Changes on the lake So long, Nancy's Landing. Coming soon: Lola's Lakehouse (318 E. Lake St., Waconia, www.lolaslakehouse.com).

Dermot Cowley, owner of Jake O'Connor's Public House (200 Water St., Excelsior, www.jakeoconnors.com) and O'Donovan's Irish Pub (700 1st Av. N., Minneapolis, www.odonovans.com) is the new owner. "We think it's a unique opportunity," said Cowley. "There are only a handful of restaurants in the Twin Cities that are on the water, and this is one of them."

It sure is, on the shores of pretty Lake Waconia, about 35 miles southwest of downtown Minneapolis. Cowley has gutted the place and given it a new look, paying careful attention to orienting every table to a water view; it helps that he's added six glass garage-style doors that open directly out to the lake. When the restaurant opens in mid-May (Cowley is aiming for May 9), chef Bill Meyer, a Jake O'Connor's vet, will be cooking a New England-influenced menu, starting with dinner and moving into lunch and brunch shortly thereafter.

Here's a practice other restaurateurs might want to follow: Cowley is offering a 15 percent food discount to diners checking the place out in its early days. "We know we're going to have our ups and downs, so we want to do this until we feel the service is at the level it should be," he said. "That way, people hopefully won't judge us too harshly."

There really is a Lola, sort of. "Lola is my nickname for my wife, Laura," Cowley said with a laugh. "Jake O'Connor's is named for my two kids, Jake and Connor, so we thought it would be fitting to keep that tradition going."

Around town The Blue Plate Restaurant Co. family is about to get a sibling. This time, co-owners David Burley, Stephanie Shimp and Luke Shimp have bravely turned their attention to Maple Grove's vast chain-restaurant landscape to launch 3 Squares (12690 Arbor Lakes Pkwy. N., 3squaresrestaurant.com), serving -- you got it -- breakfast, lunch and dinner (and cocktails) daily. The menu will follow in the classics-with-a-twist framework that the trio has made popular at their Edina Grill (5028 France Av. S., Edina, www.edinagrill.com), Highland Grill (771 Cleveland Av. S., St. Paul, www.highlandgrill.com) and Longfellow Grill (2990 West River Pkwy., Minneapolis, www.longfellowgrill.com). The restaurant is scheduled to open May 5.

Here's the sign that spring has definitely arrived: Sea Salt Eatery (4825 Minnehaha Av. S., Minneapolis, www.seasalteatery.com), the exceptional seafood restaurant in the pavilion in Minnehaha Park, has opened its doors for the season.

RICK NELSON