By The Hack Most of you saw the story in the Strib yesterday, but if not, Rick Nelson reported that Lenny Russo, the chef and owner at Heartland Restaurant will likely move to St. Paul's Lowertown neighborhood, adjacent to the…
Category: Restaurants
Fork the Fire
By The Hack As y'all already know, the Twin Cities lost (at least temporarily) Heidi's and Blackbird, two great Minneapolis restaurants (along with a number of other fine businesses) in a fire last month. To help out those who have…
Saffron’s Sameh Wadi first Minnesota chef to compete in Iron Chef
A fella we’re lucky to have in town. –The Hack Chef Sameh Wadi, owner of Saffron Restaurant & Lounge will be the first Minnesotan to compete on Iron Chef America when he appears on the show later this month. Chef Wadi will…
Saffron’s Sameh Wadi launches ‘Spice Trail’
This press release just in from the man himself, Chef Sameh Wadi, who co-owns Saffron Restaurant & Lounge with his brother, Saed. Sameh has been nominated for the James Beard Award-Rising Star Chef a coupla time now. The Twin Cities…
St. Paul without Russo? That’s crazy talk.
By The Hack The Hack has semi-regular conversations with Lenny Russo at Heartland, and knows him to be funny, extremely smart, and extremely passionate about professional path he’s chosen. His rants are rarely without a succinct point. This issue is…
Great Waters Brewing Co. beer dinner: Good food, beer, scenery
By The Hack The Hack has a question for you, dear readers: What is this photograph’s subject? The Hack grasps that most ladies don’t like to be “objectified,” but when attire like this (with directions posted) is worn, what’s a…
The Citizen Café: Yes, it really is great food for the people.
By The Hack How often would you describe a ham sandwich as “savory”? Um, never. Unless, of course, you try the ham sandwich at The Citizen Café, the restaurant opened by former Sample Room executive chef Michael MacKay. I’ve eaten fine dinners at…
Sadly, it’s THAT Wildwood that closed.
By The Hack It’s not often that the Hack gets a little damp around the eyes, but he certainly did today when he realized that the Wildwood Pizza he heard had closed in Willernie, Minn., a short time ago was…
James Beard Awards: Twin Cities chefs, restaurants get love
Posted By: The New Guy Here’s the quick, just released semifinal list from the James Beard Foundation, and for my whip-smart commentary, click here for my day-job blog. Outstanding Restaurateur Larry D’Amico and Richard D’Amico, D’Amico & Partners, Minneapolis Outstanding…
Bravo: the burrito joint and a new era
Posted by The New Guy I was planning some sort of introduction for my first post, but decided against it. There’s enough navel gazing going on in blogdom—and plenty among the professional writing ranks these days, what with the threatened…