​Every Twin Cities resident with taste buds can attest to the fact that we have one of the most vibrant and varied restaurant scenes in the country.  In fact, it may be a little too varied- How is a regular person supposed to be able to afford sampling from all of the amazing local eateries without busting their wallet?

Sites like Livingsocial, Groupon and Restaurant all help to make exploration and excitement less expensive.  It especially helps when they run offers like this!

More >>

Not your average filet o' fish

​It's been a busy week at Sea Change in Minneapolis. First chef de cuisine Erik Anderson was nominated by Food & Wine magazine as one of the Midwest's best new chefs, then he was recognized as one of the semi-finalists for a James Beard Award for best Midwestern chef. With all the heaping praise, you might expect his head to be a little swollen, but when we caught up with him Thursday night at the new Sea Change late-night happy hour, he was subdued. He smiled and accepted congratulatory handshakes and hugs before returning to his real domain, the kitchen.

More >>

Rogue Chocolatier

70% cacao, 100% delicious

​If you enjoy high-quality chocolate that's made locally, here's your opportunity to stock up on the best of the best. To celebrate winning the Good Food Award, Rogue Chocolatier is offering free shipping on all web orders over $20 for the remainder of January.

The Good Food Awards recognize outstanding American food producers and farmers who support sustainability and social good. Rogue's Sambirano, made with cacao from a single family-owned estate in Madagascar, took the award earlier this month at a ceremony in San Francisco. The bar was up against 180 entries for the chocolate category in a blind taste test by an impressive group of judges.

More >>

Alma Guzman

If you're fishing for a good deal, Sea Change's special runs through January

​

Sea Change is offering some spectacular deals that are easy on the wallet.

What's not to love about a three-course dinner for $30 (January only) and a new happy hour menu with fab $5 choices. And if you happen to be there today or tomorrow after 5 p.m., you just might be tempted to slurp down an oyster or two. Here are details.

More >>

Whisky Park wants to un-Shanghaied you.

​Whisky Park owners Phil Immerman and Gene Suh heard about the catastrophic Thrifty Hipster-sponsored New Year's Eve party from patrons griping at their happy hour.

"We just heard everything that happened," says Immerman. "New Year's was such a fun time at our bar, we thought we'd try to make it up to these guys."

As a result, Whisky Park is throwing a special New Year's do-over party this Friday, with some extra special deals for anyone who got caught at the Graves Hotel on New Year's Eve as the "Shanghaied" party imploded.

More >>

With Saturday's all-day deal, you'll be happier than a pig in mud

​The Muddy Pig, City Pages' winner this year for Best Beer Selection in a Bar, is throwing a birthday party for itself tomorrow, but it's customers will be getting the presents--half-price on all draft beers, all day.

The Muddy Pig's beer list makes that an enticing proposition, with nearly 50 expertly curated brews on tap. The boutique beers run the gamut from popular locals (Surly Furious, Fulton Lonely Blond) to more obscure domestic and imported mugs (Left Hand Chain Saw from Colorado, La Trappe Isid'or from Belgium).

Here are more details on what you'll find tomorrow:

More >>

Anna Majkowska via Flickr.com

​Attention pesto-makers: Parmigiano is on sale at Whole Foods Market in Minneapolis today for $9.99 a pound (normally $22.99 a pound) until 10 p.m. Grab some basil from the farmers market or your garden, and the only ingredient you'll have to splurge on is pine nuts (or save by subbing in pumpkin seeds). And in case you don't get to the grocery store today, we compared the Whole Foods discount with a few other metro cheese shops:

More >>

Home page: Vincent Restaurant photo by Jana Frieband Above: Sea Change photo by Alma Guzman

​Having trouble keeping up with all the new restaurants in town? Are you wondering if La Belle Vie is as good as you remember? Want to sample some of the Cities' best eateries but don't want to spend a fortune?

Restaurant Week is a chance to answer all your culinary questions. One again this year, from Sunday through Friday, dozens of Twin Cities restaurants will be offering special prix fixe meals designed to showcase their menus. Depending on the eatery, you'll find two-course lunch deals for either $10 or $15 and three-course dinners for $20 or $30.

The event is sponsored by Mpls/St. Paul Magazine, and the list of participating restaurants is enticing. Here are a few sample menus, plus a link to the full list.

More >>

​(Photo by jronaldlee)

Hot air ballooning and local restaurants might seem like an odd combo, but they are offered as part of this online effort to raise funds for an orphanage in Boucan, Haiti.
More >>

​Need a legit excuse to go to the Rosedale Mall other than seeing Avatar on IMAX? Well, here you go. It's Roseville Restaurant Week, and a number of Roseville-area restaurants are offering three-course meals for $25 through this Saturday. It's the first time the burb has organized the event, which is a lead-up to its third annual "Winter Jazz Blast" slated for Saturday.

Here are the 11 participating restaurants (NOTE: Many of them are at the Rosedale Mall or in a nearby hotel.):

More >>