Counter Intelligence: Chef on a new mission

About six weeks after his Auriga closed, chef Doug Flicker is getting back to cooking. Later this month he'll step into the top culinary post at Mission American Kitchen (77 S. 7th St., Minneapolis). "I've been wanting to give Mission an upgrade for a long time," said co-owner Anoush Ansari. "The timing worked for Doug, and for us. I think it's going to be a great fit."

Ansari characterized the transition as a "small" one. "We're going to stay the course with the price point and the food," he said. "We have a great client base who come for specific things on our menu and we don't want to lose them. But we're also going to lure them with some of Doug's great new dishes."

Flicker is replacing current Mission chef James Foley, who will be busy directing another company enterprise: Via (6740 France Av. S., Edina). When it opens this summer, the former home of Pizzeria Uno (and, before that, Marc's Big Boy) will sport a big new bar and patio along with a completely new look (by Minneapolis architectural firm Partners & Sirny, which also designed Mission). The kitchen will serve what Ansari describes as "European-American bistro" food.

Ansari and partner Hadi Anbar -- who also operate Good to Go and the Atlas Grill in downtown Minneapolis and Kabobi in Eden Prairie -- are branching out in the western 'burbs, too. They just bought the former Stuart Anderson's Cattle Co. location in Minnetonka (10600 Wayzata Blvd.) and plan to develop the site by mid-2008.

Open or opening soon

Is the theme restaurant making a comeback? Check out Restaurant Miami (913 W. Lake St., Minneapolis), which seems to have its tongue poking at its cheek while it channels South Beach-in-the-'80s in both decor (straight out of a "Miami Vice" rerun) and menu ("linguine del Elian Gonzalez,"Rico Tubbs risotto" and "Cocoa Beach crab puffs").

Remember Two Guys From Italy? Danny Sarno is resurrecting his family-friendly restaurant -- formerly in White Bear Lake and Edina -- in Apple Valley (15265 Galaxy Av.). Look for an April 4 opening.

By day it's Jensen's Cafe (12750 Nicollet Av. S., Burnsville). By night it's now Jensen's Wine and Dine, with a rotating menu that emphasizes small plates, pizzas, house-made desserts and wines by the 3- and 6-ounce pour.

RICK NELSON