Readers: Win Heavy Table pint glasses
The Tap loves restaurant tips from readers, so we’re awarding a Heavy Table pint glass to the best tipster each month. 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 Jason Walker at jason@heavytable.com.
September’s winner: Christy Prediger of Minneapolis
Colossal Cafe (opens in December)
2315 Como Ave, St. Paul | colossalcafe.com
South Minneapolis’ Colossal Cafe is adding a new location in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood of St. Paul this December. Chef / owner Elizabeth Tinucci said the new Colossal would be five times bigger than the original but very little would change menu-wise.
“Colossal Café has been around six years, but I’ve only owned it for 14 months and I own it with my parents,” she said. “My dad was with Tinucci’s in Newport, and he retired after 36 years there so that we can do this together. I think that ever since we decided to purchase Colossal Café here in South Minneapolis it’s always been on the back burner that this is a great concept, it’s been a lot of fun, a lot of people enjoy it. So how else can we do it, but maybe in a bigger space? We plan on continuing what we’re doing here in Minneapolis.”
One slight difference, though, is adding more ready-to-go sandwiches and salads to Colossal’s current lineup of take-home dinners and pot pies. Tinucci said the hours initially in St. Paul would be 6am-3pm but that the new location could handle kegs and she wouldn’t rule out eventual dinner service with wine and beer.
For now, though, “we’ll have some root beers and hopefully whatever we can find,” she said. “It’d be great to find some cream soda. We’re still kind of exploring those options, because we’re set up for kegs so we figure, why not?
“We’re excited. We think it’s going to be great; we love the neighborhood. We’ve had a lot of positive feedback and positive response from people in the neighborhood and other business owners. It’s just been good.”
The Herb Box (now closed) / Rare Steak and Sushi (now open)
755 Prairie Center Drive, Eden Prairie | 952.829.8484 | rarempls.com
The restaurant in Eden Prairie’s Lifetime Fitness has undergone another change, from The Herb Box to Rare Steak & Sushi. Just opened last December, The Herb Box replaced Zahtar and was opened by two women who owned two popular locations in Scottsdale, AZ. According to a Rare Steak & Sushi representative, the new Eden Prairie location is more casual than the one recently opened in the Grand Hotel with a lighter menu. The steak and sushi are the same at each location, but the sides, salads, appetizers, and sandwiches vary. The Eden Prairie location also has grab-and-go meals.
St. Louis Park Woodfire Grill (now open)
6501 Wayzata Blvd, St. Louis Park | 952.345.0505 | slpwoodfiregrill.com
A new restaurant has opened in St. Louis Park, and for once it’s not at the Shops at West End. Not surprisingly, St. Louis Park Woodfire Grill focuses on said grill and has a menu described by general manager Dani Mathey as “varied with a global influence,” sporting entrees like Mexican chili verde, Argentinian steak roll, Montreal poutine, clay-oven kebabs, and miso-glazed halibut. Chefs are Eric Rudelius-Palmer (Wayzata Eatery, Zahtar, Minneapolis Cafe) and Raul Templonuevo (Biella, Zahtar, LoTo).
There is also a full bar with some unique cocktails, and Mathey said the Woodfire Grill was focused on expanding its local beer selection. It also plans to open for breakfast soon, so you can have wood-grilled meat with your “SLP” cocktail (lime SoCo, peach schnapps, tarragon / rosemary syrup, and orange soda) for a morning pick-me-up before you hit Costco.
Technique (now open)
1315 Mendota Heights Road, Mendota Heights | 651.286.2400 | techniquerestaurant.com
Want a three-course meal for $10? Check out Technique, the student-run restaurant of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts that “features elegant food prepared by the next generation of great American chefs.” Technique is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Friday, and reservations are recommended.
The menu certainly reads like a contemporary bistro: Salads include a nicoise with seared tuna or a watermelon, mache, and arugula version; entrees available are halibut, lamb burger, beef short rib, veal shank, etc.; and desserts (cheesecake, chocolate mousse, fruit crumble) are plentiful. So, it’s like getting your hair cut at the barber college without having to live with the results for a few weeks.
NOW OPEN
- Technique, 1440 Northland Dr, Mendota Heights | 651.286.2400 | techniquerestaurant.com
- No-Neck Tony’s, 231 Myrtle St, Stillwater | 651.342.1261 | nonecktonys.com
- The Four Firkins, 5630 36th St, St. Louis Park | 952.938.2847 | thefourfirkins.com
- Mojo Monkey Donuts, 1169 7th St W, St. Paul | 651.224.0142 | Find it on Facebook
- Rare Steak and Sushi, 755 Prairie Center Dr (inside Lifetime Fitness), Eden Prairie | 952.829.8484 | rarempls.com
- Maeve’s Cafe, 300 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis | 612.379.1033 | Find it on Facebook
- Zen Box Izakaya, 602 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.332.3936 | Find it on Facebook
- Pat’s Tap, 3510 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.822.8216 | Find it on Facebook
- Rosa Mexicano, 6th St and Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis (in City Center next to Fogo de Chao) | rosamexicano.com
- Sweet Bebe Cakes, 409 15th Ave N, South St. Paul | 651.457.5082 | sweetbebecakes.com
- Pit Stop Chill & Grill, 4000 6th St NE, Columbia Heights | 763.789.7867 | Find it on Facebook
- Carmine’s, 9900 Valley Creek Rd, Woodbury | 651.730.4500 | carmineswoodbury.com
- DixieBlue BarBQue, 2330 Cloud Dr Suite 101, Blaine | 763.208.9394 | dixiebluebbq.com
- St. Louis Park Woodfire Grill, 6501 Wayzata Blvd, St. Louis Park | 952.345.0505 | slpwoodfiregrill.com
- Joan’s in the Park, 631 Snelling Ave S, St. Paul | 651.690.3297 | joansinthepark.com
- Chez Arnaud, 4735 Highway 61, White Bear Lake | myfrenchbakery.net
- Crooked Pint Ale House, 501 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.877.6900 | crookedpint.com
- Amsterdam, 6 W 6th St, St. Paul | Find it on Facebook
- Adagio Cafe, 5001 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.922.2233 | Find it on Facebook
- Hot Diggity Dog, 614 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis | 612.331.3759 | hotdiggitydogmpls.com
- Deg Deg Grill, 2910 Pillsbury Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.825.1466
- Firehouse Subs, 2303 White Bear Ave, Maplewood | 651.731.7827 | firehousesubs.com
- Sonora Grill, 920 E Lake St, Minneapolis (Midtown Global Market) | 612.871.1900 | Our take
- Steel Toe Brewing, 4848 W 35th St, St. Louis Park | steeltoebrewing.com
- Mi Sinaloa, 3801 Chicago Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.824.2828
- 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 | 651.600.3400 | Find it on Facebook
- 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 | Our take
CLOSED / CLOSING:
- The Herb Box, 755 Prairie Center Dr, Eden Prairie
- Blink Bonnie Subs, 237 East 7th St, St. Paul
- NorthCoast, 294 East Grove Lane, Wayzata
- Wayzata Eatery, 1179 Wayzata Blvd E, Wayzata
- Krua Thai, 432 University Ave W, St. Paul
- Hard Rock Cafe, 7th St and Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis
COMING UP:
- Mesa Pizza, 1440 W Lake St, Minneapolis | mesapizzamn.com
- Smashburger, 2138 Ford Pkwy, St. Paul. Opens Oct. 19. | smashburger.com
- Pig & Fiddle, 3808 W 50th St, Minneapolis. Opens this month.
- Stout’s Pub, 1611 Larpenteur, Falcon Heights. Opens Oct. 26.
- The Donut Cooperative | 2929 E 25th St, Minneapolis. Opens in October. |thedonutcooperative.com
- Zest! Bar and Grill, 525 Diffley Rd, Eagan. Opens late October. | zesteagan.com
- Valley Tap House, 14889 Florence Tr, Apple Valley. Opens in November. | Find it on Facebook
- Jason’s Deli, 7565 France Ave S, Edina. Opens in November. | jasonsdeli.com
- Turkey to Go, Baker Center skyway, Minneapolis; Alliance Bank Center skyway, St. Paul. Opens in November. | turkeytogo.com
- Kopplins Coffee, 2038 Marshall Ave, St. Paul (moving to new location). Opens Nov. 25. | kopplinscoffee.com
- American Joe, 344 Wabasha St N, St. Paul. Opens in November.
- Wild Bill’s Sports Saloon, 546 Commons Dr, Woodbury. Opens in November. | 651.357.1050 | wildbills-sportssaloon.com
- Rye Delicatessen & Bar, 1930 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis. Opens this fall. | Find it on Facebook
- Fasika, University Ave and Dale St, St. Paul | fasika.com
- Rincon 38, 38th St and Grand Ave, Minneapolis
- Humble Pie, 822 W 36th St., Minneapolis. Kim Bartmann’s revamp of Gigi’s. | 612.825.0818
- Colossal Cafe, 2315 Como Ave, St. Paul. Opens Dec. 1. | colossalcafe.com
- Eat Street Social, 14 W 26th St, Minneapolis. Opens this fall.
- Icehouse, 2528 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis. Opens this fall.
- Pittsburgh Blue, 3200 Galleria (former Kozy’s), Edina. Opens this fall. |pittsburghbluesteak.com
- Rodizio Grill, 12197 Elm Creek Blvd N, Maple Grove. Opens this fall. | rodiziogrill.com
- Butcher and the Boar, 1121 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis. Opens in December.
- Blue Door Pub, 3448 42nd Ave S, Minneapolis. Opens in 2012. | thebdp.com
- El Loro, 2535 W Highway 10, Mounds View
- Five Guys, 8360 3rd St N, Oakdale | fiveguys.com
- Cupcake, Grand Ave, St. Paul
- Burger Night, Minneapolis
- Kyoto Sushi, 13751 Grove Dr, Maple Grove | 763.488.1588 | kyotomn.com
- Cranky’s Bicycle Bar, E Lake St, Minneapolis | Find it on Facebook
- Queen’s City Cafe, 2700 E Lake St
- Smokehouse Brewpub, 38th St and 28th Ave S, Minneapolis. Opens spring 2012.
- La Crepe Nanou, Huey’s 24 / 7 Diner, The Wine Loft, Shops at West End, St. Louis Park | lacrepenanou.com | hueys247diner.com | thewineloft.net
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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