Kenwood

Best of Hot Dish: May 6-10, 2013

It's been another week full of the finest of food and drink news. Here are a few of the week's top stories from Hot Dish.

Signature Dish; The Kenwood's Chef Don Saunders

In the search for the Twin Cities' best culinary creations, we often come across dishes that stop us mid-bite and force us to reflect on the level of thought and artistry chefs put into their work. The efforts of the chefs are often laborious, and the end results are regularly consumed before the fu ... More >>

The Left-Handed Cook's 21 Spice Fried Chicken: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 12

Fried chicken may not be synonymous with the Twin Cities, but one newcomer to the Midtown Global Market is doing its best to boost our local reputation. When the Left-Handed Cook, Thomas Kim and Kat Melgaard's Korean soul food restaurant opened last summer, one item on the menu seemed to immediately ... More >>

In Season closing for the summer, will resurface this fall

Culturally and historically, we think of spring as the time for rebirth, renewal, and re-emergence, but apparently in the Twin Cities restaurant world there's a burgeoning movement to make fall the season for cleaning out the cobwebs and debuting new concepts.  See also: Best Restaurant for Ro ... More >>

Dandelion Kitchen's braised beef sandwich, 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 13

Today we speak in defiance of this ridiculously lame excuse for a spring. We speak of that sunshine colored truck that usually would be parked outside the IDS building on the sidewalk along Nicollet Mall. We speak of freshly-made sodas with bright ingredients and nose-tickling carbonation. We speak ... More >>

Birchwood Cafe's Key Lime Pie: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 14

It may be the official state pie of Florida, but here in Minnesota there is one iconic restaurant that has managed to produce a perfect Key lime pie. It's simultaneously so splendidly sour and subtly sweet that it inspired Izzy's to make a new ice cream flavor based on it, which is pretty incredible ... More >>

Grand Szechuan's Chengdu dumplings: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 15

The problem with strip malls is that they all look the same - which might also be what makes them so appealing. It's impossible to judge the book by the familiar cover, so you've got to go inside where there might be a food find or a dinner disaster.  Inside one particular strip in Bloomington, ... More >>

Ipotli's spicy dosa: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 16

Nation-wide, the Twin Cities are famous for our ingenious skyway system, but only people who have really navigated those above-ground mazes understand that they are also a veritable treasure trove of fantastic cheap eats. We discovered a new favorite this year at Ipotli, a fast-casual Indian restaur ... More >>

Blue Door Pub Longfellow's Baked 'n' Loaded blucy: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 17

The seductive power of a great burger manifests in groups of carnivores who haunt the sidewalks on Selby Avenue outside the original Blue Door Pub location. Stomachs growling, it's as if they can hear that explosive sizzle of meat hitting the hot grill. Toes tapping, they keep time as the the cooks ... More >>

Parka's ham and pickle tots: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 18

As a countdown to the Best of the Twin Cities 2013, coming April 17, the Hot Dish is serving up 50 of our favorite local dishes.There are so many standards by which to evaluate our food. You can consider the quality of the ingredients, creativity in preparation, successful marrying of flavors and te ... More >>

Mojo Monkey's cake doughnuts: 50 favorite dishes, no. 19

Let us pause for a moment and savor the greatness that is a perfectly cooked cake doughnut. Tanned, crispy exterior gives way to fluffy moist interior. Mojo Monkey's cake doughnut is such a specimen, but it's so much more than just a simple doughnut. It's perfection.

Birdhouse's sweet pea pate: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 20

As a countdown to the Best of the Twin Cities 2013, coming April 17, the Hot Dish is serving up 50 of our favorite local dishes.Ever since Stewart and Heidi Woodman's Birdhouse opened in the former Duplex space on Hennepin, healthy eating no longer just feels like fueling up. The couple's mission to ... More >>

Neato's duck fat French fries: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 21

Do not believe those snowflakes. This is spring, and those food trucks are right around the corner. On our list of most anticipated food truck favorite dishes, these crispy fries from Neato's rank near the top, thanks to the unusual way they're prepared . These beauties prove that the best dishes ca ... More >>

Parlour's Panty Dropper: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 22

As a countdown to the Best of the Twin Cities 2013, coming April 17, the Hot Dish is serving up 50 of our favorite local dishes. As excited as we were about Borough opening in the North Loop this year, we were even more interested about what was happening underneath it. In the growing trend of eater ... More >>

Smack Shack's lobster guacamole: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 23

As a countdown to the Best of the Twin Cities 2013, coming April 17, the Hot Dish is serving up 50 of our favorite local dishes.It was hard to imagine, when the Smack Shack food truck first rolled into town that the Twin Cities had a gaping maw of lobster need waiting to be filled. Before you could ... More >>

Mona Restaurant & Bar's marrow on toast: 50 Favorite Dishes, No. 24

As a countdown to the Best of the Twin Cities 2013, coming April 17, the Hot Dish is serving up 50 of our favorite local dishes.How did we make it nearly halfway through this list without a single mention of bone marrow? Perhaps it sounds a little intimidating (or like it should be part of the diet ... More >>

Sonora Grill's shrimp caramelo: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 25

Wandering through Midtown Global Market is always a test of willpower. So many culinary delights from around the world are housed in the former Sears building on Lake Street that it's hard to choose which dish to pick. Wander over to the Sonora Grill and you won't regret your choice of one of their& ... More >>

Blackbird's spicy peanut noodles: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 26

As a countdown to the Best of the Twin Cities 2013, coming April 17, the Hot Dish is serving up 50 of our favorite local dishes. So far our 50 Favorite Dishes countdown has heavily emphasized food from restaurants opened in the last year or so, but this one is more of a perennial favorite, and with ... More >>

Best of Hot Dish: March 25-29, 2013

Spring is in the air! A perfect time to enjoy the best of the Cities' food and drink. Here's what's happening around town with this week's Hot Dish.~We pay a visit to Isaac Becker's new place, Burch Steak and Pizza Bar, and give you the scoop. Read our review and check out the slideshow.~Get to ... More >>

The Kenwood's pancakes with black walnut butter: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 27

What was once a little market has been reborn as a neighborhood dining destination. Chef Don Saunders revamped the space into the Kenwood, a comfortably elegant dining room serving his artistic dishes. They serve brunch, lunch, and dinner daily. One of the first dishes we sampled was his take on the ... More >>

Our favorite Twin Cities food trends

A closer look at some of the hottest plates in restaurants around the metro

Chef's Day Off: Where Lisa Hanson of Mona likes to eat

It's relatively rare -- maybe even a blue moon-level occasion -- for a chef, particularly one at a new restaurant, to be able to go out on the town and have someone else cook for them. So when local chefs do get a chance to get away from their own kitchens, where do they choose to eat? This Chef's D ... More >>

Sameh Wadi named Gather's first Chef-in-Residence for 2013

Gather by D'Amico at the Walker Art Center will once again run its popular Chef-in-Residence series, in which the restaurant invites a local chef to create two new dishes on Gather's menu on Thursdays throughout the month that chef is hosting. Gather just announced its late winter/early spring lineu ... More >>

Chef's Day Off: Where Susan Dunlop of Joan's in the Park likes to eat

It's relatively rare -- maybe even a blue moon-level occasion -- for a chef, particularly one at a new restaurant, to be able to go out on the town and have someone else cook for them. So when local chefs do get a chance to get away from their own kitchens, where do they choose to eat? This Chef's D ... More >>

Best of Hot Dish: November 26-30, 2012

It's been another special week at the Hot Dish during this holiday season. We've got all the latest food and drink news, right here. Check out a few of the week's top stories.  ~Because French fries are made for lovin', these are our picks for the Cities' top 10, as well as a gra ... More >>

The Kenwood merges cafe and destination dining

Chef Don Saunders brings a culinary Midas touch to his newest venture

Best of Hot Dish: October 1-5, 2012

With the leaves floating down from the sky and the apple orchards and pumpkin patches in full swing, fall is a sweet time of year. Let's get cozy as we recap the week's top stories from the Hot Dish.~We take a look at the Kenwood, the newest cafe to open in--you guessed it--the Kenwood neighbor ... More >>

The Kenwood: A first look

Two construction workers were standing outside contemplating the menu. "I... I just want a sandwich," said one. They were looking for the little cafe that once graced this space."Looks kinda fancy," replied his friend. Eventually they chose to give it a shot. I'm guessing they were glad they did. On ... More >>

Don Saunders taking the helm at Kenwood Cafe

​If you're still depressed about Northeast losing its French accent when Fugaise closed, and if you haven't yet had the opportunity to get to In Season in Armatage, then you've been sorely lacking your recommended dose of chef Don Saunders and his exquisite, seasonally focused cuisine. So it's par ... More >>

Blue Plate Company's The Lowry breaks ground in Uptown

Shimp inaugurates the new construction​It's depressing to look at the shell of an old video store, because it reminds you of a bygone technology, which reminds you of your own mortality, which sucks. Someday Stephanie Shimp, marketing VP and founder (with David Burley) of the Blue Plate Restau ... More >>

Minneapolis's 5 most jinxed restaurant locations

In honor of Thom Pham's announcement that he'll be opening a new restaurant, Wanderers, at 555 Hennepin Ave.--a space notorious for its quick turnover of restaurant operators--Hot Dish decided to take a look at the Top 5 Jinxed Restaurant Locations. Will Thom Pham have better luck in this downtow ... More >>

Director Rob Perez talks Josh Hartnett, Minneapolis life, new movie

Perez made nobody while living in Hartnett's Kenwood house

Tangletown Art & Garden Tour

The Legend of Hidden Beach

The Twin Cities' most infamous party spot has undergone a makeover—but try telling that to the regulars

Nude Beach Busted

Mud pit first victim of Hidden Beach crackdown. Hot skinny-dippers may be next.

A Short List of People I'd Like to Neuter. Or Spay.

There are two kinds of pack animals at the dog park

Spinach, Salad, and the Seasons

What a dozen seasons as a shareholder in a small farm can teach even the most accomplished cook

Minnesota by the Numbers

Little prefab houses

Rooting Against the Home Team

Seven Minnesota authors pen poison Valentines to the place we call home

The Pizza Man Always Rings Twice

True tales of debauchery, rage, and revenge from six veterans of the pie-delivery trade

Artistic License, Revoked

The war on terror is keeping musicians out of the U.S.

Off Beat

The Head Cheese Stands Alone

Take My Life--Please

A dance company looks at the creeping pathos of Catskills comedy

Gardener Extraordinaire

July Snippets from Out and About

Beach Blanket Bummer

"The wealthy residents want the beach to themselves," Hidden Beach visitor Neil Sorenson complains. "They're tired of looking at punk rockers or anyone who looks remotely different."

A Dear Indulgence

Trash Talk

THE TAXPAYERS OF HENNEPIN COUNTY ARE SUING...