i’m back

“so i’m back to the velvet underground
back to the floor that i love
to a room with some lace and paper flowers
back to the gypsy…that i was…to the gypsy…that i was…” Stevie

now to open a new resto…

Gotta pick up the keys to my new joint.  Meetings galore today, prep for meetings galore an enormous mind fuck.

Having crazy dreams these nights about the food, and the feel.  My head is doing that thing that it does when you’re at the top of a roller coaster, weeeeeeeeeeeeee (mixed with HOLY SHIT!).  I’ll post some pics when I get the chance later today.

One last thing.  I do declare that when we started nearing Minnesota on the road we noticed that the grass was a little greener, the trees a little taller, and the roads a little smoother.  15 states, and one province for me and Heidi this summer, and I just hafta say that we live in a very special place, shhh.

Comments: 3

WTF Resto 2.0

Former Minneapolitan, MNSpeak founder, digital bon vivant, narcissistic dilettante and dating overachiever Rex Sorgatz is the brains behind the social media reach of about-to-launch 4Food restaurant in Midtown Manthattan.  4Food is a fascinating (or superfluous, depending on your take) attempt to reinvent the fast food hamburger, and even restaurants as we know them, for the digital era.

http://4food.com/

On the surface, it’s a build-your-own burger joint with millions upon millions of flavor combinations. They’ve also, thankfully, taken a “local, fresh and unprocessed is better” approach. But what really sets 4food apart as something entirely new is the extent to which they’ve integrated social media into their flow of business.  They’ll have monitors all over the joint with live feeds of Twitter, Foursquare, etc as they pertain to the restaurant itself, including a big screen with stadium seating.  If you curate an interesting burger, you’ll get a .25 in-store credit towards your next purchase.  They’ve certainly got the advantage of having to spend very little, if anything, on traditional marketing as the people will spread the word.  I just wonder about the viability of inundating consumers with an onslaught of burger options.  But if it can work anywhere, it can work in NYC. I wish them the best of luck and look forward to making my own burger next time I’m in Midtown.

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/13/making-lunch-a-social-networking-game/

Comments: 5

Healthy Fast Food

Healthy Fast Food is out there.  No, really, it kinda sorta is.

Voila.

Comments: 1

Defense of Foie

This is a must read article by Brad Haskel in defense of foie gras. Dan Barber makes an interesting presentation in this piece as well.

Comments: 2

Boy Drinks Sister’s Breast Milk

In this video a 10 year old drinks his sister’s breast milk.  He also described to Esquire that he has been approached by a publisher for a book deal.  What The F*uck!  Looks like anyone can get a book deal these days.

In other news my book comes out October 15th, it’s available for pre-order on Amazon, and I will sign it (with my right hand) when I see you! Click here to order your happy book! A couple of super cool endorsements for the book as well, but you’ll have to order it to see who!

Comments: 1

Ship Inn–Oregon

A couple of years back I asked Andrew Zimmern the most obvious question every one asks him. How do you not get ill when traveling.  Which given his extraordinary wealth of experience is so fantastically simple of a question that it’s embarrassing.  In any event his answer went something like this.  “Go to the vendor with the long line, when given a choice eat food from the busy place.” Paraphrasing, of course.

A rule I have followed religiously ever since.  Until Monday night.  We arrived in Astoria Oregon, and after crossing their crazy long bridge that was freaky fun, we stopped at a popular resto on Yelp, the Ship Inn.  The place was empty, no sign of life, as we walked in at 8:30 one waitress turned  to the other and said, “you drew the short straw”.

We ordered quickly, and kept it simple.  I asked, “what do you want to make for us, what’s the easiest?”  They made us their “famous” fish n’ chips.  It was fabulous.  The best I had had since childhood.  From the batter to the tartar sauce, it was top notch.

So what of the rule?  I might have to knock it back to 98% of the time, and if Yelp rates it highly there’s a better chance the rule can be ignored.

Comments: 0

Disco Stick

I noticed the City Pages pre-review review of the new foods at the State Fair. #1 Worst dish “awarded” to Famous Dave’s. Personally, I don’t dig on the swine so much, but hellooo, we are living in the age of snout to tail dining, so how could It possible get bottom billing, without even a taste?

The diss on the brainchild of the Pig Licker was premature, especially when deep fried bologna got top #1. Plus, how is it possible to review a dish before ever trying it? All I’m saying is why shoot an idea down, and set up an uphill climb before the doors even open. Give the guy with a history of solid creative and delicious ideas a chance.

Hell, Charlie T is THE supreme pork maestro of Minnesota. The guy know his BBQ, I think his freaky pig ear thing sounds great, and yum to the sauce.  I think I’ll even be able to talk Zilla into joining me, despite his most previous experience of being attacked by a sea of mommies with strollers eating greasy turkey legs.  So, see y’all in a couple of weeks at the great Minnesota get together, with stick in hand.  Maybe even one of these years we’ll get Zilla to put it on a stick, we all know his “beet is sick”.

Comments: 12

Terms Of Use

The Strib added this language to its comment section.

StarTribune.com welcomes and encourages readers to comment and engage in substantive, mutually respectful exchanges over news topics. Commenters must follow our Terms of Use.

1. Keep it civil and stay on topic.
2. No profanity, vulgarity, racial slurs or personal attacks.
3. Comments that violate the above will be removed. Repeat violators may lose their commenting privileges on StarTribune.com.

I can understand that journalists don’t like censorship, none of us do.  But what rights do completely anonymous racists or spiteful jerk-offs have?  Not very much, if you ask me.  Unless of course you want to put your name on it, than by all means fire away.

It’s high time that credible sites began to take many of the hideous and racist comments made on their sites more seriously.  For years I have avoided the Strib comment section for just this reason. Kudos to the Strib for setting a new standard.

Lenny’s “blog” (advertisement section) on the StarTribune doesn’t pass the sniff test for me though, but hey, baby steps.  It was one thing when he was actually blogging, writing about salient issues.  Write your own blog with your own money, no question, but using the Strib “Your Voices” for advertising?  I wonder if Lenny will write his own review, will it be the first 5 stars ever handed out?

Comments: 6

Talk about fresh!

Salt Spring Island Cheese Company does an incredible job.  Next time you or your best friends are traveling to Salt Spring, beg them to bring some back.  Worth every gram of fat!

Comments: 0

For Immediate Release

August 5, 2010

Subject: Heidi’s Minneapolis to Re-Open in the Lyn-Lake Neighborhood

Stewart and Heidi Woodman plan to re-open their restaurant, Heidi’s Minneapolis, in the Lyn-Lake neighborhood. The rebirth of Heidi’s will return Chef Stewart Woodman to the kitchen, where he is renowned both for his astonishing creativity and consistent high-level execution, which Food & Wine Magazine described as “flawless modern-American food.”

Here are the details:

Where and When
2903 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis – just north of Lake Street, a few doors from the Jungle Theater.   Stewart and Heidi and their team plan to transform the space over the coming months and re-open Heidi’s Minneapolis later this year.

The Specs
The new Heidi’s will be a slightly larger restaurant, with seating for 55 in the dining room, six in the bar, and 28 on the patio, weather permitting.  It will feature an extensive wine program, dedicated to bringing the price of restaurant wine back down to earth, and a full bar featuring classic cocktails.  The parking lot adjacent to the building will hold up to 13 cars, with ample nearby parking.

The Building
The restaurant has leased the building from 731 Properties, a division of renowned Minneapolis record label, Rhymesayers Entertainment, who closed a deal to purchase the building recently and share a commitment to creating great art here in the Twin Cities.

The Plan
Retail and restaurant designer Jim Smart will handle design for the new Heidi’s, which will have a casual, romantic feel, re-imagined for a new space and new neighborhood.  Twin Cities diners can expect the new Heidi’s to offer signature favorites like braised lamb shank, while continuing to push the boundaries of the fine dining experience with bold new dishes. And Heidi’s will continue to offer extraordinary food at affordable prices – which includes a commitment to having all menu entrees under $20.

On Choosing a New Location after the 50^th & Bryant Fire in February

“The fire was one of the worst days of our lives. At the same time, we will forever be grateful for all of the support and goodwill we’ve received over these past months.  If we want to do justice to that support, all we can do from here on is to make Heidi’s the most extraordinary dining experience we possibly can.” – Heidi Woodman

On What Customers Can Expect
“We’re going to keep the same commitment to a four-star experience at two-star prices.  We will always want Heidi’s to be the kind of place where you can have memorable night out without feeling like you have to dress for Oscar night. Unless you want to.” – Stewart Woodman

Media Contact:

Ken Kadet, Kadet Communications
952.937.0482
ken@kadetcommunications.com

Visit Heidi’s Minneapolis at www.heidismpls.com.  Follow Heidi’s on the road to re-opening at the Shefzilla blog www.shefzilla.com and on Twitter @HeidisMpls.

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Comments: 13