Erik Forsberg's Downtown Domination With Erik the Red, Dan Kelly's & Devil's Advocate

The owner of Devil's Advocate is upping his restaurant ante with not one, but two new projects. Erik Forsberg is currently hard at work pulling together plans for a new restaurant called Erik the Red in the former Hubert's location (in the shadow of the new Viking's stadium.) The Northern Minnesota native is a big fan of beer and the tap lines will reflect that appreciation for the craft. The menu plans are an intriguing mix of all things south meets north in kind of a Nordic-influenced barbecue. Think smoke and juniper; pickles and the preservation techniques so popular in our part of the world. Viking foods near the Vikings! (It all comes back around...) Dishes will be foods that aren't too fussy and go great with a perfectly poured beer. Construction will begin soon and if things go well, we could be getting a first bite sometime this summer.

But, wait! There's more! Forsberg is also taking over operations at Dan Kelly's Pub from current owners Matty O’Reilly and Rick Guntzel in mid-May. According to Stephanie March of Mpls./St. Paul Magazine, O'Reilly and Guntzel, who also own Republic, want to keep their company at 50 employees or less. (That's the magic number with the Affordable Care Act and the costs that go with it.) Plus, the duo just won a bid out at the airport to put in a Republic out there. For the time being, Dan Kelly fans can expect the restaurant to continue serving the Irish fare and beers they have come to enjoy.

However, there's a slight possibility that might change. It seems the Devil's Advocate might or might not be closing when the building that houses it undergoes redevelopment. It's been a year since the restaurateur was informed that his restaurant might have to scoot. Forsberg dropped a little Westley on March, "It’s kinda like living under the Dread Pirate Roberts: Good night DA, I’ll most likely kill you in the morning." If the building does boot the restaurant (and there's a chance that the redevelopment will include a restaurant space which DA would be able to lease.) If it is booted, then it's possible that Dan Kelly's Pub would become the new iteration of Devil's Advocate, but the future is not certain. For now, beer on and we'll be following the about-to-be-very-busy Erik Forsberg.

• Industry Shuffle: Erik the Red and Dan Kelly's Pub [MSPMag]
• All Devil's Advocate Coverage [EMPLS]
• All Erik Forsberg Coverage [EMPLS]