Counter Intelligence: Supper club to get contemporary flair

Supper club to get contemporary flair

Last update: December 20, 2006 - 4:22 PM

Kim Bartmann, owner of the Bryant Lake Bowl and Cafe Barbette in Uptown Minneapolis, is turning her attention to northeast Minneapolis -- 509 1st Av. NE., to be exact. "I'm going to contemporize the supper club," she said. "A supper club is all about going out with your friends, eating and drinking and making a whole night of it."

Although she hopes for a late February opening, Bartmann hasn't zeroed in on a name for the place, and she's not naming the chef just yet ("It's not a done deal yet, but it's a 'wow' choice," she said). The northern Wisconsin native, no stranger to the supper club genre, plans on building a room that looks as if it originated "in 1910 and was remodeled in 1974," she said. The food will walk the line between comfort and fancy fare, and will feature many of the locally raised ingredients championed at Bartmann's Uptown restaurants.

The restaurant's construction process will follow precepts set by the U.S. Green Building Council, which certifies buildings that incorporate sustainable materials and systems through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. "I haven't verified this, but I'm pretty sure we'll be the first LEED-certified restaurant in the region," said Bartmann.

The prospect of parking also gets Bartmann's heart pumping. "We're going to have something that's very unique to that neighborhood," she said with a laugh. "Our own parking lot."

Around town

The former Pizzeria Uno (6740 France Av. S., Edina) won't be dark for long. Earlier this year it looked as if it might be the home of Louie's Habit, but that deal fell through. No details yet, but the address now belongs to Anoush Ansari and Hadi Anbar (Mission American Kitchen, Atlas Grill, Good to Go).

When it comes to trends, is three the magic number? In 2004, BitterSweet Bakery (2105 Cliff Road, Eagan) became the Twin Cities' first bake shop specializing in gluten-free breads and sweets. Now comes Cooqi (2186 Marshall Av., St. Paul) and its organic and local-products spin on the gluten-free formula; owner Judy Malmon has also included other dietary needs -- vegan, soy-free, nut-free -- in her business plan. Next in the field will be Madwoman Foods Gluten-Free Bakeshop, now under construction at 4747 Nicollet Av. S. in Minneapolis.

The Little Wagon (420 S. 4th St., Minneapolis) closed unexpectedly last weekend.

I blew it last week when I included Oceanaire Seafood Room on a list of restaurants offering bonus gift cards; it doesn't. But here are two others. Wilde Roast Cafe (518 E. Hennepin Av., Minneapolis), is offering a $25 bonus card with the purchase of a $100 gift card. And here's an even bigger deal: With the purchase of a $50 gift card, Macy's will throw in a copy of its swell "Marshall Field's Cookbook," a $24.95 value (available through Sunday and while supplies last).

RICK NELSON