When Solera opened on Hennepin Avenue in 2002, it was a BFD in the local restaurant scene. Tim McKee and Josh Thoma were basking in the early critical glow of then-Stillwater-located La Belle Vie, and the tapas they installed next to the Orpheum were a revelation. It was a foundational restaurant for many in the … [ Read more]
The Mill: Lenny Russo lands at the Commodore, Octo Fishbar opening October 10
September 12, 2017 by
September 6—September 12 Chef Lenny Russo is on the map again as head of the kitchen at The Commodore Bar and Restaurant in St. Paul. Russo’s reputation precedes him; he is a six-time James Beard nominee, author of “Heartland: Farm-Forward Dishes From the Great Midwest,” had a great 14-year run with his restaurant Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct … [ Read more]
Tim McKee announces Market House Collaborative, a new food hall for Lowertown St. Paul
June 29, 2017 by
Chef, restaurateur, and current fishmonger Tim McKee, flanked by chef Lenny Russo, and St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, chatted Wednesday afternoon with a group of reporters about McKee’s upcoming Lowertown project, Market House Collaborative. “I grew up in St. Paul. I’ve always had a special affinity for St. Paul,” McKee said. “I’ve been watching the … [ Read more]
La Belle Vie Closing October 24
October 8, 2015 by Leave a Comment
La Belle Vie, the lauded upscale restaurant and cocktail lounge, will close October 24 after over 17 years in business, including a decade in their current Groveland Avenue location. Chef Tim McKee has cited a number of factors in the closing—rising costs, increased competition, changing dining habits, and road construction, among others. Speaking to Rick … [ Read more]
