Finally, Calhoun club ups its image and replaces Dixie's

COUNTER INTELLIGENCE

Last update: February 1, 2006 - 10:31 AM

Coming soon to the former Dixie's Calhoun: View Restaurant & Lounge (2730 W. Lake St., Minneapolis). When it opens later this month following a top-to-bottom renovation, the Calhoun Beach Club operation will serve lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Chef Joe Gentile, who also ran the kitchen at Dixie's Calhoun, is adopting a lighter menu for the new place, with an emphasis on salads, pastas, pizzas and grilled and smoked meats (with a $24 top entree price), all served in reasonable portion sizes. "I dropped 95 pounds in the past year by watching what I was putting into my mouth," said Gentile. "I'm going to translate some of what I learned into what we do here."

Brazilian goes Italian

The former Mojito space (4656 Excelsior Blvd., St. Louis Park) isn't staying dark for long. Marty Collins, owner of the neighboring McCoy's Public House, is gutting the place and reopening it as Brix in late June or early July. "Wine is going to be our main feature," said Collins. "We'll serve steaks, seafood and pasta, a kind of Italian chop house." McCoy's chef Cory Henkel, who has Zelo and Tiramisu on his résumé, will head the Brix kitchen.

Airport takes off

Look for some local dining names to appear at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in 2006. D'Amico Trattoria will offer table-service dining by the D'Amico culinary empire on the F Concourse. Ike's Food & Cocktails will replicate its downtown Minneapolis concept with a two-story restaurant and bar in the airport's new atrium; it will be joined by a second MSP branch of the French Meadow Bakery & Cafe. A half-dozen national chains already have debuted, including Ben & Jerry's and Wolfgang Puck's Gourmet Express.

RICK NELSON