The media world is swirling with fears and chatter about AI and how to use it. Rest assured that the Friday Feed will always be generated by a human meat puppet as long as it can, or at least until AI gets the jokes right and has permission to use words like zshoosh. We’ll always innately feel your very human needs to run out and try new wings, to drink your astrological sign, and to ritualistically hang toast on trees. We get you.
NEWS
\\ Killer article by local beer writer Jerard Fagerberg on why MN is so obsessed with pull tabs.
\\ Since the early 90’s I’ve been a NYC Fish’s Eddy superfan and count many dishes in my cupboards from them, I even found a vintage Figlio scribble plate there a few years ago.
\\ If you’re sick of winter, maybe try changing the way you look at it: perhaps it’s the key to our food scene.
OPENS
+ Eat Street Crossing finally opens on Saturday at 11am on Nicollet. The soaring new food hall has six counters serving everything from burgers to sushi sandwiches, from ramen to golden pizza with drinks that match your astrological sign. No one knows what happens if an Aquarius drinks a Leo’s drink.
+ Café Ceres is now open in downtown Mpls., taking over the former Penny’s on Washington. Turkish bagel for you, finance sis.
CLOSES
– Crepe and Spoon is giving you the long goodbye. The little vegan ice cream shop in NE posted that they will be closing for good as of October 1. That means one more summer of sweet and good times at the shop.
– Reminder, Slurp Noodle pop-up will be ending on March 25th, so get your suck-face over there if you’ve been waiting. Yia Vang and his team will shut it down, and then open up a new concept. Stay tuned!
COMING SOON
>> Northern Waters Smokehaus in Duluth has some big news. The iconic deli and restaurant will be moving into the space formerly occupied by Amazing Grace Café. Everyone’s favorite fish shop has been a pick-up and delivery operation since the pandemic, and this move will allow them to come back with full force as a deli that samples smoked fish and meats, and as an eatery with indoor seating and patio time. This year marks their 25th anniversary and they have a cookbook launching later this year, so stay tuned for great events and fun stuff to come.
FRIDAY FISH FRY
Here’s a nice round up of FFF options across the metro, but each week we’ll call out a few more here.
><> Try St. Thomas More church in St. Paul today as it promises to have a SERIOUSLY good fish fry. This is an AYCE dinner of fried cod, fries, slaw, mac ‘n’ cheese, rolls, and peach cobbler!! They have beer, wine, and soda available for purchase, dinners are $15 adults, $8 kids 5-12.
><> How on earth could I forget Frenchman’s Pub in Richfield? That good ol’ place is doing a Friday fish ‘n’ chips basket for $10.50 or a hot crispy cod sandwich with chips for $8.
><> OK, one that isn’t fried: The Salsa Collaborative kids are at Barrel Theory brewery tonight, and they have a $10 sushi bake (which is like hotfishdish). Salmon, rice, spicy mayo, black sesame, green onion, and nori. (Get the chicken adobo rice bowl for tomorrow if you can wait).
AGENDA
// Tonight, The Black Forest Inn will set the scene, and the table, for a play called Feast. The dinner is part of the show as the “fierce one-woman theatrical event where mythology crashes into modern society during an actual feast” unfurls around you, “Your host is the nemesis of your forefathers, the sea-hag, the bog-witch, mother of Grendel, an ancient magickal creature in the form of a middle-aged lady, thirsting for revenge.” There are three menu options, including a GF and vegetarian choice, and a cash bar for the night. Tonight’s dinner is sold out, but there are still tickets for show-only if you want to eat down the street first. If you want the full meal deal, there are more shows all month with performances and dinners through the 25th.
// Keepsake Cidery is back open this weekend and kicking off the spring with a traditional Wassailing. Join the crew as they don colorful outfits, bang on pots to ward off the bad spirits (read: winter) while venturing into the orchard to hang toast on trees in an effort to bring in the good spirits and their warmer weather, so as to have a bountiful harvest for the coming year. Two marches on Saturday, 1:30 and 4:30. Also available? French Pommeau, cider fortified with apple brandy and aged in barrels for at least 18 months. Woof.
// Hot news coming your way: Ann Kim’s Hello Pizza in Edina is launching a new and very important menu item: wings! They’ll be marinated in a spicy pepper sauce, then BAKED in the pizza oven, tossed in house buff sauce, and served with chunky blue cheese. Get them on your takeout roster starting Wednesday, while you wait for them to re-open for regular dining (they’re working on it!). And no, I don’t know when Convention Grill will reopen, stop asking.
// The 2023 Let’s Talk Womxn happy hour is at Meritage this year. On Wednesday, March 8 (International Women’s Day) a cadre of culinary lady power will come together to celebrate women-owned businesses in the food and beverage industry, everyone is encouraged to wear gold. Look for Jametta Raspberry, Tammy Wong, Susan Dunlop & Joan Schmitt to be among the esteemed humans taking the stage.
// Tip a glass, here are three whiskey dinners coming to thaw your wicked winter heart:
- Cute Anna’s Bistro in Marine on St. Croix is hosting 45th Parallel for a whiskey dinner on the 17th and 18th. The $100 ticket includes three courses of food, flight tastings, and an Old Fashioned of your choice.
- Tullibee at the Hewing is down for a private dinner with Keeper’s Heart whiskey on the 16th and 17th. Master distiller Brian Nation will be on-hand to discuss the whiskey while you dig in to 5 courses. The $180 ticket is limited to 20 people, so don’t waste time.
- There’s a Bourbon Buyout happening at the Nicollet Island Inn on the 22st. For one night only, the Inn is opening up their collection of rare and allocated whiskeys and bourbons for the sipping. Corey Abdo says there will be labels and pours from bottles that can’t be found elsewhere in the cities. Your $180 ticket allows you 12 pours, 4 of which will be rare, unlimited chef’s buffet, and unlimited beer or wine throughout the night. If you want to tack on a room, there are some available for $125.
Promise, there’s no whiskey fungus gonna get you.