48th and Chicago Neighborhood Will Soon Sport Two New Restaurants

Exciting happens in the South Minneapolis neighborhood surrounding the instersection for 48th Street and Chicago Avenue as one new restaurant opens and another nears completion. R.A. Mac Sammy’s Elbow Room, a teeny storefront for the macaroni and cheese peddling food truck is now open at 735 East 48th Street, with a menu that includes every kid’s favorite dish along with sandwiches and snacks. Soon, El Burrito Minneapolis, an outpost from the family behind the St. Paul Mexican restaurant/deli/grocery El Burrito Mercado will open next week at 4820 Chicago Avenue.

• Red River Kitchen keeps expanding. A sleek Airstream trailer has taken up at their usual spot outside of Sociable Ciderworks and the company has moved into the old Tin Fish location outside of Braemer Golf Course. Red River Kitchen is also seasonally parked at St. Paul’s City House. The company also has a roaming food truck and a beer trailer that appears at events around town.

Madison Group/Provided

• Changes are happening behind the scene at Madison Restaurant Group’s restaurants. The company that owns Public Kitchen and Bar, Ox Cart Alehouse, Gray Duck and Handsome Hog have brought chef Donald Gonzalez back into the fold after a brief time away. Gonzalez opened Gray Duck and left to take a brief turn at the Guthrie’s food program, including what was supposed to be refresh at Sea Change. Now the chef will be the culinary director overseeing all the company’s restaurants. Meanwhile, that group’s rising star chef, Justin Sutherland, he who just won an episode of Iron Chef America will be corporate brand chef. Sutherland, who opened Handsome Hog and recently worked outside the company on Stillwater’s Pearl & the Thief will help them develop new restaurants.

Rudolph’s Bar-B-Que

• The Star Tribune eulogizes Rudolph’s Bar-B-Que and its glitzy past. At the restaurant’s peak it was a late night hot spot where musicians like Prince, Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis would dine and it was often the party spot for other movers and shakers. Rudolph’s shuttered quietly this week after an over 40 year run.