Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

Travel Channel is Looking for Fans of the "Juicy Lucy" Stuffed Cheeseburger

 

A new series will be airing this Spring on the Travel Channel. Our host is visiting cities around the country learning about their iconic food dishes. Next up on our food journey: Minneapolis, MN for the “Juicy” or “Jucy” Lucy. If you’re a loyal customer of 5-8 Club we want you there February 8th. If you prefer your burger be from Matt’s Bar then come and show your support there on February 9th. No matter which side of the fence you may fall, we want you all together on February 10^th (location TBD)!

TRAVEL CHANNEL WANTS TO KNOW…

 

ARE YOU THE #1 FAN OF

The 5-8 Club OR

  Matt’s Bar?!

 

WE WANT YOU ON CAMERA LOUD AND PROUD TO TELL VIEWERS EVERYWHERE WHY THE “JUCY LUCY” AT MATT’S BAR OR THE “JUICY LUCY” AT 5-8 CLUB IS THE BEST!

WE WILL BE FILMING:

 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8^TH at 5-8 CLUB

(5800 Cedar Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN )

5-8 fans, be there!

 

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9^TH at MATT’S BAR

(3500 Cedar Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN)

Matt’s Bar fans, be there!

 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10^TH 

(Location TBD)

5-8 AND Matt’s Bar fans, be there!

 

Please contact [email protected] for more information!

Monday Night Wine Classes at CRAVE

St. Louis Park, Minn. – CRAVE Restaurants, a group of three locally owned contemporary American eateries with floor-to-ceiling wine towers, will introduce Monday night wine classes in February, led by CRAVE’s newest addition, sommelier Tim Edmunds.

CRAVE will host a Monday night wine class at each of its three locations each month, with the first class on February 8. Each class will welcome up to 35 guests to learn about the tasting fundamentals and the varietals of one major wine-producing region per session, including Burgundy, Lodi, Argentina, South Africa, the Loire Valley and more. To complement the wines, guests will sample special hors d'oeuvres inspired by traditional cuisine from the featured region.

 “Our customers appreciate our diverse wine list, and the addition of a weekly wine series will allow them to further explore classic and new world wine varietals and regions,” said owner and CEO Kam Talebi. “In Tim, we found a sommelier who understands our commitment to fresh, vibrant cuisine and his selections will not only complement our menus, but his classes will educate and entertain our discerning clientele.”

 Before joining the CRAVE team of culinary experts, Tim Edmunds, a 20-year veteran of the hospitality industry, directed the beverage program at The Capital Grille in Minneapolis, led staff education at Vincent A Restaurant and created top-caliber wine lists at Mission American Kitchen and the historic Grand View Lodge in Nisswa, Minn.

 WHAT:   CRAVE Monday Night Wine Classes led by certified Sommelier Tim Edmunds

 WHEN:  Monday nights, beginning in February and continuing throughout the year

6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.

WHERE:  CRAVE Restaurants

 ·        The Shops at West End, 1603 West End Boulevard, St. Louis Park, MN 55416

 ·        Galleria, 3520 Galleria, Edina, MN 55435

 ·        Mall of America, 368 South Avenue, (3rd Floor near Macy’s), Bloomington, MN 55425

 COST:   $45 per person, includes hors d'oeuvres, question and answer period, notepad and glassware

 SCHEDULE:

Chile / Argentina Region

 ·        March 8: Mall of America

 ·        March 15: Shops at West End

 ·        March 22: Galleria

 Australia/New Zealand Region                                       

 ·        February 8: Mall of America                     

 ·        February 22: Galleria                                

 ·        March 1: Shops at West End                     

 For a detailed 2010 schedule or to make a reservation, visit www.CRAVEmn.com or call 952.933.6500.

 About CRAVE

 CRAVE offers fresh, innovative cuisine along with an impeccable wine selection brought to life in a chic yet casual atmosphere. A grand sushi bar extends the dining experience, appealing to both traditional sushi lovers and adventurous epicureans alike. Whether it’s at the Galleria in Edina, Mall of America in Bloomington, or The Shops at West End in St. Louis Park, CRAVE patrons enjoy a familiar yet unforgettable dining experience.  For more information, visit www.CRAVEmn.com.

Rise and Dine at Blue Plate Restaurants on Black Friday

Rise and Dine at Blue Plate Restaurants on Black Friday 2009

Popular Twin Cities' restaurants to offer early bird specials for biggest shopping day

November 10, 2009 - Four of the Twin Cities’ best-loved restaurants will open their doors at an insanely early hour on November 27, 2009, also known as “Black Friday”. Longfellow Grill, Edina Grill, 3Squares and Highland Grill will open for breakfast at 4 am on Black Friday with some unbelievable entrée specials. Black Friday is a tradition for power shoppers and the Blue Plate Restaurant Company wants to join in. 

What:             Black Friday “Rise and Dine” Special

When:            November 27, 2009

                        4am-5am Guests receive any Breakfast Entrée FREE

                        5am-6am Guests receive 75% off any Breakfast Entree

                        6am-7am Guests receive 50% off any Breakfast Entree

Where:          Edina Grill- 5028 France Avenue South, Edina 

                        Longfellow Grill – 2990 West River Parkway, Minneapolis 

                        Highland Grill – 771 Cleveland Avenue South, St. Paul 

                        3Squares – 12690 Arbor Lakes Parkway, Maple Grove

 

Serious shoppers will need a good breakfast to handle the crowds on Black Friday. Shoppers who get up a little earlier and visit any of these four Blue Plate Restaurants will score their first big deal of the day before the sun even rises! For more information visit www.blueplaterestaurantcompany.com

 

About The Blue Plate Restaurant Company: Australian-born chef David Burley teamed with Minnesota native Stephanie Shimp in 1992 to open St. Paul’s Highland Grill, an “urban diner” putting a modern twist on favorite dishes. In 1999, the company expanded with the opening of the Groveland Tap and the Edina Grill, and in 2001 the partnership grew as Stephanie’s brother, Luke Shimp, came on board. In 2005, Blue Plate took its crowd-pleasing menu into another neighborhood with the opening of the Longfellow Grill in Minneapolis. 3 Squares is the latest creation of this innovative team.

Daily Global Meat Party ~ Chino Latino

CHINO LATINO enters the flesh trade with

Manuel Hung’s GLOBAL MEAT PARTY

4:30-6:30 p.m. daily in the dining room

Minneapolis, Minn., November 16, 2009 – The early bird gets the protein at Manuel Hung’s GLOBAL MEAT PARTY, the new 7-days-a-week, early dining special at Chino Latino.

Slaughter your appetite – save your cash

The GLOBAL MEAT PARTY offers a choice of any 3 of the following dishes for $12:

• Chino Latino’s legendary Chinese BBQ Ribs – with 5 spice honey glaze
• Jerked Shrimp Skewers – in a spicy Jamaican marinade
• Muay Thai Wings – tossed in deadly back-alley Thai chile sauce and served with a superfly cilantro yogurt dipping sauce
• Grilled Elote – fire-grilled corn on the cob
• Kalbi Short Ribs – traditional Korean short ribs in a sweet soy glaze
• Spicy Chorizo Sausage – with peppers and onions

Manuel Hung’s GLOBAL MEAT PARTY will debut with the above dishes, but the menu will change seasonally and according to market availability.

We’re even butchering our beer profits

The GLOBAL MEAT PARTY also includes a selection of tap beers at Happy Hour prices. “Compared to the animals’ contribution, discounting may not be the ultimate sacrifice – but it’s close,” said General Manager Noah Barton.

The party starts at 4:30 p.m. daily...

...and the carnage lasts until 6:30 p.m. The GLOBAL MEAT PARTY takes place 7 days a week. And it’s available in the dining room & bar. Says Barton: “Our bar’s already a meat market so what’s a little more meat.”

About Manuel Hung

A Chino Latino prep cook of Chino-Latino ancestry, Manuel Hung inspired us with his passion for meat, particularly that of the Indian bison. But it was love that did him in. While trying to slaughter a feral bull on a trip back home, the 2,000 lb. animal gored, trampled and – atypically for an herbivore – ate him.

About CHINO LATINO

CHINO LATINO restaurant in uptown serves dinner seven nights a week, and offers a nightly Happy Hour from 4:30 - 7:00 p.m. The entire menu is available for takeout, and with advance notice CHINO LATINO can host group events for up to 30 people.

About Parasole

Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Parasole Restaurant Holdings operates Chino Latino and the soon-to-pen Il Gatto in Uptown; Manny’s Steakhouse; The Living Room & Prohibition at the W Minneapolis; Pittsburgh Blue Steakhouse in Maple Grove; Salut Bar Amèricain in Edina and St. Paul; Muffuletta Café in St. Paul; Burger Jones in Minneapolis; and the Good Earth Restaurants in Edina and Roseville.

By joining the Parasole Dining Club, guests have the opportunity to earn rewards for the dollars they spend and to redeem them for food and drink at any participating Parasole restaurant. Details at Parasole.com.

Mickey's Dining Car Cafe in St Paul ~ Top 10 Late Night Diners in USA

St. Paul’s own Mickey’s Dining Car Café was named one of the Top 10 Late Night Diners in the country by Playboy.com!

Playboy searched the country for the 10 greatest late night diners, and found a few establishments that are a cut above the rest and truly embody the American late-night experience.  To see what Playboy had to say about Mickey’s Dining Car Café, visit http://www.playboy.com/articles/best-late-night-diners/index.html, and see below for a complete list of the winning diners.

Top 10 Late Night Diners from Playboy.com:

*11^th Street Diner

11th Street and Washington Avenue Miami, Florida (305) 534-6373

*The Dining Car & Market

8826 Frankford Ave. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (215) 338-5115

*Majestic Diner

1031 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E. Atlanta, Georgia (404) 875-0276

* Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack

125 Ewing Dr. Nashville, Tennessee (615) 226-9442

*Mickey’s Dining Car Cafe

36 W. 7th St. St. Paul, Minnesota (651) 222-5633

*Clover Grill

900 Bourbon St. New Orleans, Louisiana (504) 598-1010

*Orphan Andy’s

3991 17th St. San Francisco, California (415) 864-9795

*The Original Pantry Cafe

877 S. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, California (213) 972-9279

*Diner Grill

1635 W. Irving Park Rd. Chicago, Illinois (773) 248-2030

*Big Nick’s

2175 Broadway New York, New York (212) 362-9238

Vets Eat Free at Applebee's on Veteran's Day 11/11/09!

In appreciation for their service and sacrifice, Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants coast to coast will honor U.S. veterans and active duty military with a free meal on Veterans Day – November 11, 2009. All U.S. veterans and active duty military with proof of current or former U.S. military service will enjoy a free entrée from a selection of six signature favorites.

With nearly 2,000 restaurants nationwide, we are hoping to make this the largest Veterans Day celebration ever as a fitting tribute to our military heroes sacrifice and service to protect America’s cherished freedoms. 

Go Out and Buy Local!

This week I would like to encourage everyone to spend a minimum of $50 at local Twin Cities restaurants and businesses.  

Shopping local – especially in these tough economic times – is a must. For every dollar spent at a local store, three or more times as much goes back into the local economy than if those same dollars are spent at a national chain store according to the American Independent Business Alliance. Also, according to a national survey by the nonprofit Institute for Local Self-Reliance in Minneapolis, last year, independent retailers in cities with buy-local campaigns saw holiday sales fall 3.2% from the prior year, while those in cities with no such movements recorded only a 5.6% drop.

 Scentsy, one of the country’s fastest growing direct sales companies, is launching a “buy local” initiative as part of its fifth anniversary. Scentsy’s Contribute 2009 challenges both the company’s 35,000+ independent consultants as well as the general public to create at least a $5 million economic boost in communities around the country – asking individuals to pledge to spend $50 at a local small business on or around October 12, 2009.

So please, go out and buy Local products and services this week!

Grand Opening at New CRAVE Location in St Louis Park

St. Louis Park, Minn. – The newest CRAVE restaurant location at The Shops at West End opens to the public Monday, October 5 and will be hosting a full week of grand opening activities and specials.

“We are thrilled to be coming into the St. Louis Park area and look forward to introducing CRAVE to the community with a great lineup of fun activities for everyone to enjoy,” said owner and CEO Kam Talebi.

The new St. Louis Park location will span more than 8,500 square feet including a 100-seat outdoor patio and feature an open kitchen, full sushi bar and an iconic cocktail bar that creates the setting for a memorable dining experience. More than 150 new employees will be added to staff CRAVE at The Shops at West End location.

CRAVE offers tastes of the new American palate featuring wood-oven pizzas, roasted meats, sushi, pastas and salads utilizing the freshest ingredients and a 150+ bottle wine selection that will be displayed in an elegant floor-to-ceiling wine tower. Two private dining rooms are also available for special events.

Kam Talebi and his brother Keyvan opened the first CRAVE restaurant in the Galleria in Edina in February 2007 and the second at Mall of America in April 2009. Additional locations are currently being planned outside of Minnesota for 2010.

“We pride ourselves on a unique menu that features a mix of American, Mediterranean and sushi, and we strive to deliver a fresh and innovative dining option at a great value in a casual and vibrant atmosphere that our guests can simply enjoy,” said Kam Talebi.

The Grand Opening festivities will include:

Monday, October 5 · Specialty Burger and Malt Day – Try any one of CRAVE’s 15 varieties of specialty burgers, including Peanut Butter, Jambalaya or Fried Egg, with an assortment of malts for both children and adults.

Tuesday, October 6 · Business Appreciation Day – Business diners will enjoy a variety of specials and a complimentary dessert, as well as a $10 CRAVE gift card when they drop off their business card.

Wednesday, October 7 · Sushi Sampler – Guests will have the chance to taste a wide range of exotic sushi and enjoy special sushi rolls starting at $2 each.

Thursday, October 8 · Cities 97 party featuring a live musical performance by Twin Cities favorite Tim Mahoney from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. · Master Mixology Happy Hour – Guests will enjoy some the hottest new cocktails including Tuscan Bloody Mary, Cucumber Watermelon Mojito and Acai Cosmo.

Friday, October 9 · Music. Sampling. Celebration. Party starting at 9 p.m. with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and drink specials.

Saturday, October 10 · Date night specials and live entertainment starting at 8 p.m. Purchase two entrees and receive a complimentary bottle of featured wine.

Sunday, October 11 · Family-Style Brunch Specials · All-You-Can-Eat Crab and Prime Rib Special · Kids’ VIP Party – Kids 12 and under eat free off the children’s menu and will have the chance to enjoy face painting, personalized balloon animals and a variety of entertainment.

For more information about CRAVE and the grand opening activities and specials, visit www.CRAVEmn.com or call 952.933.6500.

About CRAVE CRAVE offers fresh, innovative cuisine along with an impeccable wine selection brought to life in a chic yet casual atmosphere. A grand sushi bar extends the dining experience, appealing to both traditional sushi lovers and adventurous epicureans alike. Whether it’s at the Galleria in Edina, or Mall of America in Bloomington, CRAVE patrons enjoy a familiar yet unforgettable dining experience. For more information, visit www.CRAVEmn.com.

Grecco's Chef in a Box: A Gourmet Meal Brought to your Kitchen

Local chef Justin Grecco announces Chef in a Box:
A gourmet meal brought to your Kitchen

MINNEAPOLIS — Chef in a Box makes cooking an exquisite meal easier than ever as chef Justin Grecco brings his talents to your kitchen with an easy-to-cook, easy-to-order, gourmet meal.
 
The kit is one-of-a-kind, containing ingredients handpicked for the highest quality and freshness from local producers by Chef Justin Grecco himself. Vacuum-sealed and express delivered; Chef in a Box ships overnight across the United States.
 
“Chef in a Box allows the overworked businessperson, the stressed mom, or even the infatuated teen to prepare a romantic dinner for two or a special meal for the family,” said Grecco. “The best part is you can do it from the comfort of your home. You don’t have to shop and it takes a max. of 30 minutes.”

Grecco has combined local ingredients to create the eclectic worldly flavors that decorate the menu of Greccos on the Saint Croix, which has grown quickly in popularity around the metro area. With Chef in a Box, Grecco brings his passion to rest of the country, delivering his culinary expertise to the front step of everyone in the continental United States.
 
Delicacies like lobster gnocchi, filet mignon and stuffed Atlantic salmon are now available at your fingertips, cut and prepped by the Chef himself, who walks you through the cooking process through an accompanying instructional video/DVD.
 
“I stand by the quality and simplicity of my recipes and that’s why I personally do the video demos,” said Grecco. “But if you don’t feel comfortable with my face in your living room or kitchen, we send written instructions as well!”
 
From local food, Grecco produces global cuisine and puts it directly in your kitchen.  
 

For more information on Chef in a Box, Chef Justin Grecco or Grecco’s on the St. Croix, please visit the Web site at http://www.greccos.com  or contact James Rutherford at 612.354.7044 or via email at [email protected].

Master Chef Martin Yan to Conduct Free Cooking Class at All Inc. ~ October 2nd, 2009

 RENOWNED MASTER CHEF MARTIN YAN TO CONDUCT

FREE COOKING CLASS AT ALL INC. OCTOBER 2

 

Sample Asian Cuisine and Learn About Martin Yan’s Leisure Tours of China

 ST. PAUL, MINN. –  All Inc., the Midwest’s largest appliance and cabinet showroom, is hosting a cooking class with world-renowned master chef Martin Yan, host of the “Yan Can Cook” show, which airs in more than 50 countries, and author of 30 cookbooks including the award-winning Martin Yan’s Feast and his latest Martin Yan’s China, which documents his travels throughout China and his culinary discoveries. The event will be held Friday, October 2, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at All Incorporated in St. Paul.

 Dedicated to dispelling the mysteries of Asian cooking, Yan will guide attendees through the process of preparing several dishes while also sharing his deep knowledge of the cultures that created them. The celebrated host of more than 3,000 cooking shows, Yan is a highly respected food consultant and instructor who brings humor and vitality to his cooking lessons.

 What:            Master Chef Martin Yan to Prepare Asian Cuisine at All Inc.

 When:             Friday, October 2

11 a.m. to 1 pm.

 Where:            All Incorporated, the largest supplier of appliances and cabinets in the Midwest

            185 W. Plato Boulevard  St. Paul 651.227.6331

 Cost:            Free and open to the public

 About All Inc.

Founded in 1947, All Inc. is a family owned business offering kitchen, bath and laundry appliances and accessories at all ends of the price spectrum to builders and consumers. Its 18,000 square-foot showroom, which is the largest in the Midwest, features the latest trends in appliances including all major brands. For more information, call 651.227.6331 or visit www.allinc.com.