Savoring Southwest

Bread & Pickle Will Open at Harriet Bandshell This Month

Kim Bartmann, the doyenne of upscale casual eating in Minneapolis, is set to open the park's food stand with locally sourced foods and organic coffee on April 22.

Bread & Pickle originally announced an April 1 opening at the Lake Harriet Bandshell, but now it's looking more like an April 22, Earth Day date will be the day the snack bar serves its first meal. "According to the park board plumber, we can't even get the water turned on until April 15," explained owner Kim Bartmann. It's actually not such a bad thing, as it gives Bartmann and her staff more time to completely renovate the former snack stand's kitchen. She and her crew needed to add a lot of cooking and refrigeration equipment to prepare the kind of food that folks have come to associate with her restaurants, which include Bryant Lake Bowl, Barbette, Red Stag and now Gigi's Cafe and the future Pat's Tap. She's got a well-earned …

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River Chocolate Company Moves into the Heart of Linden Hills

Owner Deirdre Davis opened the River Chocolate Company on West 43rd Street, bringing its trademark truffles, sauces and other great local products to a homey site.

"I've been eating chocolate since I was seven months old — my mom had me teething on Cadbury," said Deirdre Davis, owner of the new brick and mortar location of River Chocolate Company in Linden Hills. The shop opened last week and she's been greeting visitors with tastes of their chocolate delicacies and lots of other amazing goodies. I stopped by to see the place because, frankly, I heard there were free samples of their award-winning chocolate to be had. (Wild horses couldn't keep me from my chocolate). Longtime purveyors at the Mill City, Minneapolis and St. Paul farmers markets, River Chocolate took over the old Linden Hills Natural Home store to sell their full line of European-style truffles, chocolate dipped fruits, delicious …

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Savoring Southwest

West 46th Street Rises as a Dining Destination

These days great dining and food options abound on W. 46th Street between Nicollet and Bryant Avenues, making it our own little eat street.

Today, West 46th Street is a mini-mecca of flavors, boasting a range of foodie experiences. But, as little as five years ago, it seemed more like a thoroughfare that led residents out of the neighborhood to dine elsewhere.  Since then, several great cafes and bistros have hit the Southwest scene and set up shop on 46th Street between Nicollet and Bryant Avenues. Longtime Lynnhurst resident Christine Walker explained, "I love my new neighbors. After living in the neighborhood for twenty years, I'm finally within walking distance of the most charming eateries in town." So in the interest of keeping the street as a dining destination, I present a brief rundown of its many edible charms. It's selfish, really, as I'd like to put the days of …

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Savoring Southwest

Eating with Conscientious Taste, Even on a Budget

There are many places to enjoy quality sustainable foods in the neighborhood without breaking the bank. Or without the bank breaking you.

As winter descends upon the city, it's time to get cozy and think about storing a proverbial nut or two. The cold air makes me want to pull everything a bit closer—my husband, my cat and even my wallet (despite my usual propensity to scurry off at a moment's notice to sate a foodie urge). The weather helps me avoid long drives for treats, but also lowers my defenses, tempting me to the dark side as I scrounge for fair trade, organic and locally-sourced items. The other day I found myself considering a bag of artificially flavored chocolate chips at the corner convenience store. What happened? Did my gourmet-inclined friends stage a bodega intervention? No, no. I simply took a moment and gently placed the bag back on the shelf, albeit with …

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