Friday, March 8 marked a new chapter for the Seward Café, one that in many ways returns it to its roots. The worker-owned, collectively-run cooperative will once again be open late into the evening. Staying true to its mission, it will begin offering more meat options, as it did in the past, and resume pouring beer and serving wine. Entertainment will be regularly featured, beginning later this month.Radical Roots Collective member Ben Acaso says that changes were prompted by a really good summer. He chalks up the bump in business to the magic of plastic, i.e. credit cards. Acaso adds that it didn’t hurt to be named “best vegetarian” by City Pages in 2012, or that a team of food critics for Mpls.-St. Continue Reading
Do you have a favorite haunt? You know, that special ‘watering-hole’ or ‘greasy-spoon’ where your car finds itself parked, without abject direction or even precognition? No? I don’t either. Until now. Continue Reading
Dixie’s on Grand has been the Southern staple of St. Paul’s food scene since 1985. This year marks the beginning of a new era for Dixie’s with the introduction of executive chef Erin “Bayou” Lege’s menu.Raised in Louisiana, Chef Erin brings an air of Southern authenticity to Dixie’s. Beginning with making roux in the family hunting cabin at age eight, his culinary ambition has taken him to working in Cajun restaurants across Louisiana, including a stint with Emeril Lagasse himself. I got some time to sit down with Lege and talk a bit about Southern food in general and soul food in particular.To Lege, soul food as a cultural tradition means taking what you were raised with and putting your own spin on it. Continue Reading
In the back of Arnellia’s Nightclub is a brightly lit kitchen that seems just big enough for one man to operate out of. On a busy night, the owner of Nardie’s Cafe, Leonard Lowe, will have a crew of five cooking, getting orders ready and running food out to hungry patrons. Nardie’s Cafe was established in 1997 and their initial run in Arnellia’s lasted through 2004. After setting up shop on Nicollet for three years, Lowe returned the restaurant to Arnellia’s. The relationship is a bit like that between a hotel and the restaurant inside. Continue Reading
Since becoming a Minnesotan, I have discovered the winter blahs. They usually set in during the month of February. Fortunately, with the variety of restaurants offered here in Minnesota, a staycation to a warmer place is well within reach: sunny Mexico will be the first stop on our tour around the world. That’s right, this year I’ll be taking you on a journey across the globe by featuring an eating establishment representing a different cultural cuisine each month. So, United Foodies of Minnesota—get your passports out and have them ready to be stamped!First stop: El Taco Riendo On 24th & Central Avenue in Northeast Minneapolis sits my little slice of Mexico. Continue Reading
Lee’s & Dee’s Barbeque Express in St. Paul is a true family operation and is now a second generation business, having been handed over from namesakes Lee and Dee to daughters Linda Williams and Vickie Nash. The original business was born from founder Lee piling coolers of full wings and ribs into the back of his station wagon to feed workers during lunch breaks and bar-goers late at night. Lee and his wife Dee opened their traditional southern restaurant in the Summit-University neighborhood 22 years ago and, it has become a popular spot for people in search of authentic southern food.While visiting the restaurant during the lunch hour, before the busier dinner rush started, I looked over the whiteboard menu and landed on some dishes I knew I had to try. While the restaurant is known for its barbeque, Lee’s & Dee’s dishes are definitely soulful. Continue Reading
Soul Food Heaven is a classic soul food establishment, nestled next to a small supermarket in St. Paul’s North End. Having only been open since October of 2012 hasn’t stopped the restaurant from becoming known as the place to get soul food in the Twin Cities.The small restaurant, which you may miss under it’s unassuming signage if you aren’t careful, has become a destination for the Twin Cities eater who needs a fix of soul food classics like Memphis-style chuck roast and fried catfish with all the sides, or the occasional “gangster burger” (three half-pound burger patties covered in gyro meat, Italian beef, steak, and cheese!). Chefs Michelle B and Eddie Addams will be adding lighter menu choices in the summer, with more salad options.I started my tasting with the Tuesday Taco special. A soul food taco? Continue Reading
Mychael and Stephanie Wright, husband and wife co-owners of Golden Thyme, started up their cafe and coffee shop 13 years ago this March, first serving only coffee and pastries. Before long, people were asking for food to go along with their jazz-legend-themed coffee drinks—and the Wrights delivered.Their menu now features daily breakfast including waffles and Mix-n-Go Grits—a bowl of grits topped with an egg, cheese, peppers, and a choice of breakfast meat. For lunch, there are sandwiches, a soup of the day, and a special that rotates daily and features hearty chicken noodle soup on Monday, nine-bean soup and cornbread on Tuesday, Golden Thyme chicken with spaghetti or red beans and rice on Wednesday, gourmet tacos and Baja soup on Thursday, and chicken gumbo or chili on Friday. On Saturday, soups and deli sandwiches are on the menu.I ordered the chicken gumbo, a plate of Golden Thyme chicken and spaghetti, and a side of horseradish coleslaw. The bowl of gumbo tasted like a true southern dish. Continue Reading
The 17th annual WedgeShare awards ceremony, held January 17 at the Wedge Community Co-op, honored work being done by nine local non-profit organizations.Josh Resnik, the Wedge Co-op’s new CEO, said that overseeing a philanthropic program that gives a portion of the co-op’s annual profit back to the community is one of the most satisfying parts of his job. Since 1997, Wedge Cooperative member-owners have awarded more than $600,000 in WedgeShare grants to organizations whose work aligns with the co-op’s values. Resnik explained that all nominees must advance the International Cooperative Alliance’s Principle #7, demonstrating concern for the community. To be eligible, an organization must also be non-partisan, non-sectarian, and engaged in activities related to the natural environment, health and wellness, natural foods and sustainable agriculture, community involvement and capacity-building, or cooperative-related activities. Members vote on WedgeShare grant recipients at their annual fall meetings. In October 2012 they decided that these organizations would divide a total of $75,000:• Emergency Foodshelf Network• Open Arms of Minnesota• Water Legacy• Minnesota Food Association• Community Design Center of Minnesota• Centro Campesino• Great River Greening• Midtown Farmers Market• Cycles for ChangeTwo organizations were showcased. Michael Venker, a board vice president, spoke on behalf of Open Arms of Minnesota, best known as the state’s only nonprofit committed to preparing and delivering free healthy meals tailored to the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, ALS, breast cancer and other diseases. Venker also highlighted lesser-known efforts, such as ensuring that children living in South Minneapolis’s Phillips neighborhood, where Open Arms is based, have access to healthy foods in the summer. A world away, he said that Open Arms has been working with communities in sub-Saharan Africa to provide food and technical assistance to people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Midtown Farmers Market was recognized for its committment to providing all community members with better access to healthy and affordable foods. Continue Reading
