The space includes a dining room, outdoor seating, and a central bar, or "barre" as Mason's is referring to it, a nod to the many ballet studios that make their home in the Cowles Center. For those who frequented a certain now-shuttered live music venue on the West Bank, Mason's bar might look a little familiar. 

No matter if you're rolling in a hooptie. Step inside La Belle Vie and be transported into a opulent world where every aspect of the restaurant functions at the pinnacle of fine dining.

Like Travail, this is a chef-run joint, so there is no greeter at the door, just find a spot at one of the communal tables, make some friends and prepare for pizza unlike anything else you'll find in town.

Figlio, in its new incarnation at the Shops at the West End in St. Louis Park, is partnering with some favorite local breweries to host a summer beer series, featuring monthly tastings and food pairings from Figlio's executive chef J.P. Samuelson. The events will take place on Thursdays each month throughout the summer and run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. All the festivities lead up to Figlio's Fall Beer Fest in October.

Here are more details on the breweries that will be featured and information on how to get tickets.

In the search for the Twin Cities' best culinary creations, we often come across dishes that stop us mid-bite and force us to reflect on the level of thought and artistry chefs put into their work. The efforts of the chefs are often laborious, and the end results are regularly consumed before the full concept can be appreciated. We've been tracking down some of these dishes to get the chef's side of the story; their thoughts, motivations, and processes. It's our hope that we can give you a deeper insight into the talents of Twin Cities chefs and to have a better understanding of what you're getting when you sit down to dinner.

North Minneapolis' Victory 44 is easily one of the Twin Cities premier dining spots and its undeniable position as a forerunner in the Twin Cities small, chef-driven, highly creative restaurant scene speaks volumes about chef/owner Erick Harcey. Having a firm command on both technique and the understanding of flavors, Chef Harcey whimsically puts together plates of food that are both visually stunning and immensely balanced.

Chef Harcey is the driving force behind not only Victory 44, but his recent partnership with Rustica Bakery and Dogwood Coffee on the Southside of the city has also been met with critical acclaim. Parka continues on in a different vein than that of Victory 44, but the principles remain the same. Creative food elevated by an understanding of traditional technique and quality ingredients ensure that both restaurants are unmissable stops for dining in the Twin Cities.

After what can be generously described as a steep learning curve, the Minnesota Food Truck Fair is returning with some big changes. The first Food Truck Fair was held in the North Loop and charged varying ticket fees for samples of food and craft beer. Attendees complained of excessively long lines, over-selling the event and a complete lack of water (among other things).

This year, the organizers have promised that there will be big changes. Not only will the event move to two blocks, south of Lake Street on Hennepin Avenue to 31st Street and east to Holmes Avenue, they are also doing away with an entry fee.

After the outrage of last year's attendees, we reached out to organizers to discuss what we could expect this year.

I once heard someone, who was obviously not a fan of this traditional Latin American dessert, describe tres leches as "cake soaked in a bunch of canned milk." That definition, though unjust, is not technically incorrect. Tres leches, or three milk cake, is one of those dishes that makes you wonder about its origins. Who was the first person to go to the trouble of whipping up egg whites until foamy, carefully folding them into the batter, patiently waiting for the cake to bake and cool, before finally turning out that oddly flexible sponge, only to go crazy on it with a fork and poke a hundred little holes in it? Probably someone as strange and wonderful as this cake itself.