"Drinking coffee on Friday night at dinnertime makes me feel like we are either way younger or much, much older than we actually are," my dining... More >>
You know what your average steakhouse needs? A little joie de vivre. A touch of lightheartedness. Not a crazy carnival of forced Fun! Fun! Fun!,... More >>
Flattery, it is true, goes a long way. And it's definitely flattering that an upscale dining chain with well-known outposts in New York City, Los... More >>
Pub food is on tap at the new Crooked Pint Ale House on Washington Avenue. Its space most recently housed the 501 Club, but that venue didn't... More >>
Washington Avenue location expands Zen beyond the skyway
By Tricia Cornell,
October 26, 2011
The Twin Cities long ago got the memo that Japanese food isn't just about sushi and sashimi.
We have Tanpopo, a relaxing and refreshing temple... More >>
Downtown St. Paul has a lot going for it: beautiful architecture and urban parks, some truly great restaurants, Wild hockey games and big-name... More >>
Burgers, oysters, and whiskey complete the "man food" circle
By Rachel Hutton,
October 12, 2011
At the new Lowry restaurant on Hennepin Avenue, you can now order a stiff drink where you once rented Cocktail. The former Hollywood Video's... More >>
Squint a little and Sonora Grill, a new food stand in the Midtown Global Market, could be the next Chipotle. It's a better concept, arguably,... More >>
Recently, I ate two terrific dishes. The first was a disk of foie gras, covered with a caramelized-sugar crust, like a tiny crème brûlée with a... More >>
Back in '80s, frozen yogurt was a treat moms bribed their kids with when they went to the mall. The icy swirls may not have had the appeal of a... More >>
For three years, the colorful, contemporary Kindee Thai has been spicing up the food offerings of Minneapolis's Mill District. The kitchen offers... More >>
Menu expands to include house-made gelato, fried foods
By Rachel Hutton,
August 24, 2011
After a seven-year run on East Hennepin Avenue in northeast Minneapolis, Wilde Roast Cafe recently reopened in Picosa's old spot in Riverplace.... More >>
Muddy Waters had a long run as one of Minneapolis's best-loved coffee shops. Its iconic neon sign—a coffee cup buoyantly floating, handle up,... More >>
Is it a health drink? An alcoholic beverage? It depends on who you ask.
By Rachel Hutton,
August 10, 2011
Bryan Deane Bertsch's brewery, as it has recently been classified by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), is in the basement of a... More >>
Last summer, a fleet of food trucks took to the streets of downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul to traffic in turkey legs, Reuben bratwurst, mini... More >>
Day boat scallops and grass-fed beef anchor healthy entrees
By Rachel Hutton,
July 20, 2011
Every shirt you throw on your back comes with a label telling you what material it's made from—legally, clothing manufacturers are obligated to... More >>
Here's what's for dinner, er, supper, at the new Wise Acre Eatery: picked-this-morning lettuces piled with crunchy snap peas, radishes, pickled... More >>
Sometimes it's nice to see cheap eats get gussied up, with street foods such as doubles or pad Thai being served in decorator-designed spaces and... More >>
Lake Harriet has been a city park for more than a century, but these days, as tattooed and spandex-clad parents push their off-road-ready jogger... More >>
Brookside Bar & Grill, Olive's, and other must-visit places
By Rachel Hutton,
June 15, 2011
The Marine General Store has been serving Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota, since 1870, when it opened as the company mercantile for the state's... More >>
For anyone who is still yammering on about the underwhelming poutine at Rye, or who can't keep from lamenting the loss of Duplex's classic take on the same dish, perhaps… More >>
John Lynden is a jerk.
Actually, he's a very warm, convivial guy who successfully pulls off Truman Capote-esque glasses, neatly cuffed jeans, and black Chuck Taylors, but he proudly admits to… More >>
One of the paradoxical things about dining in restaurants is that the experience is not always about the food. Consider places like Mickey's Diner, Mancini's, or the Copper Dome in… More >>
