The Tap: In Season, Pinstripes, and more

The Tap by Jason Walker

In Season (now open)

5416 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.926.0105 | inseasonrestaurant.com

Chef Don Saunders (formerly of the much loved and now-closed Fugaise) is back, moving his base of operations from Northeast to Southwest Minneapolis. His new restaurant, In Season, opened Nov 16 at 5416 Penn Ave S, in the former Armatage Room space. Like The Craftsman or Corner Table, it’s committed to giving diners an affordable seasonal menu of high-quality ingredients in a neighborhood setting.

Saunders said he’s always cooked seasonally, including at Fugaise, but In Season would tell a “complete story” with four distinct menus.

“You can see it right on the menu,” he said. “On the front, you’ve got a brainstorm of all ingredients that are seasonally appropriate and what I want to base the menu around. On the back is the menu. It really tells you the story of what we’re all about.”

Much of Saunders’ food is sourced locally, including the lions’ share from Six Rivers Cooperative in northwest Wisconsin. Yet he said In Season wasn’t strictly locavore, naming Texas ruby red grapefruits, clementines, and monkfish as several vital winter ingredients.

“We really stress the seasonality of some common ingredients and some really cool ingredients,” Saunders said. “For instance, cauliflower and leeks are in season now; the leeks are huge with big, green tops, the cauliflower is blooming really, really nice. Leeks and cauliflower are available year-round, but they’re not always at their peak. That’s sort of the whole concept.”

Entrees like rabbit pappardelle, pork loin, and belly, and braised beef cheek are kept in the $15-$20 range, and wine and beer are available, with a wine list of 44 bottles that includes nine under $30. Wines and beers may shift slightly with the seasonal menus, too.

“The feel is definitely more casual, there’s more value and a more flexible way of dining than Fugaise,” Saunders said. “Not only are prices not as high, but you can come to In Season and order anything. I like to think the service level and quality of food is the same as Fugaise but the flexibility makes it feel more homey, more neighborhood-y.”

Saunders plans to shift from the fall to winter menu the week of Dec. 7.

Pinstripes (now open)

3849 Gallagher Dr, Edina | 952.835.6437 | pinstripes.com

A gigantic new option for whiling away the winter, Pinstripes, a 39,000-square-foot restaurant with six bocce courts and 16 bowling lanes, opened Nov 20 in Centennial Shops at 3849 Gallagher Drive, Edina. The concept is broad: mixing family fun, food, and adult drink by offering a varied menu of Italian and American food, wines and house cocktails, Sunday brunch, and even box lunches along with its indoor sports. The Edina location is the third of a chain that includes two outposts in suburban Chicago.

The menu is vast and includes a myriad of appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, pastas, and entrees, including linguini and clams, jambalaya risotto, beef tenderloin, a lobster roll, and pine-nut-crusted halibut. Desserts are also plentiful and feature housemade gelato. Give owner Dale Schwartz points for bravado — this is quite a big idea. The Chef is Mark Grimes, formerly of Champps Americana. Sounds like nobody walks away hungry.

NOW OPEN

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  • The Inn, 89 S 10th St, Minneapolis | 612.886.2377 | inneats.com
  • Mozza Mia, 3910 West 50th St, Edina | 952.288.2882 | mozzamia.com
  • Pizzeria Lola, 5557 Xerxes Ave S, Minneapolis | 612-424-8338 | pizzerialola.com
  • Psycho Suzi’s, 1900 Marshall St. NE | 612.788.9069 | psychosuzis.com
  • BLVD Kitchen and Bar, 11544 W Wayzata Blvd, Minnetonka | 763-398-3200 | blvdkitchen.com
  • Filfilah Restaurant and Grill, 4301 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis
  • Steepery Tea Bar, 783 Radio Dr, Woodbury | 651.788.9759 | teagardeninc.com
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
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  • Scusi, 1806 St. Clair Ave, St. Paul | 651.789.7007 | scusistpaul.com
  • Jack’s, 818 W 46th St, Minneapolis | 612.825.2183 | jacksmpls.com
  • Marrakech Moroccan Cafe & Grill, 1839 Central Ave NE | 612.788.0405
  • Amu’s Madras Cafe, 4920 Central Ave NE, Columbia Heights | 763.571.5576
  • Stanley’s Bar Room, 2500 University Ave NE, Minneapolis | 612.788.2529 | stanleysbarroom.com
  • Hibachi Buffet, 111 E Lake St, Minneapolis | 612.825.3099
  • The Hanger Room, 310 Stillwater Rd, Willernie | 651.429.1477 | thehangerroom.com
  • Sunshine Pizza, 1556 Selby Ave, St. Paul 55104 | 651.209.9299 | sunshinepizzacafe.com
  • Afro Deli and Coffee, 1931 S Fifth St, Minneapolis | 612.871.5555
  • Lakes Tavern and Grill, 9240 Hudson Rd, Woodbury | 651.287.2000 | lakestavernandgrill.com
  • Whisky Park, 15 S 5th St, Minneapolis | 612.545.5235 | whiskyparkmpls.com
  • Malone’s Bar & Grill, 12635 Elm Creek Blvd N, Maple Grove | 763.447.6500 | malonesbarandgrill.net
  • Chez Arnaud, 13332 Bass Lake Rd, Maple Grove | 763.568.7756 | mygourmandise.com
  • Safari, 3010 4th Ave S, Minneapolis | safarimpls.com
  • Poor Richard’s Commonhouse, 8301 Normandale Blvd, Bloomington | 952-835-8308 | poorrichardscommonhouse.com
  • Vescio’s Trattoria, 601 Marquette Ave S (skyway level), Minneapolis | 612.354.2374
  • Five Guys Burgers and Fries, 1413 4th St SE, Minneapolis | 612.355.5500 | fiveguys.com
  • Baldy’s BBQ, 1813 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis | 612.259.8915 | baldysbbqmn.com


NOW CLOSED

  • Sauce Pizza & Wine, 1610 West End Blvd, St. Louis Park
  • Ciento Tequila Bar Mexican Kitchen, 6440 Wayzata Blvd, Golden Valley
  • The Vegetarian, 4022 Central Ave NE, Minnneapolis
  • Madwoman Bakeshop and Foodery, 4747 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis

COMING SOON

  • Tilia, 2726 W 43rd St, Minneapolis. In former Rice Paper space, a new restaurant from Steven Brown.
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
  • Sweets Bakeshop, 4747 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis | sweetsbakeshop.com
  • The Lowry Cafe, Penn and Lowry Aves N, Minneapolis. The brainchild of Darryl and Janet Weivoda of North End Hardware to help restaurant-starved corner.
  • Buffalo Wild Wings, 2001 SE University Ave, Minneapolis | 612.617.9464 | buffalowildwings.com
  • Falafel King, 1851 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis
  • Cocina del Barrio, 50th and France, Edina. Another location of the popular nightspot.
  • Hazel’s Northeast, 2859 Johnson St NE, Minneapolis | 612.788.4778
  • Heidi’s, 2901 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis | 612.354.3512 | heidismpls.com
  • Masu Sushi & Robata, 330 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis
  • Lowbrow, 4244 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis
  • Ahern’s Irish Pub, 126 5th St N, Minneapolis
  • Blue Door Pub, 26th and Nicollet, Minneapolis
  • Pat’s Tap, 3510 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis
  • Naviya’s, 2812 W 43rd St, Minneapolis
  • Turtle Bread, 4205 E 34th St, Minneapolis
  • American Burger Bar, 800 LaSalle Place (8th and Hennepin), Minneapolis | americanburgerbar.com
  • People’s Organic Coffee & Wine Cafe, 3545 Galleria, Edina. Opens Dec 2. | peoplesorganiccoffee.com
  • Patriot’s Tavern, 145 New England Place, Stillwater. Will be owned by Brent and Brian Pilrain of Roma Market in Willernie. Opening is currently set for January 2011.
  • Sun Street Breads, 4600 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis. A brick-and-mortar location for Solveig Tofte’s popular offerings. Opens March 2011. | sunstreetbreads.com
  • Cranky’s Bicycle Bar, east Lake St, Minneapolis. Opens spring 2011.
  • Betty’s Pies, Mall of America
  • Little Szechuan, Shops at West End, St. Louis Park | littleszechuan.com
  • La Crepe Nanou, Shops at West End, St. Louis Park | lacrepenanou.com
  • Huey’s 24/7 Diner, Shops at West End, St. Louis Park | hueys247diner.com
  • The Wine Loft, Shops at West End, St. Louis Park | thewineloft.net
  • Crave, 825 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis (in soon-to-close Palomino) | craveamerica.com
  • Burger Jones,1617 County Road 42, Burnsville. Opening spring 2011. | burgerjones.com
  • Lucy’s, Franklin Ave and 31st St, Minneapolis
  • Salono Grill, 28th and Blaisdell, Minneapolis

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