Andrew Zimmern Is Opening a Chinese Restaurant in a Minneapolis Suburb

Celebrity Chef and Minneapolis resident Andrew Zimmern has confirmed his long-suspected plans of opening a Chinese restaurant in the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park. The Bizarre Foods host has partnered with local restaurateur Michael McDermott to open Lucky Cricket in the Shops at West End this fall. The restaurant will serve a mix of Chinese dishes Zimmern has fallen in love with through his travels through the far reaches of the country and sport, of all things, a tiki bar.

Mpls/St. Paul Magazine reports that Tampa bartender Dean Hurst will pour plenty of rum, traditional tiki drinks and grape slushees.

The food will be contemporary Chinese fare like Cantonese, Fujianese, Hunan, Shandong, Sichuan and other regional dishes served as small plates and large meant for sharing.

The former Bonefish Grill location at 1607 West End Boulevard seats 200 and will undergo a remodel with around 130 seats with 80 seats more in the tiki bar plus a patio when the weather cooperates.

An executive chef has yet to be named.

This will be Zimmern’s first sit-down restaurant since his rise to fame. He also operates AZ Canteen in football stadiums and food truck form. McDermott is known in the Minneapolis area for his restaurants like the Asian-leaning Ling & Louie’s and Rojo Mexican Grill.

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Zimmern hosted a preview party for Lucky Cricket during Super Bowl LII week. The raucous celebration included dishes like cold, spicy noodles and served celebrity food world attendees like Tom Colicchio and Adam Rickman

• It Sure Looks Like Andrew Zimmern Is Opening a New Restaurant [ETC]
• Coming Soon: Andrew Zimmern’s Lucky Cricket to St. Louis Park [MSPMag]
• A Brief History of Modern American Dining, Featuring Andrew Zimmern [E]