Three former Travail employees bring their fine dining pedigree to breakfast and lunch.
Sarah Julson, Nat Moser and Alex Althoff left the Robbinsdale restaurant group this summer. Althoff is the executive pastry chef, and Althoff’s husband, Moser, is the head chef at Nouvelle Brewing (Pig Ate My Pizza before that). Julson serves as creative director.
After surviving the pandemic, they each felt there was another road on the horizon.
“We’ve all had to step up in our own way during that time, we’ve all entered our own path, and now is the time when we need new experiences and see what else the world can bring us,” Julson said. .
They had an idea after traveling to other cities and noticing restaurant trends that had yet to make their way into Minnesota.
Dahlia is a full-service restaurant that will apply the team’s stamp of hospitality to dining during the day.
“Alex and Nat both love brunch, and there aren’t that many in the Twin Cities right now,” Julson said. “We feel that the hospitality of dinner service doesn’t always apply to lunch and breakfast service. We’re excited to come over for a coffee or a drink and soak up the sun.”
Expect a pastry program that highlights Althoff’s baking ingenuity; she was the inventor of Nouvelle Brewing’s pizza croissant, and during her four-year tenure there, she was one of many other popular desserts at Travail. There will also be a full menu, bar programme and coffee programme. Just no dinner.
“Everyone else can control the situation,” Julson said.
The team is “taking it slow” and will roll out catering, bake orders (starting with Thanksgiving deliveries) and pop-ups in brick-and-mortar restaurant spaces before eventually opening in Northeast Minneapolis, possibly in 2023 or 2024 shop, all three of these restaurants live there.
The events will be announced on social media @eatatdahlia and the newsletter. Sign up at eatatdahlia.com for updates.
The name Dahlia comes from Althof’s favorite flower. “The symbolism of the dahlia is tenacity, dignity and creativity,” Julson said. “Everything we’ve tried to cover and what we want this business to be.”
Hamburg News opens Highland Park location
Burger Press, Edina’s lively mash burger and fries shop, has expanded to St. Paul. A new locally owned outpost has opened in Highland Park at 718 S. Cleveland Av., on the same mall as Punch Pizza. The menu includes a selection of skinny burgers that can be stacked and served with most common accessories, hot dogs, milkshakes and bubble tea. Find more information and the full menu at burgerpressmn.com.
Justin Sutherland shares his northern soul
Add the author to the ever-growing list of skills chef Justin Sutherland has built up over the course of his career. Chef Handsome Pig has just released his first cookbook, The Soul of the North. It’s filled with recipes that diners at his restaurant will be familiar with: Gumbo My Way, chicken and waffles with his signature dredge, and deviled crawfish rolls (but no mayo; Sutherland isn’t a fan).
Widely sold in bookstores and online, the book was written before the “Top Chef” star and “Iron Chef” winner had a boating accident in the summer. On July 3, Sutherland fell from the boat and was hit by the propeller and was seriously injured. After several surgeries, he has been in the media talking about the accident and promoting “Northern Soul.”
More accolades for Petite León
praise Run by Chef Jorge Guzmán and the ownership group including Ben Rients and Travis Serbus, Petite León has received another important recognition as a restaurant of excellence. The New York Times added it to one of its restaurant lists — 50 places in America we’re most excited about right now — published last week. The paper’s critics praised “some of his standout dishes, including al Pastor pigsty, charred broccoli with mole verde and ancho chile black garlic-marinated bavette steak with a bright piquillo sauce. .” Earlier this year, Guzman was also a finalist in the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Midwest category. Petite Leon is located at 3800 Nicollet Av. S., Mpls., petiteleonmpls.com.