Bite of the Week is a weekly feature showcasing an exceptional meal or dish, curated by The Growler. If you head far enough north on Central Avenue, the frequency of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean-influenced spots (everything from Filfillah to Big Marina to New York Gyro) starts to spike. New to the neighborhood in Fridley is … [ Read more]
Bite of the Week: Ribs and Wings Combo at Smoke in the Pit
February 20, 2019 by
Bite of the Week is a weekly feature showcasing an exceptional meal or dish, curated by The Growler. The beauty of a combo order is not having to compromise. There’s a lot to be said for smoked wings, but ribs are the traditional barbecue go-to. What the (take-out only) menu at Smoke in the Pit … [ Read more]
Bite of the Week: Chef’s Special Dry Chili Chicken at Lao Sze Chuan
February 13, 2019 by
Bite of the Week is a weekly feature showcasing an exceptional meal or dish, curated by The Growler. Chinese food fans who frequent University of Minnesota’s East Bank campus have a lot to keep track of—the lively scene includes mainstays like Hong Kong Noodles and Tea House as well as numerous newcomers. The latest development is … [ Read more]
The Animal at the Table: Better living through whole-bird butchery
February 27, 2018 by
The first thing you should do is hold the chicken in your hands. Consider the weight of its body as you wipe it dry with a paper towel, tracing its flesh and bone, dabbing each crevice on its gangly mass. Feel the stippling on the skin, notice the joints and the muscles. It was an … [ Read more]
Cold Weather Cooking with Beth Dooley: Chicken & Dumpling Soup Recipe
January 12, 2017 by Leave a Comment
This time of year when the tips of our noses are drippy and cold, and we’re tired, achy, and chilled to the bone, who doesn’t crave chicken soup? It’s brothy and light, satisfyingly simple, and innocently good. It’s the global go-to for those wintery blues, and just about every cuisine has its own version. Here’s … [ Read more]
Competitive ‘cue: Blue ribbons and contradictions on the barbecue circuit
June 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Twelve chicken thighs are removed from the pit. They are all identical—bones manicured, skin trimmed, dusted with seasoning. They’re dipped in a bowl of barbecue sauce, salted, and placed on a sheet of tinfoil. They look less like chicken than the polished knobs of a mahogany armoire. This chicken is perfect, but also, it’s not … [ Read more]
Sneak Peek: The Third Bird
August 18, 2014 by Leave a Comment
“Kim has vision for a space, injects an energy, and puts the right people in the right place like nobody I’ve ever seen before,” claims Lucas Almendinger. He’s the chef at the helm of Kim Bartmann’s newest project, The Third Bird, and the evidence is all around him. During the first soft-open lunch last Wednesday, … [ Read more]
