Rustica’s Cookie Counter Closes

After just a few short months, Rustica has closed its Mall of America location. The stand on the North side of the mega mall lasted just eight months. The company is still planning to expand with more bakeries, including one in Wayzata. Rustica currently has two locations, 3220 West Lake Street in Minneapolis and another in Eden Prairie.

—David Fhima will be the next chef and restaurant owner to take a stab at the historic Forum / Goodfellows location in City Center in downtown Minneapolis. The restaurant was last home to the ill-fated Il Foro. Fhima is relocating from his longtime restaurant home at the edge of Mears Park in St. Paul’s Lowertown neighborhood. It was in this spot at 373 Sibley Street in St. Paul he operated Faces and LoTo since 2005. He had hoped to re-open as Bistro 3.7.3. According to the Pioneer Press lease negotiations fell through when the opportunity to takeover historic art-deco styled restaurant in Minneapolis came up. Although the address has changed, the name will remain when it opens next winter as Bistro 3.7.3 La Belle Epoque.

—HopCat is now open in downtown Minneapolis with “crack fries” and “killer mac and cheese” along with a ridiculously long list of tap beers.

Photo courtesy of Bellecour

—Bellecour’s sommelier Nicolas Giraud could use an extra hand. The wine expert, long of Meritage then Brasserie Zentral before joining Gavin Kaysen’s team at his French bistro in Wayzata, was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of melanoma. Friends have set up a GoFundMe page to help out with medical expenses.