Soul Food Pop Up Finds a Permanent Location in Powderhorn
Plus new life for the Il Foro and Masa restaurants in this week's food news
by Cinnamon Janzer Jan 22, 2018, 7:00am CST
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East 38th is getting some funk
Funky Grits/Facebook
2018 is already shaping up to be a big year for food in the Twin Cities. In addition to everything happening during the Super Bowl, three major players are entering (or re-entering) the Minneapolis foodie scene in 2018.
Funky Grits
When: Early March
Where: 805 E. 38th Street, Minneapolis
After several false starts (it was reported in 2015, 2016, and 2017 that Funky Grits's doors were opening to no avail), the fourth time appears to be the charm for owner Jared Brewington. Ground was broke on the project on January 1st in south Minneapolis and Brewington is promising a speedy process. "I suppose I teased the public a little too much over the last year and a half," he told City Pages, adding that he expects an early March opening.
The food at Funky Grit's long awaited brick-and-mortar location will closely follow what's been served at the various pop-ups that have preceded it: soul food that blends traditional comfort food with original takes. Get ready for grits, gravy, biscuits, and country ham alongside dishes that feature bourbon beurre blanc and braised pork belly. It's not all meat, meat, meat though—vegetarians and vegans will have plenty to choose from, too, like the aptly named Purple Reign composed in part of beets, kale, and shallot confit.
When: Spring 2018
Where: 1070 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
After being forced to vacate the former Hell's Kitchen location last April, Erik Forsberg swooped up the former Masa space in downtown that has been sitting vacant for years. "This is a really nice space, and a great chance to update DA a bit," Forsberg told Mpls./St. Paul Magazine. The plan is to keep the focus on beer and add food offerings like wood-fired pizza and smoked meat to their beloved Philly cheesesteaks. While the space isn't slated to officially open until spring, Forsberg is planning a pop-up preview for the Super Bowl, pending permit approval.
La Belle Epoque
When: Summer 2018
Where: 40 South 7th Street, Minneapolis
Chef David Fhima isn't stopping at crating the culinary offerings at the Target Center and preparing food for the Timberwolves and Lynx that's served at their training center cafeteria in the Mayo Center. Come summertime Fhima will launch his next undertaking: a French bistro with what he described to Mpls./St. Paul Magazine as "French Moroccan Jewish Catholic" elements. The restaurant will open at the base of City Center in the former Goodfellows/Forum/Il Foro space. The decor will be blends of white, gold, and black and the food will feature options crafted from Fhima's famous dough, a recipe that was passed to him from his mother when he came to the U.S. in the early '80s. In addition to the restaurant, the plan is to host private parties, make all the bread for the Target Center, the teams he feeds, and theLife Cafes.
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