Kitchen: Everywhere "Kitchen" is apparently the restaurant moniker of the moment. At the Normandy Inn & Suites, the Landmarc Grill is out, and the Normandy Kitchen (405 S. 8th St., Minneapolis) is in (the change has been announced in a swell new blaze of neon). If that name rings a bell, it's wholly intentional; the hotel's restaurant bore the Normandy Kitchen label for nearly 50 years.

There's more. A few blocks away at the Chambers Hotel, the former Chambers Kitchen is close to becoming D'Amico Kitchen (901 Hennepin Av. S., Minneapolis). Starting Monday, the restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner daily (the hotel's street-level patio is being re-branded as Eden, and its rooftop bar and lounge will be answering to the name XO).

In Stillwater, the Kitchen (324 S. Main St., www.thekitchenstillwater.com) has replaced Stone's. Finally, when Birch's (1935 W. Wayzata Blvd., Long Lake) owner Burton Joseph opens his Minneapolis outpost in mid-September, he's going to christen it the Loring Kitchen & Bar (1359 Willow St., Minneapolis).

Around town The wine prices have fallen at Vic's (201 Main St. SE., Minneapolis, vicsdining.com), big time. Starting about a month ago, all wines sold by the bottle are now being priced at cost. "There's no markup," said Victoria Barlow, the restaurant's group sales manager. "You pay what we pay." Every week the list is updated to reflect incoming inventory (of a recent week's 81 bottles, nearly two-thirds were $25 or less), with about 20 percent of the list rolling over every seven days. "We're selling wines by the truckload," said Barlow. Another plus: Diners can park free in the adjacent ramp.

Wakame Sushi & Asian Bistro (3070 Excelsior Blvd., Minneapolis, www.wakamebistro.com) is now serving lengthy pan-Asian lunch and dinner menus in the former Three Fish.

It's still a Japanese restaurant and sushi bar, but the name has changed: Musashi is out and Zaké (533 Hennepin Av. S., Minneapolis, www.zakemn.com) is in. The restaurant features an all-you-can-eat steak and sushi deal ($30) served 6 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 4 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Who is serving Costa Rican fare? Chef Rolando Diaz at the Front Cafe (15 NE. 4th St., Minneapolis, www.thefrontcafe mpls.com), slipping arroz con pollo, casado de pollo and casado de carne, among other dishes, into the restaurant's all-American menu.

Sad news: Pastrami Jack's in Eden Prairie has closed.

Fans of Bev's Wine Bar (250 3rd Av. N., Minneapolis) will be pleased to learn that the Warehouse District hangout will probably reopen on Monday, following a six-week construction-induced hiatus.

Date-nighters, listen up: On Tuesday evenings, Dinkytown's charming Kafe 421 (421 14th Av. SE., Minneapolis, www.kafe421.com) offers a salad, a pasta entree and a dessert for $25 for two (add a glass of wine or beer for just $3).

The next edition of Gastro Non Grata, the event where food, music and conversation all come together (for the low, low suggested donation of $3 to $5), is going to feature tasty items prepared by chefs from La Belle Vie and Sea Change, frozen treats from La Chiquita, brews from California's Lagunitas Brewing Co., a meat raffle from Clancey's Meats & Fish, and lots of live music. Doors open at 6 p.m. on Aug. 23 at the Triple Rock Social Club (1808 S. 7th St., Minneapolis, www. triplerocksocialclub.com).

RICK NELSON