One of the yards described in the Modern Times review, across the street from the Chicago Avenue restaurant.

I'm writing to ask that you please use your restaurant reviews to review the restaurant, not as a platform to spew your completely inaccurate and sensationalized views of a neighborhood you've obviously never spent time in nor as a pedestal from which to look down on a community that you clearly think you're better than.

As Rachel is clearly incapable of this task, I ask that you find a writer who can stick to the job at hand.

Thank you,
Kayla D

Marsha Trainer

The site of the controversy: Pearson's vs. 50th Street Cafe

Hello,

Prediction: 50th Street cafe will last about three months before folding and being sold to developers. Your smarmy ''age-ist'' commentary on the previous Pearson's customers was idiotic in the extreme. Who do you think kept the place solvent all those years? (Personally, it was not my ''scene'' but is not everyone entitled their own ''hangout''--or is that only the desperately trendy "wannabes'' such as yourself who think that canes and white hair are unacceptable patrons?)

PS--you are MOST definitiely NOT NOT NOT in the group that has expendable income owing to a lifetime of economies. wuld you even keep your job if you could not eat on an expense account?

Thanks,
a regular reader
Anne Marie

A reader, Michelle from St. Paul, recently wrote The Hot Dish to make the case that serving in a restaurant should be a requirement for every young adult. Here's what she says:

It's long been my belief that serving in a restaurant, for a minimum of 6 months, should be a requirement prior to, or immediately following high school graduation. Dining out is one of few things that every person does at some point in their life, yet I'm constantly surprised how few people actually know how to behave when doing so. This requirement would level the playing field. Take it one step further and give people the choice; 6 months serving in a restaurant or 1 year in the military.

While a compulsory draft for restaurant service isn't likely to be legislated any time soon, Michelle makes a good point that many diners could learn a thing or two from a few months spent walking in a waiter's shoes. If you've worked as a server, what has the experience taught you, and what values might it instill in the next generation?

Thanks-
Monicaholic

basykes/flickr

Say, I'm wanting to purchase a live (not dried) sourdough starter (for bread making) and I'd love to find something local... trouble is, I can't think of where to buy one. Do you have any ideas? I know of a few places online that will ship a live culture overnight, but it's hard to know just how good it will be. There's got to be someone locally or even regionally that carries these... or maybe even a person I could buy some of theirs... ideas?

A reader writes: "Is there someplace in Minneapolis that serves high tea?"

Starting today, the answer is yes: The Hotel Ivy begins hosting daily afternoon tea service from 3 - 5 p.m. in its chic lobby.

Do you have a recommendation for a place to take my mom on her 90th birthday for brunch? Ambiance is important to her, and she loves good food of all types. She is in a wheelchair so it has to be handicapped accessible, also not too noisy.  I thought about Nicollet Island Inn but their brunch is so pricey and she doesn't eat very much. There will be about 6 of us.