Staff and customers alike are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the General Store of Minnetonka (14401 Hwy. 7, Minnetonka, 952-935-7131) by sharing recipes in the hot-off-the-press General Store Cookbook. The book is available online at Generalstoreofminnetonka.com.
Looking to help your children appreciate good food? You must read My Two-Year-Old Eats Octopus, by Nancy Tringali Piho (Bull Publishing). It’s full of insights, fun stories, and tips from chefs, food lovers, and health professionals. Afterward, you can take your tykes to Sea Change (818 S. Second St., Mpls., 612-225-6499) to dine on grilled octopus with salsa verde. The American Girl Bistro at the Mall of America (5160 Center Court, Bloomington, 877-247-5223) is a must for birthday parties. They serve delicious dishes with a twist that’ll thrill kids—like tic-tac-toe pizza and even a mini menu for dolls.
Another newbie at MOA is Crave (368 South Ave., Bloomington, 952-854-5000), a local concept that just keeps expanding. The first Crave is at the Galleria in Edina, and now number three is open at West End (1603 West End Blvd., St. Louis Park, 952-933-6500).
If you’re downtown on Nicollet Mall, check out the Dakota (1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., 612-332-1010), where executive chef Jack Riebel and his staff add culinary pizazz to the world-class jazz all week long.
Sue Zelickson is host of WCCO Radio’s Food for Thought.
