For chef Landon Schoenfeld, the 30th time was the charm.

That's approximately how many locations he and his partners scoped out before they signed a lease for the former Cafe Havana (119 Washington Av. N., Mpls.), and where they plan to launch Haute Dish.

"The farm team of restaurant owners" is how Schoenfeld, a vet of Bulldog N.E. and Barbette, describes himself and his partners -- Tim Johnson, David Walters and Jess Soine. "We're all small-town people living in the city and working in the industry for about 10 years. David is the oldest partner and he just turned 30. We're all full of energy, full of spunk."

The menu? "It's everything that the name implies," said Schoenfeld. "Elevated hot dish is the theme. We'll do a refined Tater Tot hot dish, we'll do chicken and dumplings, we'll do pork and beans. I think a lot of people are doing similar things, but we're going to be different."

I'll say. Schoenfeld's idea of pork and beans is brining and lightly smoking pork belly, cooking it for 12 hours using the sous-vide method, crisping it in a cast iron pan and serving it on a gigantic bean stew garnished with fried pork rinds. "It's a cross between an American-style pork-and-beans and French cassoulet, the essence of pork," he said. Works for me.

While the restaurant is under construction, Schoenfeld has assembled a pretty heady kitchen crew.

"I've been humbled by the cooks I've been able to get," said Schoenfeld, ticking off a reunion of team members who all worked together once upon a time at the Bulldog N.E., including Remle Colestock (formerly of Cafe Levain), Adam Vickerman (who just left the top post at Trattoria Tosca and was replaced by Ryan Zander of 112 Eatery) and Erik Anderson (Sea Change), who will be spending a few hours a week at the restaurant producing charcuterie.

Until the restaurant opens -- probably in mid- to late-February -- Schoenfeld is keeping busy picking up shifts at the Wienery (414 Cedar Av. S., Mpls., www.wienery.com). "I have a lot of people giving me [expletive deleted] about it," he said with a laugh. "But I say, 'Let's see you come in and work a Saturday on that little flat top.' It's a challenge. It keeps me honest."

Look out, Kincaid's: You're about to get some local competition in Bloomington. D'Amico & Partners has announced that it's moving into the recently completed 8200 Tower in the Normandale Lake Office Park, part of the same complex that has housed Kincaid's for more than 20 years.

D'Amico isn't disclosing a lot of details yet -- no name, no chef, no menu. It will only say that the new restaurant won't be a branch of its D'Amico & Sons or Campiello divisions and that it will be a casual, moderately priced Italian restaurant. A June opening -- just in time for outdoor dining -- is planned.

RICK NELSON