A food hall kiosk is expanding its reach. Ono Hawaiian Plates, from chef Warren Seta and his business/life partner Jess Kelley, is opening a sit-down and takeout location within United Noodles by summer's end.
Ono launched in 2019 as part of the North Loop Galley food hall, and, with Wrecktangle Pizza, remains one of its two original vendors. Ono's menu focuses on Hawaiian plate lunches — a protein with sides like mac salad and white rice. Seta, a veteran of fine dining establishments in Las Vegas, is behind Hawaiian-inspired dishes such as Spam Musubi, Luau Bowl and Ahi Poke Bowls.
For its second location, inside the 40-year-old United Noodles (2015 E. 24th St., Mpls.), Ono will have room for 40 diners at picnic tables surrounded by murals reflecting Honolulu street scenes. The grocery store also offers an upgrade to the Galley's 200-square-foot kitchen, allowing Seta to experiment with more Hawaiian specialties.
And that's not all. Ono will have an additional presence in St. Paul by fall, when it launches a grab-and-go counter in the deli at Lunds & Byerlys in St. Paul's Highland Park.
Ono's North Loop Galley location, at 729 Washington Av. N., Mpls., will remain open.
"We're thrilled to be able to level up and have more room to work, to create, and to introduce ourselves, our food, and the culture we love to new people," Seta said. "We use our culinary experience to create the simple food we grew up with, done well."
Downtown St. Paul's Momento has closed — temporarily
After one year of pizzas and casual eats in downtown St. Paul, Momento from Morrissey Hospitality has closed. The restaurant opened in part of the mural-filled space that once held Pazzaluna (360 St. Peter St., St. Paul). Momento closed July 30 to "refresh our food and beverage program and revitalize our space," its website says, and expects to reopen Sept. 6 with a new concept.
Mini-golf restaurant in Uptown closes indefinitely
After a brief mulligan reopening as UpCo, Arts and Rec/Uptown Collab — the restaurant in Minneapolis' Seven Points mall with the rooftop patio and indoor mini-golf course — has closed indefinitely. It first opened as an ambitious (and very large) artist-created space with a record store/mini-golf mall entrance and a bar/restaurant space that faced the street, plus a rooftop bar and event space/stage and a "speakeasy" bar inside. No word on what the future plans are for the business.
David Fhima's bakery is expanding
Another outpost of David Fhima's Mother Dough will open at the base of the Vicinity Apartments building in Minneapolis' Mill District (205 Park Av. S., Mpls., motherdoughbakery.com). The French-influenced bakery and cafe serves pastries and coffee in the morning and a few sandwiches — like the prosciutto, butter and Brie on a fresh baguette — for lunch. When the new outpost debuts in late fall, it will open daily at 7 a.m. and will add grab-and-go lunch items. The two original locations of Mother Dough are in downtown's Capella Tower (225 S. 6th St., Mpls.) on the skyway and ground levels.
Fiddlehead Coffee Co. closes
Rochester-based Fiddlehead Coffee Co. closed all three of its locations over the weekend, citing ongoing health issues of one of its owners as well as "an array of other struggles."
"It is with heavy disbelieving hearts that we announce our closing," read a statement on the company's social media page. Patrick Phalen and his sister-in-law Sarah Phalen opened the first Fiddlehead in 2017. Another Rochester location followed, and a Bloomington outpost opened in 2021, near the Mall of America. Patrick Phalen was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2020.
"With our owner Patrick still so sick after 2.5 years and an array of other struggles, financial and otherwise, we are forced to see what else the world has in store for us."
Fair time at Potluck food hall
If you're looking to pregame before the State Fair, Potluck food hall in Rosedale Center is holding its annual Minnesota FARE through Labor Day. A sampling of the offerings: Play Cheese Ball Roulette at Adam's Soul to Go; four handmade mac and cheese balls — one is made with ghost pepper cheese, but which one? B&E Featuring Sweets by Diane will feature cheesecake waffle bowls and three other cheesecake-based desserts — the Black and White, Paradise and Rainbow. Black Coffee & Waffle Bar has Maple Bacon Waffle on a Stick and flavored lemonade; or get a French toast burger at Burger Dive, a breakfast sausage patty, bacon, berry jam, syrup and powdered sugar in a French toast bun. OG ZaZa will have a dill pickle pizza, and Smack Shack will be serving up fried bacon mac and cheese fritters. Find more information at potluckmn.com.
A Native chef collaboration
Navajo chef and author Freddie J. Bitsoie has been announced as the first chef-in-residence at the Indigenous Food Lab, the market and restaurant run by chef Sean Sherman's nonprofit NATIFS (North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems). Bitsoie was previously the executive chef for the Mitsitam Native Foods Café, located inside the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.
Bitsoie will work with the Indigenous Food Lab and NATIFS through October to help further its mission to promote Indigenous foodways education and to help develop and grow Indigenous food-based businesses. He'll also add to the nonprofit's library of training and cooking videos. The Indigenous Food Lab is in Midtown Global Market (920 E. Lake St., Mpls., natifs.org).
Chef Shack collaborating with Raag Indian Cuisine
The chefs behind Chef Shack are the latest bold names to land at Raag Indian Cuisine for a special one-night dinner. Chef power couple Carrie Summer and Lisa Carlson of Bay City, Wis., will be at the Minneapolis restaurant on Aug. 3. The multicourse event offers either a vegetarian or carnivorous experience. Tickets are $126 per person and include gratuity. For more information or tickets, go to raagindiancuisine.com/events. Raag is at 3812 W. 50th St.
