if I’m honest, I’m also someone who is now and then amazing and now and then a hot mess, but I get to do that in private.”
When I write about restaurants, my loyalty is to you the reader, not to the chef. But I write with empathy and compassion for the struggle of opening a restaurant. When you pay full price, you deserve a full experience. Yes, if you go to a place in the first couple months, you also assume a bit of the risk of going somewhere new. But I also know most restaurants are better a year after they open than they are on week three. Give grace, reward risk-taking, but also be honest about flaws - that’s the goal.
NOW OPEN:
Grackle opens in Maple Grove for lunch/dinner today. Above is Justin + Becky Ahlstrom and head chef Diego Chalco. Justin + Becky have a great menu and a great bar with lots of Tattersall cocktails in the former Wahlburgers. They own Margie’s in Andover which I love! Restaurant Capital of Minnesota gets a great locally-owned restaurant! Grackle will be a huge hit - no reservations, just walk in!
Salt and Flour opened in the North Loop Tuesday (more details below)
Aster House opened Wednesday night from Jeff Arundel of Aster Cafe
Cocoa Flake is a new chocolate shop in Robbinsdale https://fluence-media.co/488WEm0
The Naughty Doner Company is now open in the former Spicy Feta (former Naughty Greek) on Snelling in St. Paul. Spicy Feta University remains.
Mother Dough Bakery opens Thursday in Sherman Associate’s Vicinity Apartments in the Mill District. https://fluence-media.co/40aNH9M
QUESTION: Where are all the customers going to come from for all these newly opening restaurants? It’s a relentless drumbeat of new spots. I fear a massive number of closings must be coming to balance this out.
HOT TIP: If things work out, you’re going to LOVE the new plan and buyer for the former Italian Eatery / Un Dito location in South Minneapolis.
RELAUNCHED FHIMA’S: Chef David Fhima has done a light remodel of the art deco space downtown Minneapolis and a major remodel of the menu. All-in on Moroccan spices, flavors and decor. I love how Fhima’s spots now all have separate identities- all part of his story. Margaux is French, Excelsior restaurant will be Italian, and now Fhima’s is Moroccan. Mary Subialka in MNMO: https://fluence-media.co/3Nu1gd2
INSIDE SALT & FLOUR: Hope Breakfast Bar is a great concept - perfect for photos, sweet treats for the brunch set - but from what I tried, Brian Ingram’s new North Loop pasta / pizza spot Salt & Flour is his most delicious restaurant. I’m optimistic about this one: Me in MNMO: https://fluence-media.co/4eKdDh3
WHAT’S WITH THE ELEVATED SPORTS BARS? Do you want to drive over by U.S. Bank Stadium on a non-Vikings night to watch a game? Downtown Voices says "Namos will be an upscale, elevated sports bar, offering a relaxed atmosphere with calm music during the day and transitioning into a vibrant Ibiza- and Marbella-inspired experience at night – all while serving top-quality food." OK then. https://fluence-media.co/3U9J1x5
COOKS | BELLECOUR LAUNCHES CATERING: A no-brainer, isn’t it? Focused on breakfast and lunch for groups of ten or more (corporate events, meetings, office gatherings, celebrations). MENU: https://fluence-media.co/4gZbuzB
MPLS ON GUY FIERI’S DDD: Six local restaurants getting the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives treatment on Food Network. StepCHLD is up first, then Hai Hai, Union Hmong Kitchen, Guacaya Bistreaux, Oro and OG Zaza to follow. Air schedule from me in MNMO: https://fluence-media.co/4eL1gB8
IS SIOUX FALLS HAPPENING?: The team behind Smack Shack and Burger Dive just opened 3 new restaurants in downtown Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Josh Thoma, Kevin Fitzgerald and Nick O’Leary opened Big Sioux Burger and Dahlia Kitchen + Bar this week, Ironwood opens October 29. Dahlia is a “contemporary Mexican restaurant” with 225 different tequilas; Big Sioux Burger is self-explanators; Ironwood will be a steakhouse. All designed by Twin Cities design powerhouse, Shea Design.
SPOON & STABLE POP UP FOR KHUE’S KITCHEN: A fire wiped out Chef Eric Pham’s restaurant just before it was set to open. Eric worked at Spoon and Stable for two years; next Thursday & Friday night they’re having a pop-up with cocktails and food in the bar. No reservations - just drop in & support. https://fluence-media.co/3UgvmEr
BEST SANDWICHES IN MINNESOTA: I worked hard on this feature - truly we are in a great period for sammies. Check out my favorites in a number of different categories - who’d I miss? Me in MNMO: https://fluence-media.co/3zJYDAB
DRIVETIME WITH DERUSHA ON DEMAND
WHY IS WINE AT STADIUMS AND THEATERS SO CRAPPY: Great chat on lots of wine topics with Jason Kallsen, Twin Cities Wine Education. https://fluence-media.co/4h7Rw5x
PARALYZED IN CAR CRASH; HE DESIGNS AN ACCESSIBLE RESORT IN ELY: Universal design, a resort for all, SEAN LEARY tells his story (thanks Ben Krsnak for the tip!) https://fluence-media.co/406yaYL
A RAVE ABOUT A STILLWATER SPOT: Laura Oaks goes nuts for Howard’s Bar - https://fluence-media.co/3YoqDmO
AMAZING ST. PAUL POLICE EFFORT: Treating every shooting with the rapid response that a homicide gets - it’s working. https://fluence-media.co/4071U7D
LATITUDE X GRATITUDE: Local branding firm donates 50% of profits; cool project to raise money for Minneapolis Public Schools arts. https://fluence-media.co/40f4Zm2
UPSTREAM FINDS UNITY IN LOVE OF THE OUTDOORS: Backyard conversations across politics https://fluence-media.co/3UcTyrf
SUBSCRIBE TO THE DRIVETIME WITH DERUSHA PODCAST!
Apple Podcast https://fluence-media.co/3xTkkNu
Spotify: https://fluence-media.co/3VUtph4
WHAT’S THE BEST NEW RESTAURANT OF 2024? It’s a discussion on my Threads page - weigh in! Diane’s Place? Vinai? Bucheron? Others? THREAD: https://fluence-media.co/4eYRkE6
INSIDE PORTUGAL: I sent a bonus post this week with tips for Lisbon! Bookmark the link: https://fluence-media.co/3Y5SGpz
WEEKEND PLANNER
Saturday:
Steph March & Hansen’s Cookbook Swap, Malcolm Yards, Noon-2p https://fluence-media.co/3YdHebG
Chili cookoff at Forgotten Star Brewing 11a. https://fluence-media.co/3YsbYH3
Flyer Fest at Headflyer Brewing. 1p-7p https://fluence-media.co/4dQdKXa
SEE YOU NEXT WEEK! I love seeing your feedback - so please share thoughts and news tips to Jason@JasonDeRusha.com.
Laura is right! Howard’s Bar is terrific! Jason, the cheeseburgers are fab, also order the Dill Pickle Bloody Mary. It’s off menu and perfect! Living in Marine on St. Croix, foodies here know the food scene in Stillwater very well! More tips to come!
Jason, you do an incredible job with this newsletter. I love the links to recent work. I agree, Dara’s review was brilliant. It puts the customer in the reviewer’s spot and explains the reality of opening of a restaurant, how sometimes a restaurant isn’t ready for prime time, she talks to Guzman who said come back in two months. I don’t think that’s a great answer frankly, charging the public as you work out the kinks? It just doesn’t feel like the due diligence and training process was there. However she handled it beautifully without harm, which Jon Cheng would not have done.
Overall, excellent product! Congratulations!! I’m sharing it!