Twin Cities Daily Planet (https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/author/jim-mork/page/2/)
The Longfellow Community Council had a public meeting concerning a proposal to develop 3815 Lake Street E and the rest of the block. A former owner of Riverside Market is the proposed owner. He plans to replicate a turn of the century general store, with a host of quaint touches. Continue Reading
A lot of food writers wouldn’t bother with buffet restaurants. They want to titillate thrill seekers. I have a different approach. I like to go to places under the food journalism radar. I like to check out places that yuppies hardly consider worth their time. These are the alternatives to the fast food industry, that provide meals ordinary people can afford, people with families. Families like the one I grew up in. My parents never thought of seeking the hottest new chef because, after all, my large family had serious bills in the offing. That had to take precedence. Continue Reading
I had this plan to have lunch with my wife at a favorite place for Valentine’s Day. I feel like we don’t do enough of this. Arrived at the day, and she physically felt unable to go. Big disappointment, but then I got the idea that I could get takeout and bring it to her. So that’s what my plan was. Continue Reading
I was reading comments online in response to my post that I was looking for Mediterranean food in St Paul. I guess most people were as ignorant as I was since they were ticking off well-known names everwhere but St. Paul. I had to observe that I’m well aware that the Twin Cities is very rich with nice places that serve Mediterranean food. I’m especially focused on St. Paul where the surface appearance is that this food doesn’t do well there. My search might reinforce that conclusion, but it would be premature to say so. Continue Reading
I’ve been in a dialogue via comment on TC Daily Planet. In the Free Speech Zone was an article of 2012 restaurant openings. What caught my eye was the exclusive focus on Minneapolis. I posted a comment that Minneapolis was not some foodie island surrounded by wasteland. The author challenged me to present a list. I listed a whole bunch of restaurants outside Fortress Minneapolis. But I was reminded this was about NEW OPENINGS, and so sad that was restricted to Minneapolis where openings are a monopoly (OK, I’m setting up a straw man here, but the drift of the argument was that Minneapolis was the sole legitimate object of the article. Continue Reading
I visited another welcome entry in the register of Longfellow’s home restaurants. It is called Queens Grill, and it occupies the space formerly used by Manny’s Tortas. Continue Reading
I sometimes feel uncomfortable writing up restaurants because I realize something about myself: Food and I are in a cozy relationship that makes me a very hard person to disappoint. I can count on my fingers (maybe on one hand) the number of times a meal disappointed me. So can I be a “critic”?
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Call this chapter 2 of the Central Corridor Light Rail Tour. I’m taking the opportunity to hit many spots along University Avenue in St Paul where the CCLR project has the street all torn up. Sort of “support your local small business during the chaos”. It isn’t totally altruistic, of course. I fully expect to have some very nice meals out of all this. Continue Reading
I was out in Roseville doing some “Vikings-free” consumerism (don’t ask). I decided to search for any Mexican restaurants I could find. As I drove on Prior Ave to the intersection with Permiter Drive, I spotted La Casita. Wondered “Do they have fish tacos?” and decided to find out.
It is a sad day for democracy and for Longfellow.
Under pressure from vested interests, our mayor and city council abandoned whatever integrity they had and voted for public funding of a football stadium.
They chose to transfer sales taxes created for convention center maintenance to the pockets of the Vikings and local developers.