Fresh Cuban Restaurant Replacing Xavi

Guavas Cuban Cafe is poised to take over the space recently vacated by Xavi at 5605 Chicago Avenue in South Minneapolis. Mpls./St. Paul Magazine reports that Frank Machado of Twin Cities Paella is behind the new restaurant. The menu will include real deal Cuban dishes like ropa vieja, picadillo, Cubanos, empanadas, pastelitos, and more. The plan is to be open before the end of the year.

The Dough Room is set to open on Tuesday out in Wayzata. Chef Alex Dayton has put together a menu that’s a little bit pasta, a little bit pizza, with a dash of fancy sharable meat entrees all inside a swank room at 300 Superior Boulevard. There’s also a modest bar near the front of the space that is serving up fantastic cocktails.

Apoy is now open at 4301 Nicollet in South Minneapolis and people are raving. For those keeping track, this now brings the grand total of Filipino restaurants in the cities to “several.” Go check out the lumpia, sisig, adobo and halo halo.

Katie Cannon/Eater Twin Cities

Bittercube is tempting cocktail fans for a road trip with the opening of the new Bittercube Bar & Bazaar in Milwaukee this weekend. The cocktail lab is a playground for the cocktail company run by Nick Kosevich and Ira Koplowitz. The Bittercube company makes bitters and has consulted on several bar programs around the Twin Cities including places like Can Can Wonderland, Cafe Alma, among others. Plus they run the bar at Eat Street Social.

Photo provided by Bartmann Group

Bryant Lake Bowl is one of Kim Bartmann’s longest running restaurants, but a new era has come for the restaurant/bowling alley/theater space. The head of the Bartmann group, which also operates Cafe Barbette, Pat’s Tap, The Bird, Red Stag, and others will sell the business to longtime employee Erica Gilbert. The storied spot turns 25 years old this month and it will be interesting to see what, if any, changes are made.