Chez Arnaud, Rare Steak & Sushi, and more

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Chez Arnaud (opening soon)

4735 Highway 61, White Bear Lake | myfrenchbakery.net

Chez Arnaud has been thriving in Maple Grove, so owner Arnaud de Rambures is expanding to another side of the metro: White Bear Lake. The new outpost is set to open in early September.

De Rambures operates a classic French bakery with both pastry and breads, and he will continue to sell the whole array at both locations.

“I chose White Bear Lake because a lot of bakeries are in South Minneapolis and Uptown,” he said. “So the idea was to go to the other side of the Twin Cities, the east side, so it’s positioned like the Maple Grove spot.”

De Rambures said his current location was too small to allow desired production, so he will bake pastry in Maple Grove and bread in White Bear Lake, with a daily truck delivery between each.

“So it will still be made very fresh every day, but just focusing on bread and pastries at each location,” he said. “This should help us expand into catering, so we can do hotels and businesses with lunch boxes. This is where we’re trying to move.”

The new bakery will have a slightly expanded menu: sandwiches, quiche, and salads, like the Maple Grove version, but de Rambures said he’ll add soups and small plates like bruschetta.

“We’re trying to upgrade the quality of what we’re doing, better design, better process, so it’s creating a better image of Chez Arnaud,” he said.

Helping the image department: Last month, Chez Arnaud won the Best French Baguette of the Twin Cities award at a competition put on by the Alliance Francaise at the Saint Paul University Club. Arnaud beat out Lucia’s, Rustica, Breadsmith, the Bikery, and New French Bakery.

“Since we got this award, our demand has increased as well, so we have to keep our customers happy,” de Rambures said.

Rare Steak & Sushi (now open)

615 2nd Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.752.9595 | rarempls.com

The Grand Hotel in downtown Minneapolis has revamped its bar and restaurant, rebranding the cocktail lounge as the Six15 Room and shifting the restaurant to Rare Steak & Sushi.

Owned by the CEO of Life Time Fitness, which has a gym in the hotel, Rare replaces Zahtar, originally helmed by David Fhima. Rare’s chef is Feliciano “Chano” Bustamante, who previously has worked at Nami, Origami, Fujiya, Cafe Della Vita, Martini Blu, and Zahtar.

The menu is varied, from a plethora of sushi (21 different rolls) and sashimi to several steak and seafood entrees, soups, salads, and small plates like ceviche, potstickers, and beef tataki. There’s even a Jucy Lucy-ish cheese-stuffed burger called the Cheesy Chano.

Prices top out at $28 for the 20-ounce ribeye, but the menu is pretty diverse price-wise, especially the happy hour menu (3-6:30 M-F) with several sushi rolls and small plates for $5.

“Rare Steak & Sushi allows Life Time Fitness to help the public and its guests continue their healthy way of life with an emphasis on grass-fed and sustainably harvested proteins,” spokesperson Allison Dent said.

NOW OPEN

  • Urban Bean, 2401 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.200.8051 | urbanbeancoffee.com
  • The Lowry, 2112 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.341.2112 | Find it on Facebook
  • Claddagh Coffee, 459 W 7th, St. Paul | 612.940.9805 | Find it on Facebook
  • El Loro Mexican Restaurant, 5689 Blaine Ave, Inver Grove Heights
  • McCormick’s Pub, 331 Broadway Ave S, Wayzata | 952.767.2417 | Find it on Facebook
  • The Bachelor Farmer, 50 2nd Ave N, Minneapolis | 612.206.3920 | TheBachelorFarmer.com
  • Andale Taqueria y Mercado, 7700 Nicollet Ave S, Richfield | 651.230.6498
  • Bella Pizza, 14485 S Robert Tr, Rosemount | 651.322.1818 | bellapizzashop.com
  • The Public House, 700 Washington Ave N, Minneapolis  | 612.455.1213 | thepublichousempls.com
  • Toppers, 702 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis | toppers.com
  • Little Szechuan, 5377 16th St, Shops at West End, St. Louis Park | 952.322.7671 | littleszechuan.com
Kate N.G. Sommers / Heavy Table
  • Blue Ox Coffee Company, 3740 Chicago Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.825.6650 | blueoxcoffeecompany.com
  • Alix in Candyland, 5400 France Ave S, Edina | 952.915.1100 | alixincandyland.com
  • Ansari’s Mediterranean Grill, 1960 Rahn Cliff Ct, Eagan. Open again after fire. | 651.452.0999 | ansarisgrill.com
  • Viva Brazil, 913 W Lake St, Minneapolis | 612.871.4239 | vivabrazilrestaurant.com
  • Rare Steak & Sushi, 615 2nd Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.752.9595 | rarempls.com
  • Pizza Town, 1600 W Broadway, Minneapolis | 612.522.9999
  • Grand Szechuan, 187 Cheshire Lane N, Plymouth | 763.404.1770 | grandszechuanmn.com
  • Osaka, 6440 Wayzata Blvd, Golden Valley | 763.398.6808 | osakausa.com
  • Palumbo’s Pizzeria, 454 Snelling Ave S, St Paul | 651.698.0020 | Our take
  • Kinsen, 1300 Lagoon Ave, Minneapolis | 612.367.4595 | kinsennoodles.com
  • :D-SPOT, 705 Century Ave N, Suite B, Maplewood | 651.730.7768 | Our take
  • Asia Bistro, 10060 City Walk Dr, Woodbury | 651.788.9108 | asiabistrowoodbury.com
  • RedRossa Italian Grille, 1901 Killebrew Dr, Bloomington | 952.814.2910 | redrossa.com
Kate N.G Sommers / Heavy Table
  • Element Pizza, 96 Broadway St NE, Minneapolis | 612.379.3028 | elementpizza.com
  • Catalina’s, 2301 37th Pl, Columbia Heights | 612.695.7531
  • Muddy Waters Bar and Eatery, 2933 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.872.2232 | muddywatersmpls.com
  • Wilde Roast Cafe, 65 Main St SE, Minneapolis. Now open in new location. | 612.331.4544 | wilderoastcafe.com
  • Pandolfi, 3904 W 50th St, Edina | 612.801.7567 | Our take
  • American Grill, 3752 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis
  • Mill Valley Kitchen, 3900 Excelsior Blvd, St. Louis Park  | 952.358.2000 | millvalleykitchen.com
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table

CLOSED / CLOSING:

  • Tinucci’s, 2190 Eagle Creek Ln, Woodbury
  • Purple Sandpiper, 8405 Lyndale Ave S, Bloomington
  • Curry Up, 13601 Grove Dr, Maple Grove

COMING UP:

  • Zen Box Izakaya, 602 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis. Opens in August. | 612.332.3936 | Find it on Facebook
  • Rosa Mexicano, 6th St and Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis (in City Center next to Fogo de Chao). Opens in September. | rosamexicano.com
  • Pat’s Tap, 3510 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.822.8216 | Find it on Facebook
  • Maeve’s Cafe, 300 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis | 612.379.1033 | Find it on Facebook
  • Adagio Cafe, 5001 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis. Opens this summer. | Find it on Facebook
  • Fasika, University Ave and Dale St, St. Paul (new Frogtown Square). Opens this summer. | fasika.com
  • Humble Pie, 822 W 36th St., Minneapolis. Kim Bartmann’s revamp of Gigi’s. Coming this summer. | 612.825.0818
  • Mi Sinaloa, 3801 Chicago Ave S, Minneapolis
  • Joan’s on the Park, 631 Snelling Ave S, St. Paul. Soon-to-be-former Grampa Tony’s, opens early September. | 651.690.3297
  • Pig & Fiddle, 3808 W 50th St, Minneapolis. Opens late August /early September.
  • Chez Arnaud, 4735 Highway 61, White Bear Lake. Opens early September. | myfrenchbakery.net
  • Rye Delicatessen & Bar, 1930 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis. Opens in early October.
  • Crooked Pint Ale House, 501 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis. Opens this fall. | crookedpint.com
  • Eat Street Social, 14 W 26th St, Minneapolis. Opens this fall.
  • Icehouse, 2528 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis. Opens this fall.
  • Stout’s Pub, 1611 Larpenteur, Falcon Heights. Opens this fall.
  • Cranky’s Bicycle Bar, 3849 Clinton Ave, Minneapolis | Find it on Facebook
  • Pittsburgh Blue, 3200 Galleria (former Kozy’s), Edina. Opens this fall. |pittsburghbluesteak.com
  • Mesa Pizza, 1440 W. Lake St, Minneapolis. Opens this fall. | mesapizzamn.com
  • Jason’s Deli, 7565 France Ave S, Edina. Opens in November. | jasonsdeli.com
  • Mojo Monkey Donuts, 1169 7th St W, St. Paul
  • Amsterdam, 6 W 6th St, St. Paul (former Pop!)
  • Zest! Bar and Grill, 525 Diffley Rd, Eagan
  • Toppers, 1154 Grand Ave, St. Paul | toppers.com
  • Five Guys, 8360 3rd St N, Oakdale | fiveguys.com
  • La Crepe Nanou, Huey’s 24 / 7 Diner, The Wine Loft, Shops at West End, St. Louis Park. Opening this fall. | lacrepenanou.com | hueys247diner.com | thewineloft.net
  • YO!Sushi | Company says five metro locations coming, first in Minneapolis in 2011. | yosushi.com
  • Cupcake, Grand Ave, St. Paul
  • Kyoto Sushi, 13751 Grove Dr, Maple Grove | 763.488.1588 | kyotomn.com
  • Smashburger, 2140 Ford Pkwy, St. Paul | smashburger.com
  • Rodizio Grill, 12197 Elm Creek Blvd N, Maple Grove. Opens this fall. | rodiziogrill.com

The Tap is The Heavy Table’s guide to area restaurant openings, closings, and other major events. The Tap is compiled by Heavy Table writer Jason Walker, and will be published biweekly. If you already subscribe to our newsletter, look for an emailed version of The Tap every other week — otherwise, you can find it on the website on alternating Tuesdays.
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