February 24, 2008 - March 1, 2008

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My-T-Fine Bakery/Cafe closed

Filed under: Food

In case you hadn't heard, the tiny cafe at 43rd and Bryant has closed its doors, so Kingfield will have to do without its scratch-made dinners and light-as-a-bubble sugar buns. I spoke with owner Gretchen Bustin, who said that right now she's not sure what she's doing next. Let's hope it'll be restaurant-related.

Posted by Rachel Hutton at February 29, 2008 9:13 AM | Comments (4)

 

Pinkberry, we don't want 'cha anyway

Filed under: Food

Ahh, another New York Times article about the trendy frozen yogurt battles being waged in Greenwich Village, where Pinkberry and Red Mango face-off like dairy-based Jets and Sharks.

So should we expect this sort of thing coming soon to Hennepin Avenue? Not according to Pinkberry’s website, which states that store franchises are available to residents of certain states--and Minnesota’s not one of them.

Not that we’d want the overhyped fro-yo, anyway. I recently stopped in at the Pinkberry and Red Mango shops on Bleeker Street shops was, frankly, underwhelmed. Both versions tasted like the same TCBY we’ve been eating since the 80s. Pinkberry’s is a little creamier and tangier, but otherwise, it seems the only draw is for dieters using Pinkberry to satisfy ice cream cravings. With so many great local scoop shops (Crema Cafe, Izzy’s, Grand Ole Creamery, Sebastian Joe’s, etc.), if you can spare the calories, stick with the real thing.

Posted by Rachel Hutton at February 27, 2008 10:06 PM | Comments (12)

 

Now Open: Porter & Frye

Filed under: Food

Minneapolis got a mega-dose of luxe living when the new Hotel Ivy opened last Thursday: pricey penthouse, super-swank spa, and the year's most anticipated restaurant, Porter & Frye. One of the main reasons for the excitement is that the kitchen is run by chef Steven Brown, formerly of Harry's Food and Cocktails (and Restaurant Levain and RockStar), with the assistance of a number of other notable talents, including Landon Schoenfeld (Barbette, Bulldog NE) and Mark McGraw (Confluence).

The restaurant is located in the original historic Ivy Tower, that moody stone structure by the convention center that sat empty for years. It's set up similar to the Chambers Kitchen, with bar and tables on the ground floor, and a more formal dining area with VIP booths one story below. I haven't eaten there yet, but the menu looks formal with some rustic touches: hot potato salad and chowder with ham hock and rock shrimp for starters, lots of beef and lamb entrees. Review forthcoming, after it's been open a month.

Posted by Rachel Hutton at February 25, 2008 11:49 PM | Comments (2)

 

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