Three Things to Eat This Week: April 11-17

Saint Dinette
Cheeseburger at Saint Dinette. Photo by Tj Turner.

Tuna Melt at Nighthawks
Landon Schoenefeld’s Minneapolis diner is now serving lunch and this news appears to be a well kept secret. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to breeze in and grab a perch at the kitchen counter in the middle of a week day. Now, it might seem like a weird thing to get all whipped up into a froth over a sandwich beloved by nannas the world over you, but I’m telling you that the tuna melt inside here is on a whole different level—and then that level is swathed in a gooey-luscious cheese. nighthawksmpls.com

Asparagus at Saint Dinette
The temperatures might not quite be there yet, but I’m ready to eat some spring. Tonight I’m taking a friend (who hasn’t yet been) to Saint Dinette. I can’t wait to share my favorite Lowertown burger with him. (I hear you can get it stacked with pork belly or even that crazy good bologna along with the cheese sauce.) I’m going to stay more on the virtuous side and dive into some asparagus. Those harbingers of green are on the new spring menu and served with some crispy chicken skin—because we all know, I’m no saint. saintdinette.com

The Gary Coop-er Hi Top at Hi-Lo Diner
I tried to stay away, but I had to join the throngs at the newly opened Hi-Lo Diner in Longfellow. I’ve been dreaming out getting back there ever since. The Hi-Tops are like a hole-less doughnut. The dough is like a brioche base—breadier than the average doughnut and they are served with a ridiculous selection of things. The Gary Coop-er Hi-Top is piled with fried chicken, drizzled in both syrup and gravy (sounds weird, but it worked) and a lily-gilding smattering of arugula. I tried to share. I tried to be reasonable about eating this thing. I tried to eat dainty small bites. I wholly and completely failed on all fronts. hi-lo-diner.com