Eat Locally, Eat Globally

In which a widely anticipated boondoggle turns out to be a boon for Minneapolis's urban fabric

A A A Comments By Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl Wednesday, Aug 2 2006

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Café Finspang

Nick Vlcek

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In truth, the roast chicken lollipops (I can't stop typing that) have nothing on the Norwegian gummy ladies with lady-humps that I bought from Scandinavian import shop Café Finspang. I picked up the Laban seig Damer simply because I'm always up for something new, candy-wise, but when I got them home I set to blushing...whoa! Other cultures! On less 12-year-old-boy topics, Finspang also sometimes offers Danish bakery products, such as that black, dumbbell-heavy, almost steak-like dark rye bread, rügbröd, as well as almond horns, macaroons, and other lush, sweet treats.

Café Finspang has hard goods too—jewelry, more—but, food-wise, they also make Scandinavian open-face sandwiches topped with sliced hard-cooked egg, herring, and such, and sell takeout containers of potato salad and cucumber salad, as well as a few homemade desserts. It looks to be a great resource for last-minute healthy dinners. Still, to me it will always be the place where gummy females have lovely lady lumps.

612.872.2462

So, kids, that's it! I mean, that's all I'm getting to here: There are at least a dozen more shops, including coffee shops, Mexican markets, florists, jewelers, and more, more, more—and on top of that, more opening every week. Should keep you busy for a year; I know it will keep me occupied. The last things you need to know are that there's parking in a ramp directly behind the complex, between 12th and 11th avenues, as well as on surface lots in front of the building. There's a US Bank cash machine and good family-friendly restrooms, and if you're reading this from a ward at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, you can get most of these foods delivered right to your hospital bed (612.870.1820; www.mgmroomservice.com). I foresee a lot of kitchen-table conversations along the lines of, "Honey, I know you had your last child and/or bypass at Fairview Southdale, but the kids and I would really rather eat better this time." What, you don't see it? That's not how Minnesotans think? Not before, they didn't. There are different food cultures around the world, and it looks like we're about to have a whole new one here.