Eater Twin Cities - Looking Back at The Strip Club Meat & Fish’s MilestonesThe Minneapolis Restaurant, Bar, and Nightlife Bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52682/favicon-32x32.png2017-07-03T14:41:54-05:00http://twincities.eater.com/rss/stream/156402552017-07-03T14:41:54-05:002017-07-03T14:41:54-05:00Behind the Scenes at The Strip Club’s Last Night
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<figcaption>The final night crew at this Dayton’s Bluff institution. | <a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></figcaption>
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<p>The intimate moments during this landmark restaurant’s final dinner</p> <p id="TNO3cz">The lights are out, the curtains drawn and the bar has closed one last time at The Strip Club Meat & Fish. The restaurant reigned in St. Paul’s Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood for nine and a half years. It was long enough to launch myriad careers, watch children who tottered through the room grow to young adulthood and catapult a chef and restaurateur into the cannon of Twin Cities hospitalitarians. This was more than just a great place to get a grass-fed steak on the east side of town. At the bar business partnerships were formed, new friends were made and solace could always be found in the warm embrace of its staff. </p>
<p id="47D5NB">Tim Niver and J.D. Fratzke first toured the gothic building ten years ago and knew despite a rough-around-the-edges neighborhood, this place ached to be something wonderful. Now Niver jokes that the spirits that inhabited the building are bummed the party is over, a few mysterious mishaps as they closed up the final time leads him to believe it’s not just corporeal diners who are sad to see the place go.</p>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>The sun sets at The Strip Club</figcaption>
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<p id="8T8DV8">For the final night, the crew who had become like family, both to each other and their regular diners returned for one more epic meal. Dan Oskey arrived from his booming distillery to take another turn behind the bar. Both Niver and Fratzke’s wives arrived for their shift, the duo longtime servers there. Friends, family, friends who became family, local celebrities and hungry patrons all arrived to take part in one last party. The music played, Jameson flowed and the Cobra Kais burned with added significance.</p>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>Tim Niver addresses the room as Ryan Ecklund and Dan Oskey, Adam Johnson and Christy Niver look on.</figcaption>
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<cite><a class="ql-link" href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/" target="_blank">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a> for The Strip Club</cite>
<figcaption>Chef and co-owner J.D. Fratzke</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>One of the Strip Club kids, nearly all grown up. </figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>Niver is known for his warm embrace and most nights could be found near the door, embracing dozens of customers he’d welcome as old friends every night.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>Christy and Tim.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>The Fratzke family.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a> from The Strip Club’s Last Night</cite>
<figcaption>The dish man, Frank. It’s a job that doesn’t get a lot of glory, but an integral part of every evening.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>Lisa Fratke with her singular smile, a face familiar to Strip Club regulars.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>A quiet moment before the cacophony.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>Checking the list.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>Prep begins.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>Cutting the final strip.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>Make it nice, chef.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>A familiar sight. Oskey tries to remember where all the bottles go.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>Working the line.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>Dan Oskey, Timothy Leary, Christy Niver and Ryan Ecklund behind the bar the bar with the low ceiling.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>The final dance card was filled with family and friends.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>The bar seats were always the best place to be.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>A last laugh, a few tears.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>A few brief words from our leaders.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>Brothers in arms.</figcaption>
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<cite><a href="http://www.eliesajohnson.com/">Eliesa Johnson Photography</a></cite>
<figcaption>You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.</figcaption>
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https://twincities.eater.com/2017/7/3/15916562/the-strip-club-meat-fish-jd-fratzke-tim-niver-st-paulJoy Summers2017-02-27T17:20:01-06:002017-02-27T17:20:01-06:00JD Fratzke and Matty O’Reilly Are Opening a Highland Park French Tavern
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<figcaption>Chef J.D. Fratzke is opening a new spot in St. Paul | Photo courtesy <a href="http://easyandoskey.com/">Erik Eastman</a></figcaption>
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<p>Bar Brigade will open in the old Ristorante Luci space.</p> <p id="LTgxZT">When Ristorante Luci closed earlier this winter after three decades in St. Paul’s Highland Park neighborhood, many wondered what could take its place. Now we know it will be <strong>Bar Brigade </strong>from <strong>Matty O'Reilly</strong> and <strong>JD Fratzke</strong>. Bar Brigade will be a tiny French tavern, according to <a href="http://mspmag.com/eat-and-drink/foodie/coming-soon-bar-brigade/#.WLSS5jjBUB8.facebook">Stephanie March at Mpls./St.Paul Magazine</a>, serving approachable, simple cuisine that will tend toward the veggie-centric with small plates, salads and oysters. </p>
<p id="0qZ1G7">Fratzke, fresh off the announcement that the Strip Club Meat and Fish would shutter later this summer, has transitioned into the role of culinary director for <a href="http://republicmn.com/">Republic</a> and <a href="http://www.redriverkitchen.com/city-house/">Red River Kitchen at City House</a>. That’s the small, seasonal space served by Republic’s second food truck that overlooks the Mississippi River where he helped O’Reilly develop the menu. </p>
<p id="fI8qut">O’Reilly is also owner of<strong> </strong><a href="http://twincities.eater.com/tags/republic"><strong>Republic</strong></a><strong>,</strong> the wildly popular craft beer bar and restaurant at Seven Corners, that also has two food trucks and operates inside the airport.</p>
<p id="hZJj8F">The restaurant just off the intersection of Fairview and Randolph in St. Paul’s Highland Park neighborhood was, until recently, a standby neighborhood red sauce restaurant and it’s a cozy space. The kitchen is diminutive, so cooking is going to require some creativity. March reports a menu that will tend towards cheese plates, oysters, small plates and just a handful of entrees. </p>
<p id="RhrnM6">But that’s not the end of the exciting collaborations. There will be a full cocktail program designed by <a href="http://twincities.eater.com/tags/tattersall-distilling">Tattersall Distilling’s</a> <strong>Dan Oskey</strong>, an exclusively French wine list and a rosé on tap. </p>
<p id="sydao5">So, grab your oyster forks, folks. The restaurant is opening soonish.</p>
https://twincities.eater.com/2017/2/27/14756462/bar-brigade-jd-fratzke-matty-oreilly-republic-open-address-hoursAlex Lodner2017-02-01T15:41:04-06:002017-02-01T15:41:04-06:00The Strip Club Meat & Fish Will Close Forever This Summer
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<figcaption>Chef J.D. Fratzke and Tim Niver | <a href="http://www.freshtart.com/">Stephanie A. Meyer</a></figcaption>
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<p>Chef J.D. Fratzke and Tim Niver will turn out the lights July 1.</p> <p id="LdI9oo">After a few moments of small talk Tim Niver, a king of hospitality in the Twin Cities dining room draws a long breath before uttering the phrase he’s likely said more times than he would like to today, “We’re closing the Strip Club.”</p>
<p id="as9YSw">Chef J.D. Fratzke and Tim Niver first opened in 2008 in a much different dining climate on an often-mispronounced name in a transitioning neighborhood. Fratzke was best known for his passionate commitment to local cuisine and the beautiful, comforting food he’d served at Muffuletta. Niver had made his name as a front-of-house man with stints at the storied Aquavit and opening the lauded Town Talk Diner. The duo came together with a crew that became more family than employees (both of their wives have worked as servers) to put together what Niver once referred to as a dinner party thrown by your most fun friends.</p>
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<figcaption>Outside the gothic building that houses the eatery.</figcaption>
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<p id="IEmveC">“It was a lease situation,” he went on to explain. “Considering all of the things and looking five years down the road, looking at things that are happening right now, it’s just too hard to know what will five more years would bring. It’s a hard decision, but the right one for us.”</p>
<p id="Lqd4bA">Employees were notified on Monday that the last day of service will be July 1.</p>
<p id="CsYwQq">Since opening, the restaurant has racked up accolades. It’s been consistently named a best restaurant of St. Paul and made the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood a destination for people who love great food, cocktails and service.</p>
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<cite>Stephanie A. Meyer</cite>
<figcaption>A cocktail menu at the Strip Club.</figcaption>
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<p id="K40OLI">In the years since opening, the partnership also opened (and closed) The Inn in downtown Minneapolis before returning to Saint Paul for other projects. They opened <a href="http://minneapolis.eater.com/venue/saint-dinette">Saint Dinette</a> with chef Adam Eaton and GM Laurel Elm which has become a critical darling in Lowertown. Meanwhile Niver’s pasta and pizza-centric <a href="http://minneapolis.eater.com/search?q=mucci%27s">Mucci’s</a> with former Strip Club chef de cuisine Chris Uhrich which continues to sport long lines on busy nights in the West 7th neighborhood. Fratzke has also branched out with other partnerships and businesses including a deliciously fun summer business with Republic called Red River Kitchen at City House.</p>
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<cite>Stephanie A. Meyer</cite>
<figcaption>The Strip Club was one of the first restaurants to lead the new wave of craft cocktails in the Twin Cities.</figcaption>
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<p id="Xiuua5">The success of these two is in no small part due to their deep commitment to their customers and crew. “How many restaurants do you really trust?” he asked. “There’s a no bullshit attitude, but it's been a welcoming, very American tavern that I think trusted. That is I would like us to be remembered most for. There's some integrity and soul behind it.”</p>
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<cite><a href="https://www.facebook.com/278490047716/photos/a.10150593569802717.381575.278490047716/10153078394602717/?type=3&theater">Facebook</a></cite>
<figcaption>Like any good stripper, they’re leaving us wanting more. </figcaption>
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<p id="2Y0atT">As the restaurant winds down, hours will be cut back. Beginning Tuesday of next week, the restaurant will be open Tuesday through Saturday 5 to 10 pm. Final brunch service will happen February 12. Through it all, general manager Adam Johnson and Fratzke’s kitchen team will remain intact until the closing day. </p>
<p id="bYOLOL">“Restaurant industry is a cycle. We're aware of it and we are a part of it.” Announcing the closure this early, they hope that friends will be able to take the time to send off the restaurant with the fanfare and fun it deserves. The menu will continue to change with the seasons and as Fratzke’s inspiration moves. There will be more saucily penned menus with their lusty double entendre, buckets of Lil’ Danny’s Iconic Tonic and if we’re lucky, some gentle ribbing from the curly-haired ring master himself.</p>
<p id="097Pa1">With any luck, “The idea of the Strip Club can endure, even if the restaurant does not.”</p>
<ul>
<li id="TFqNeH">
<a href="http://minneapolis.eater.com/2015/1/27/7916345/tim-nivers-service-style-aquavit-strip-club-meat-fish-saint-dinette-town-talk">Tim Niver’s Service Style: Strip Clubbing, Aquavit and Saint Dinette</a> [EMPLS]</li>
<li id="iYDIuX">
<a href="http://minneapolis.eater.com/maps/best-minneapolis-st-paul-restaurants-38">The Eater Essential 38</a> [EMPLS]</li>
<li id="xVU3GO">
<a href="http://domeats.com/">The Strip Club Meat & Fish</a> [WEB]</li>
</ul>
<p id="dCUdIp"></p>
https://twincities.eater.com/2017/2/1/14476638/the-strip-club-meat-fish-close-hours-tim-niver-jd-fratzkeJoy Summers2016-11-16T20:00:01-06:002016-11-16T20:00:01-06:00The Twin Cities 2016 Eater Awards
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<figcaption>Mucci’s is exactly how we want to eat right now. | Katie Cannon</figcaption>
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<p>Whoa.</p> <p id="WI7kDC">It’s been a delicious year in Minneapolis and St. Paul dominated by cozy neighborhood eateries popping up all over with warm service, pretty rooms and plenty of craft brews on tap. Restauranteurs and chefs have reached back to their roots to create fresh and modern restaurants that we can help, but love. And now, without further ado (drumroll, please), we are thrilled to announce the Eater Award winners for 2016.</p>
<h3 id="444r8U">Restaurant of the Year: Mucci’s</h3>
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<cite>Katie Cannon</cite>
<figcaption>It’s a slice of love layered in red sauce: Mucci’s Italian.</figcaption>
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<p id="6CJ2Mn">No one creates the warmth and hospitality like <a href="http://minneapolis.eater.com/2015/1/27/7916345/tim-nivers-service-style-aquavit-strip-club-meat-fish-saint-dinette-town-talk">Tim Niver</a>. His other restaurant, The Strip Club Meat and Fish in St. Paul’s Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood has long felt like an every night dinner party thrown by some of your most tasteful friends. Mucci’s takes it another step into the heart of this master of service and style. It’s a more personal experience. He reached back into his Italian roots and the food his mother used to serve to share those flavors with us. In the kitchen, Chris Uhrich is taking classic comfort foods and serving them up deliciously. Not only is the humble red sauce divine, but there is also the new discovery of the incredible pizzas. (Get the one with the fried chicken on it. It only sounds crazy - most genius ideas do.) The knowledgeable, friendly staff are pretty much the exact same people that were working at the restaurant on Day 1, a remarkable feat in this industry. It makes sense that they treat guests like family. Mucci’s is exactly how and where we want to dine right now.</p>
<p id="biEH6D"><em>Readers Choice: Upton 43</em></p>
<h3 id="SqOTdq">Chef of the Year: Erick Harcey</h3>
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<cite><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/upton43/photos/?ref=page_internal">Facebook</a></cite>
<figcaption>Chef Erick Harcey with a little helper in his kitchen at Upton 43.</figcaption>
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<p id="5DFlb4">Who knew Minnesota food could be so beautiful? Who could have ever imagined that lutefisk could even be palatable? When Erick Harcey first opened Upton 43, the chef’s second restaurant in addition to Victory 44, the idea of going to back to his Scandinavian, rural Minnesota roots sounds like something that might be better in theory rather than practice. Instead, the chef drew inspiration from his grandfather, funneled it through his modern technique and what came out were plates of art, scattered with subtle flavors that astounded diners from near and far. Eater’s own Bill Addison rightly included the restaurant amongst his <a href="http://www.eater.com/2016/7/21/12226912/best-new-restaurants-2016">21 Best New Restaurants in America</a>, and other national critics have followed suit, raving over his skill and flavors. His most ambitious project also pulls in some of the Twin Cities best chefs into his kitchen for what has become an intriguing culinary playground at special chef table events. Upton 43 simultaneously celebrates our regional past while paving the way towards a more delicious future. Chef Harcey cooks with all of his heart and the evidence is there on the plate.</p>
<p id="Gvv593"><em>Reader’s choice: Erick Harcey</em></p>
<h3 id="AjWHPz">Restaurant Design of the Year: Hi-Lo Diner</h3>
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<cite><a href="http://www.amberprocaccini.com/">Amber Procaccini</a></cite>
<figcaption>We can’t get enough of this beguiling diner.</figcaption>
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<p id="3z9y1b">The glinting chrome, bright turquoise booths and chairs with wood accents makes this piece of living restaurant history feel fresh for modern times. The refurbished diner car arrived with much fanfare on East Lake Street and this Instagram bait is even more beautiful than we could have anticipated. From the mirrors on the ceiling to the walls of windows, it’s hard not to feel pretty by proxy while sitting inside the Hi-Lo Diner.</p>
<p id="d0ngpH"><em>Readers choice: Hi-Lo Diner</em></p>
<h3 id="JoLy7T">Best Wine Program/Somm: St. Genevieve’s Brie Roland</h3>
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<cite>Craig Hostetler</cite>
<figcaption>Whatever she’s pouring is what we’re drinking.</figcaption>
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<p id="uGhh4J">There is apparently an entire world’s worth of bubbly wine to discover and we might never have known we needed it without Brie Roland, St. Genevieve’s general manager and wine director. The French buvette in South Minneapolis not only offers a wide-array of effervescent wines, but all kinds of varieties just waiting to be discovered. Take yourself on a tour with the eminently affordable half-pours or treat your table to a bottle of something special. It’s easy to find plenty of affordable pours alongside really spectacular, special bottles. Not sure what to order? Roland makes drinking fine wine as easy as sipping a soda (but much more classy.) Just give her a little information on what you like and maybe what you’re eating and she will pair it with something spectacular to sip every damn time. </p>
<p id="a0Ew6c"><em>Readers Choice: St. Genevieve</em></p>
<div id="0dMLmi"><a href="http://eater.com/2016/11/16/13643466/eater-awards-2016-winners"><img src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7406513/eater-awards_hub_2.0.jpg"></a></div>
https://twincities.eater.com/2016/11/16/13625782/twin-cities-best-chefs-restaurants-eater-awards-2016Joy Summers2015-08-17T11:19:09-05:002015-08-17T11:19:09-05:00Tim Niver to Open Casual Italian Restaurant in St. Paul
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<figcaption>Tim Niver remains devoted to Saint Paul with new plans | Stephanie A. Meyer</figcaption>
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<p>A red-sauce style restaurant is planned for a cozy restaurant space.</p> <p>When the sold sign went up, the West 7th neighborhood was immediately abuzz over who would claim the long vacant restaurant at 786 Randolph Avenue that last housed Cafe Tava and before that Mildred Pierce Cafe. Today, <a href="http://www.twincities.com/restaurants/ci_28653819/strip-club-saint-dinette-owner-opening-italian-eatery" target="_blank">Tim Niver officially confirmed</a> that he would be transforming the beleaguered space into his latest restaurant project.</p>
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<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">west end St. Paul: i have submitted the required zoning materials and locked down a parking lot. i am coming your way. public hearing soon.</p>
— all good (@tniver) <a href="https://twitter.com/tniver/status/633242627190730752">August 17, 2015</a>
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<p>The new eatery will reach back to Niver's Italian roots and serve no-frills classics, a stark contrast to the newest wave of upscale restaurants like Monello, Il Foro and Parella also pulling inspiration from that part of the world.</p>
<p>The restaurant space is cozy, with just 50 seats and won't be serving cocktails, something the other restaurants have built a reputation on. Simple beer and wine will likely be on the menu. In fact, simplicity seems to be the dominant theme. The plans are for a neighborhood hangout, not a splashy, headline grabbing project.</p>
<p><a style="line-height: 1.24;" href="http://minneapolis.eater.com/2015/1/27/7916345/tim-nivers-service-style-aquavit-strip-club-meat-fish-saint-dinette-town-talk" target="_blank">Tim Niver</a> is also the owner, along with chef J.D. Fratzke, of <a href="http://minneapolis.eater.com/tags/strip-club" target="_blank">The Strip Club Meat & Fish</a> and the newly opened <a href="http://minneapolis.eater.com/venue/saint-dinette" target="_blank">Saint Dinette</a>.</p>
https://twincities.eater.com/2015/8/17/9165347/tim-niver-to-open-causal-italian-restaurant-in-st-paulJoy Summers2015-08-06T12:07:54-05:002015-08-06T12:07:54-05:00Strip Club Meat & Fish vs The City of Saint Paul: Spiral Staircase Edition
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<figcaption>Lindsay Abraham</figcaption>
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<p>The city of St. Paul has an issue with the restaurant's spiral staircase.</p> <p><span>Beloved Dayton's Bluff spot <b>The Strip Club Meat & Fish</b> has run into an issue with the City of St. Paul. </span><a href="http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_28592382/strip-club-restaurant-challenges-fire-inspection-order-remove" target="_blank">According to the Pioneer Press</a><span>, the restaurant's spiral staircase that leads to the upstairs mezzanine has been deemed an unapproved "means of egress from the restaurant seating area" per a routine city fire inspection and "use must be discontinued immediately". </span></p>
<p><span>The restaurant continues to be open for business however, the 16 seats that the upstairs mezzanine provide will remain unoccupied until further notice. </span></p>
https://twincities.eater.com/2015/8/6/9110257/strip-club-meat-fish-vs-the-city-of-saint-paul-spiral-staircaseLindsay Abraham2015-01-27T10:18:52-06:002015-01-27T10:18:52-06:00Tim Niver's Service Style: Aquavit, Strip Clubbing and Saint Dinette
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<img alt="Tim Niver inside Mucci's Italian." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/k8o2bHRTxnb4uqbaDB-NEb1Rx58=/40x0:691x488/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53236513/Tim_Niver_Muccis_cr_Katie_Cannon.0.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tim Niver inside Mucci's Italian. | <a href='http://www.katiecannonphotography.com/people/'>Katie Cannon</a></figcaption>
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<p>New York raised, he opened The Bellagio and The Town Talk Diner, The Inn and The Strip Club Meat and Fish. How the man became a front of house legend. </p> <p><span>It's not hard to picture a youthful Tim Niver, armed with two spatulas, working the grill inside a small-town McDonald's. His curly hair would have sprouted from the top of that visor, unruly and mischievous like the bastard child of a fry kid and the Hamburgler. His face would have worn a mask of intensity. He has always been driven. That was true even then, when he was just a kid working his first job.</span></p>
<p><q class="pullquote"><span>It was cool back then!</span></q></p>
<p><span>Tim Niver was born in Syracuse, New York, but spent his childhood in a small town south of Buffalo. It was while he was in high school that he was first employed in the service industry. "It was cool back then! There are things that I remember from there that are applicable today. They called it McDonald's University. It was kind of a big deal that there was standardized training. You could go into any McDonald's and get the exact same service. It's the same thing Danny Meyer is doing just fancier." There's a comparison that the Union Square restaurateur likely hasn't heard before.</span></p>
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<p>"It gave me a sense of what volume is." His Sundays would begin at 5 a.m., relieving the truck of it's 580 boxes and stacking things in the basement, a maze of metal racks piled with cartons, to-go gear and toys. "I always had a sense of organization," he recalls. "That was where it started."</p>
<blockquote class="blockquote"><span>"After graduating college, I got into a 'real job' and failed."</span></blockquote>
<p>His next industry job was at The <a href="http://www.italianfisherman.com/#_=_" target="_blank">Italian Fisherman</a> in Bemus Point, New York. It was a seasonal restaurant. "Dan Dalpra ran it and still does. He and his manager Amy were my first introduction to the restaurant business," Niver said. "Amy was both a server and the manager. " Early in my career I saw someone who was amazing at doing many things at once, table side service in addition to running a whole restaurant. My sister got me a job bussing. I learned it all. Dan wasn't my favorite dude, but he had this uber successful, seasonal restaurant. Maybe I could have learned more from him," he joked.</p>
<p>Throughout his senior year in high school and into college, Niver worked at a restaurant. "It's a beautiful craft that you can take with you anywhere you go." For a year he studied in Spain and upon returning substitute taught Spanish for a while.</p>
<p>"After graduating college, I got into a 'real job' and failed. Meanwhile, my buddies were smart enough to head out to Colorado to live the ski bum life." Niver snagged a couple of shifts at The Italian Fisherman that put $400 in his pocket. He threw everything he had into the back of his 1988 Dodge Charger and headed west. Once there, he settled in on a mattress on the floor and picked up some construction work. Eventually, he found a server job first during the morning buffet and then working his way into the nighttime crew. "All those night time servers were <i>so cool. </i>Amazing," he remembers.</p>
<p>It was during this time that Niver worked under Graziano Buzzi, "He was the first true front of house manager I worked with. He was at the door, greeting guests, escorting Kathie Lee and Frank Gifford to their table. Then, he'd go in back, fire risottos and critique me before returning to the front door. He was a true and classic <i>maître d: </i>vocal, positive, classy, well-dressed and a little intimidating." There was an ambiance that this level of service created for the guests that allowed for their guard to come down and conversation to flow freely.</p>
<p>"That's how I learned that Kathie Lee has a tilted uterus and it was hard for her to get pregnant," Niver said.</p>
<p>"That's also where I met Christy," the lovely young lady who was destined to be his wife. "We hung out there. She was also a server." Eventually, Christy decided to return to her home state of Minnesota to get her Masters at St. Thomas. "I chased her back here."</p>
<p><q class="pullquote"><span>He taught me the old school, respectful way to deal with things.</span></q></p>
<p>At this time, our young hero had plenty of server experience, but not much understanding of the business behind a restaurant. His first job in the Twin Cities was at Spike's sport bar in the Hyatt. Upstairs was Pronto and Manny's Steakhouse. "It was there I interviewed with one Michael Larson. I said, 'I'll be your best server in two months.' He said, I've got people who have been here for two years." Without pause Niver repeated, "I'll be your best server in two months."</p>
<p>Rather than putting the cocky kid on the floor Larson, who was a longtime fixture at <a href="http://www.parasole.com/" target="_blank">Parasole</a> restaurant group and now owns and operates <a href="http://eatdigbys.com/" target="_blank">Digby's</a> in Roseville, granted him a position as a food runner. In two weeks an assistant manager quit and Larson agreed to give him his chance. "He and Alfonso were my mentors. Alfonzo could whisk you away from the front door and lead you to the worst table in the restaurant, but it felt like you were being carried off to a beach in Vera Cruz."</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Larson was the business guy. Niver remembers when he contradicted his boss in front of others. Larson brought him into the back and quietly corrected him - not unlike the Godfather - never tell anybody outside the family know what you're thinking again. "He taught me the old school, respectful way to deal with things. You'd walk in the morning and he'd be reading the paper. He'd say hi without even looking up, but he wasn't just reading the paper. He was ruminating about how the day would go. He always had several things going on in his mind. He was very sure of what was going on and how things were going in Parasole." It was there that Niver learned that service was a guideline to the way people should live. "That was vital for me."</p>
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<cite>Stephanie A. Meyer</cite>
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<p>At the time, this was when Buca was getting rolling. What began with red and white checked tablecloths, dripping candles in wine bottles, family style service and mashed potatoes that continue to inspire rave reviews would eventually become a very large restaurant operation with several locations across the country. Niver had the opportunity to be a part of that expansion, which likely would have been a lucrative road to travel.</p>
<p>"At that time, my wife and I were like, 'fuck it. Let's take everything and move to New York. So, we did that." However, finding a job wasn't as easy as expected. Although, when he left Niver had been the general manager at Pronto, the Minneapolis resume didn't impress prospective New York employers. "It took me 45 days to get a job. I had a rash on my hand from carrying my attaché case with me."</p>
<p>He worked at the Satay restaurant group and then at First for Sam Demarco, located on first and first in New York. DeMarco approached him about moving out to Las Vegas to help him open the Bellagio. "We h<span>ad so much fun in Vegas my wife got pregnant," Niver remembers fondly. </span></p>
<p>As we in Minnesota have trained our beautiful, flaxen haired young women, Christy had gone out into the world, found a talented husband and brought him back home to help raise a family and grace us with some fresh restaurant talent. "It was Sam who gave me a recommendation for [Marcus] Samuelson." Thus began a great time of eating adventures, including dinner at El Bulli and a job inside Minneapolis' lauded Aquavit. "I've worked with geniuses the entire time," Niver says when looking back over his career.</p>
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<p>Marcus Samuelsson</p>
<p>Service training involved a regimented, Swedish-style of training<span>. The restaurant was already up and running when Niver first joined the team. "On my first night I walked in the back room just off the main dining, behind the door all the servers were drinking wine and smoking cigarettes." He remarked, "'Oh, </span><i style="line-height: 1.5;">this</i><span> is how it </span><i style="line-height: 1.5;">was</i><span> here. Tomorrow, this won’t happen again.' These are the best people in the city and yet, behind the scenes, people weren't upholding the way they were in the front in the back. Aquavit was very much about keeping a New York status."</span></p>
<p>The Minneapolis outpost wouldn't last long, shuttering in 2003. "Aquavit was amazing. It didn't need to close. We were doing fine. I think Marcus realized it was going good, not great. The restaurant wasn't making money, but it wasn't losing any either."</p>
<p>From fine dining, Niver launched into opening Martini Blu, an interesting concept that sprang from the people behind Lifetime Fitness. The restaurant struggled to find its footing, "We almost got it to break even and then there was talking of changing more things. I realized, I didn't want to go on this ride."</p>
<p>From there he went to work at Axel's in Mendota Heights. The location was an easy commute from his home and a great job to provide a steady paycheck while he worked to get the Town Talk Diner off the ground.</p>
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<p><span>"I was working for Charlie Burroughs is another genius. He’s had other businesses that fail and you just don’t quit. It’s all about progression, </span>positivity<span> and perspective - always gaining perspective."</span></p>
<p><span>The perspective Niver found there was that, "I had done all this stuff in my career, Aquavit, the Bellagio and after all that I found myself working in Mendota with a wine-themed tie and a white button down shirt. They accepted me and brought me in. They have been supportive and still come in to eat at the </span><a href="http://www.domeats.com/" target="_blank">Strip Club</a><span>."</span></p>
<p><span>Before the St. Paul steakhouse with the cheeky name came Niver's first experience at being a restaurant owner with a now legendary run at the Town Talk Diner. "I had </span>experience, but no clue. So, different. We made a ton of mistakes. You wouldn’t know it – food and service and always good."</p>
<p>Niver and crew knew they were in trouble when Gary Schiff, the city council member informed them, before there was even so much as a meeting on the topic, that they would never be approved for a liquor license. The police had been called too often to the neighboring restaurant.</p>
<blockquote class="blockquote">
<span>"When you write a business plan, when you write a menu, you have no idea how it’s going to be. I </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; background-color: #ffffff;">love</i><span> this dish – people </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; background-color: #ffffff;">hate </i><span>it."</span>
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<p>Imagine what this would have meant for the future of cocktailing in the Twin Cities. There would have been no Nick Kosevich as we now know him, no boozy milkshakes, no Jesse Held. Lucky for the rest of us, the licnese was eventually approved and the historic sign sparkled like it hadn't in years.</p>
<p>The tenure of The Town Talk was such a special time that there is fierce nostalgia for those days. There are drink shakers who have claimed to work there, just to claim the cred. The brief time on the Minneapolis restaurant scene has become the stuff of legends. Cocktails became more than just a cosmo. The mix masters behind the luncheon counter were doing daft, crazy things, much to the delight of diners. The food was based in diner fare, but done unlike a greasy spoon. Braised meats the texture of fine silk graced the hash, line-caught fish were delicately prepared with dazzling sauces.</p>
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<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Du0Lmeg_jtqWVmmrDmAzYL2C0sY=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3345500/strip_club_menu.0.jpg">
<cite>Stephanie A. Meyer</cite>
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<p>The drink menu at The Strip Club Meat & Fish. Photo by Stephanie A. Meyer</p>
<p><span>"When you write a business plan, when you write a menu, you have no idea how it’s going to be. I <i>love</i> this dish – people <i>hate </i>it. You have no idea what it’s going to be. You might come up with an end result that might be what you love, but no one wants to buy it," Niver said.</span></p>
<p>The restaurant was filled with incredible talents, Aaron Johnson (Niver's business partner at Town Talk), David Vlach - the opening chef, Nick Kosevich, Adam Johnson, Ben Johnson, Adam Harness, Jesse Held. "It worked... until it didn't." Aaron Johnson and Niver sold their partnership to chef Tor Westgard who sold the restaurant to the Theros Group. They also own the St. Clair Broiler. Not long after the sale, the Theros group has a full financial crisis after it was revealed that their accountant had been embezzling from the restaurant group. She later <a href="http://blogs.citypages.com/food/2012/04/ava_marie_hamilton_restaurant_embezzlement.php" target="_blank">pleaded guilty to swindling them out of $540,000</a>. Jimmy Theros admitted to the financial woes contributing to the closure of the Town Talk Diner. Still, the soul of the restaurant had departed with the team.</p>
<p>"When someone told me they had table tents that broke my heart," remembers Niver. "Fuck, really?! What happened was that it didn't work the way we wanted to. There isn't a bad thing to say. You can't plan for everything. Thank god the writing was on the wall."</p>
<p>While they were being handed an award for doing such great work on Lake Street, Niver was approached by a man who said, "I've got an award for you." He handed Niver a sheet of paper with a picture of the building on Maria Avenue in St. Paul. "I was like, this guy is crazy."</p>
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<p>He set the paper aside and nearly forgot about it. One day Tor Westgard plucked it off the desk, "What's this? Should I throw it away?"</p>
<p>Niver almost said yes, but then paused a moment. He looked over the aged brick building again and turned to Aaron Johnson, "A.J., let's go check this out." The cozy size, curved staircase, old world details seduced the men.</p>
<p>In the end, it was easier to walk away from Town Talk because he had already strung his safety net: The Strip Club Meat & Fish opened to rave reviews seven years ago. At the time, grass-fed steak wasn't nearly as common. In fact, the idea that the menu would be built around what was genuinely thought of as a tougher, gamier piece of meat was unheard of. J.D. Fratzke was brought in from <a href="http://www.muffuletta.com/" target="_blank">Muffuletta </a>(another Parasole restaurant) to run the kitchen and convince the grass-fed averse with a deft hand and seriously sexy menu.</p>
<p>Niver assembled a team for the front of house of people who would become more than just employees, but family. The employees also treat their customers as though they genuinely care about the dining experience. Although, the style is far from the traditional French style - servers wear black t-shirts. Niver warmly greets guests, asks after their kids and is cheeky enough that he'll put the occasional rude patron, graciously, in his or her place. "It's a far cry from Aquavit where I was buttoned up and only referred to as Mr. Niver. There was none of this Niver or Tim or anything." They have been regularly recognized for some of the best service and one of the best restaurants in St. Paul.</p>
<p><q class="pullquote"><span>Service hasn’t evolved, I think it’s devolved.</span></q></p>
<p>Niver mused, "Service hasn’t evolved, I think it’s devolved. Service is so hard. Service isn't an issue until it’s bad. You see people opening counter service because they don’t want to deal with the labor or the technical aspect of table side service. Can’t we just give you a number and focus everything on the food? That's one problem. Another problem the celebrification of the chefs. People want to be a chef and it’s a status thing. These service guys were always the stars of the restaurant.</p>
<p><span>"There aren’t so many people looking to be great </span>mangers. For one, <span>you have to deal with people. No one wants to deal with people anymore. Interpersonal experiences are lost. I don’t think people have the same skills anymore. 'I’ll just text ya. I’ll just get on Open Table.' But I’m going to talk to you. As an adult human I would like to you show up and I’ll take care of you. We make an appointment together," said Niver.</span></p>
<p>"If you had to name the top 10 chefs – you can do that. Boom! Top 10 front of house guys? You could get to 4. I can train you in the technical aspects of how to serve, but I can’t train you to be nice to people. You have to have come to the table with a desire to serve."</p>
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<p><span>Chef J.D. Fratzke and Tim Niver inside The Strip Club. Photo by Stephanie A. Meyer</span></p>
<p>Although, it's about as easy to talk about service as it is to dance about eating, Niver attempts to articulate why he has garnered a reputation as one of the best in the business. "<span>I gravitate toward the idea that what we provide is an honest experience. In essence, I’m just being true to myself. Because I’m able to do that in my own place. I can do that. I hire people I know that are family. They understand that this little place is supporting their lifestyle – until they want to go do something else. Knowing who you are and having an </span>identity... I<span>t comes from that. We talk about points of service, but I don’t get preachy."</span></p>
<p><span>Last night's pre-service meeting ended with, "You know what you need to do to do this right… So, do it." </span><span>It’s as simple as respecting where you work. "You don't want to hurt anything where you work."</span></p>
<p>The team inside the Strip Club is looking forward to opening their <a href="http://minneapolis.eater.com/tags/saint-dinette" target="_blank">hotly anticipated Saint Dinette</a> restaurant in St. Paul's Lowertown neighborhood. <span>To run the front of house at Saint Dinette, Niver has brought Laurel Elm into the fold. "She has been amazing," he enthuses. "She's smarter than me. She's a far better server than me." </span></p>
<p>He is entrusting her and the team assembled for this next venture with his dream of the future. "I'm giving them the keys to my car and we'll see how it goes." He pauses, "I'm still in the back seat... a little bit. I might do a <i>little </i>backseat driving. But we'll see how it drives. I'm asking them to carry my torch." The man can mix a metaphor.</p>
<p>There's an old adage that if you open a small restaurant, you'll probably die in a small restaurant. Niver has several creative ideas swimming around his brain, but the plans for Saint Dinette have been percolating a long time. This is the restaurant he wants to open and the service will continue in the spirit of what the Strip Club has built. The less formal style of serving seems to be the trend in the industry. The white tablecloths are gone; there's only one fork. Part of that is industry demand and part is the Niver School of Service.</p>
<p>Not that every restaurant he's walked into has appreciated his drive, opinions or confidence. "I forget who was hiring at D'Amico Cucina... I interviewed for a manager position there. I offered to try out of the job. I tried out by working the floor, clearing the table... they said things went well, but Bill Summerville [now of Spoon and Stable] got the job."</p>
<p>He concedes, "I know my career choices are risky, but i love it. In ten years will [the Strip Club] be a classic or will I be selling food for Sysco? My hope is to have four or five restaurants that are real restaurants that can support me until I step back - if I can. I might be a <a href="http://www.mancinis.com/" target="_blank">Mancini</a> at the door every night. You never know."</p>
https://twincities.eater.com/2015/1/27/7916345/tim-nivers-service-style-aquavit-strip-club-meat-fish-saint-dinette-town-talkJoy Summers2014-08-25T11:50:12-05:002014-08-25T11:50:12-05:00Five Things You Didn't Know About Saint Dinette
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<p><a href="http://stephanieameyer.com/"></a>]</p> <p>Tonight marks the first of two sold out pop-ups that <strong>Tim Niver </strong>and <strong>J.D. Fratzke</strong> will be hosting to preview <strong><a href="http://saintdinette.com/">Saint Dinette</a></strong>, the most buzzed about restaurant coming to St. Paul later this year.</p> <p>Fratzke and Niver are also the owners of <strong><a href="http://www.domeats.com/">The Strip Club Meat & Fish</a></strong> in the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood. Since first opening in 2008, The Strip Club has garnered praise for its <a href="http://minneapolis.eater.com/tags/the-five-days-of-meat-2014">carnivorous dishes</a> and led the charge in sustainable cuisine and strong relationships with growers.</p> <p>Although they are still not ready to reveal the exact address for Saint Dinette, Fratzke shared several new tidbits from Fratzke as he prepared for tonight's dinner service.</p> <p><strong>1. The Name. </strong>The definition of a dinette is a small table set in a corner. The restaurant will be located in the corner of a building in St. Paul's Lowertown neighborhood. Fratzke and Niver had long discussed what kind of restaurant they wanted, but it was ultimately Niver who came up with this name. A dinette is a cozy place where family shares a meal.</p> <p><strong>2. Family.</strong> Both Niver and Fratzke adore their wives. Get either of them talking about their ladies and the conversation takes a rhapsodic turn. Both Lisa Fratzke and Christy Niver work alongside their mates at The Strip Club. Now that tradition is being extended. <strong>Adam Eaton</strong>, Sainte Dinette's chef de cuisine is engaged to the front-of-house manager <strong>Laurel Elm</strong>. Both are veterans of<strong> La Belle Vie</strong>.</p> <p><strong>3. Upscale Flannel.</strong> Initially Niver described the vibe as "upscale flannel." Fratzke explained that he thinks of it as "North American hospitality." French-influenced flavors, but nothing fussy or unfamiliar. The restaurant will be warm, comforting with a dash of Minnesota-made ruggedness. Jeans and flannel shirts will be just as welcome as a suit and tie, but you might want to loosen that tie.</p> <p><strong>4. The inspiration. </strong>Both men were inspired by all the lands connected by the waterways that carried early settlers into North America. From the decadent <em>joie de vivre</em> of Montreal to the <em>laissez les bon temps rouler</em> fare of New Orleans, there are the vestiges of the French culinary tradition from Canada down to Mexico. The menu will travel those waterways and borrow flavors from each of the regions.</p> <p><strong>4. The Menu.</strong> The first dish that will be served at the pop-up tonight is a duck breast carpaccio. The duck is rubbed with achiote, chilled and sliced thinly. They removed the skin, dried it and deep fried it, creating a duck chicharron. The carpaccio is served over a watermelon salad with lime, tamarind and radish.<br>· <a href="http://minneapolis.eater.com/tags/saint-dinette">All Saint Dinette Coverage </a>[-EMPLS-]</p>
https://twincities.eater.com/2014/8/25/6166117/five-things-you-didnt-know-about-saint-dinetteJoy Summers