Rebecca’s Opens and the Secret Atlas Arrives

The Tap by James Norton

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Readers: Win The Secret Atlas of North Coast Food

The Tap loves restaurant tips from readers, so we’re awarding a copy of The Secret Atlas of North Coast Food to the best tipster of November and December. The Tap is the metro area’s comprehensive restaurant buzz roundup, so if you see a new or newly shuttered restaurant, or anything that’s “coming soon,” email Tap editor James Norton at editor@heavytable.com.

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The Secret Atlas of North Coast Food (now for sale)

The Heavy Table’s first publishing project, The Secret Atlas of North Coast Food, debuted late last week with a launch party at Kitchen Window in Uptown (below).

James Norton / Heavy Table
James Norton / Heavy Table

Funded by a $22,000 Kickstarter campaign, the color-illustrated book tells the story of food and drink in the Upper Midwest through contributions from writers, illustrators, cartographers, and designers.

Signing parties (with food samples!) will take place Thursday, Nov. 21 at 7pm at Common Good Books in St. Paul, and 1-4pm on Saturday, Nov. 23 at Ingebretsen’s in Minneapolis. There’ll also be a signing and food fest in Madison, WI at 5-7pm on Thursday, Dec. 12 at the Kitchen Gallery.

The book is available at Kitchen Window, Ingebretsen’s, and Moon Palace Books in Minneapolis, Common Good Books, Golden Fig, and Bibelot in St. Paul, Apostle Islands Booksellers in Bayfield, WI, and The Kitchen Gallery in Madison, WI.

Order The Secret Atlas of North Coast Food right here.

James Norton / Heavy Table
James Norton / Heavy Table

Rebecca’s Bakery (now open)
2111 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis

One of the most intriguing aspects of national food cultures is how they are interpreted and reinterpreted by immigrants, other cultures, and complementary but parallel traditions. Take, for example, the newly opened Rebecca’s Bakery in Seward: :t’s located in the American Midwest, but it interprets Italian baking via East Africa. (A nicely written My Broadsheet story has more about the shop’s origins.)

Attached to Shega Foods near the old Seward Coop location on East Franklin, Rebecca’s promises authentic Italian baked goods, and delivers with an understated sophistication.

James Norton / Heavy Table
James Norton / Heavy Table

Rebecca’s chocolate chip ricotta pie (above) immediately appealed to us — it’s a simple dish that owner Tesh Belayneh suggested would be “not as sweet” as many American dishes. And so it was: though its cheese component gave the cake-like slice of ricotta pie a richness, it was understated and mild, making this pleasant, sophisticated dessert a great companion to coffee or tea.

James Norton / Heavy Table
James Norton / Heavy Table

Similarly understated and enjoyable was the mille foglie (“thousand leaves,” or Napoleon — above). Although stuffed with a rich (but not oversweet) vanilla cream, the heart of the mille foglie is its many delicate pastry layers, which crumble and melt in the mouth.

NOW OPEN

Courtesy of Honey & Rye Bakehouse
Courtesy of Honey & Rye Bakehouse
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
      • The Torpedo Room (at Eat Street Social), 18 W 26th St, Minneapolis | Our visit.
      • Perro Creek Tavern, Bayport, MN
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table

CLOSED / CLOSING:

      • Sahara, 408 Cedar Ave, Minneapolis (now Baarakallah Restaurant, different ownership)
      • Turkey to Go, 56 E 6th St, St. Paul
      • Mediterranean Deli, 523 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis
      • Lift Coffee and Treats, 451 Stinson Blvd, Minneapolis
      • The Bikery, 904 4th St S, Stillwater
      • True Thai, 2627 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis | A re-opening is promised.
      • Jerabek’s New Bohemian, 63 W Winifred St, St Paul
      • Heidi’s, 2903 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis
      • Lavvu Coffee House, 813 4th St SE Minneapolis
      • Sally’s Saloon and Eatery, 712 Washington Ave SE | Closed for remodeling until summer 2014.
      • Buster’s on 28th, 4204 S 28th Ave, Minneapolis | Temporary closure due to fire.

COMING UP:

Minneapolis

      • Parkway Pizza, 2851 Johnson St. NE, Minneapolis | December 2013
      • The Salad Bar, 40 S 7th St (Skyway level), Minneapolis
      • Kyatchi, 3758 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis
      • Sociable Cider Werks, 1500 Fillmore St NE, Minneapolis
      • Little Szechuan Stadium Village, 304 Oak St SE, Minneapolis
      • Warming House Drinking Chocolate winter food truck | December 2013
      • A Cupcake Social, near 38th St and 28th Ave | November 2013
      • Lyn 65 Kitchen and Bar, Richfield
      • Mango Sushi and Desserts, 233 Cedar Ave | 2013
      • The Triton, 1610 Harmon Pl, Minneapolis | Late Fall 2013
      • Betty Danger’s Country Club, 2519 Marshall St, Minneapolis | Early Spring 2014
      • Hammer & Sickle Vodka Bar, 1300 Lagoon Ave, Minneapolis | Fall 2013
      • Coup d’état, Uptown Minneapolis | Late Fall 2013
      • Day Block Brewing Company, 1105 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis | Fall 2013
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
      • Sonora Grill, (second location) 3300 E Lake St | Winter 2013
      • Russell and Desta Klein projects: Brasserie Zentral, Cafe Zentral, Foreign Legion wine bar, wine shop to be named, Soo Line Building | 2014
      • Minnesota Honey Company, 4956 Xerxes Ave S, Minneapolis, 612.388.4304 | Opens autumn 2013
      • Ray J’s, 500 Central Avenue SE (old Arone’s location) | Opens 2013
      • Heyday, 2702 Lyndale Ave, Minneapolis | Opens February 2014
      • La Fresca, 4750 Grand Ave S, Minneapolis | Opens October 2013
      • Lake & Irving, 1513 W Lake St, Minneapolis | Opens November 2013 | Our preview.
      • Ling & Louie’s Kitchen, 9th St and Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
      • The Nicollet Diner, 1428 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis
      • Tiny Diner, 1014 E 38th St, Minneapolis | 612.822.6302
      • Unnamed Gastrotruck restaurant, 2400 University Ave NE, Minneapolis | Opens 2013
      • Rocky and Shem’s Ice Cream Shoppe, 56th St and Chicago Ave, Minneapolis | Opens 2013
      • The Freehouse, 701 Washington Ave N, Minneapolis | Opens December 2013

St. Paul

      • Untitled seafood-themed project by the owners of the Strip Club, Lowertown, St. Paul
Courtesy Urban Growler
Courtesy Urban Growler

Greater Twin Cities Area

      • LTD (Live the Dream) Brewing, 812 Mainstreet, Hopkins, MN | March 2014
      • Patrick’s Bakery Tarte Flambee restaurant, I-94 & Hemlock Ln, Maple Grove, MN | January 2014
      • Jake’s Wayback Burgers, 8470 City Center Dr, Woodbury | 2013
      • Castle Danger Brewery, Two Harbors brewery expansion and taproom | 2014
      • Jordan Brewery, Jordan, MN | 2013
      • Cafe Sol, Burnsville | Opening in doubt
      • Tin Whiskers Brewing Co., Roseville | Opens 2013
      • Travail and The Rookery, Robbinsdale | Opens fall 2013
      • Crooked Pint Ale House, Apple Valley; another location possible at 40th St and Lyndale Ave

The Tap is the Heavy Table’s guide to area restaurant openings, closings, and other major events. The Tap is compiled and published biweekly by the Heavy Table. If you have tips for The Tap, please email James Norton at editor@heavytable.com.

Readers: Win The Secret Atlas of North Coast Food

The Tap loves restaurant tips from readers, so we’re awarding a copy of “The Secret Atlas of North Coast Food” to the best tipster of September and October. The Tap is the metro area’s comprehensive restaurant buzz roundup, so if you see a new or newly shuttered restaurant, or anything that’s “coming soon,” email Tap editor James Norton at editor@heavytable.com.