taste

Street food lovers know World Street Kitchen, the food truck (pictured, above, in its weekday perch at NIcollet Mall and 5th Street in downtown Minneapolis). Or, for their sake, here’s hoping they do. In any event, WSK co-owners (and siblings) Sameh and Saed Wadi have some exciting news. 

Coming soon, to 28th and Lyndale in south Minneapolis: World Street Kitchen, the restaurant.

This isn’t one of those we’ve-been-dying-to-turn-our-truck-into-a-restaurant stories. “Actually, we were ready to open a restaurant before we opened the truck,” said Sameh Wadi. “We’ve been working on a bricks-and-mortar place for two years, but when the city opened up the truck licensing, we decided to jump on that first. We’ve been using it as out test kitchen.”

And no, the permanent restaurant — which is going to be located at 2743 Lyndale Av. S. in Minneapolis, in the retail portion of the new Greenleaf apartment building — isn't going to replace the truck. Instead, the restaurant’s kitchen is going to supply its mobile unit.

Wadi (pictured, above), the chef behind the exceptional Saffron Restaurant & Lounge, plans to continue the truck’s globally eclectic and affordable menu at its permanent iteration. “We’re definitely going to keep the tacos, the banh mi, the yum-yum rice bowls, the burritos, all those signature dishes," he said. "And we'll be keeping the prices below $12."

A roomier kitchen — the prep space is 10 times larger than that of the truck’s — means that Wadi can also expand the menu to include the kinds of features that he’s only been able to sporadically offer at the truck, and keep them on the menu for longer periods of time.

“Basically I’m going to be doing food that I love to eat,” he said. “It’s very selfish of me, but for the first time I’m going to cook whatever I want, whenever I want it. Just yummy food.”

Beer and wine will hopefully be part of the mix. The counter-service setup will operate just like the truck: Order and pay at a counter, followed by a short wait until the food arrives. One small difference between truck and permanent location? Truck diners have to improvise a seat or eat standing up; the restaurant will feature a casual 60- to 70-seat dining room. “It’s my idea of the way fast food should be,” said Wadi.

Shea Inc., the Minneapolis firm that directed a much-needed Saffron nip-tuck last year, is designing the new place.

Right now the plan is to serve lunch and dinner. Brunch is also on the docket, in part because Wadi said feels like it's a natural extension of the truck’s existing mindset. The culinary serendipity is already taking hold. Last week, inspiration hit as Wadi and his crew were preparing tacos filled with caramelized lamb belly.

“I made some hash browns, topped them with an egg and used that lamb belly from the taco and thought, ‘We need to be open for brunch so we can feature this item,’” he said with a laugh.

Opening date? By year’s end.

Nicole Kuhse. Provided photo.

 Can healthy food taste good?

Absolutely, judging by the results of the recent recipe competition among Minneapolis Public School employees, sponsored by HealthPartners yumPower program, which is working with MSP in a pilot effort to get students to eat more fruits and vegetables. Go carrots! Rah-rah broccoli!

The winning recipe and two finalists will appear on the lunch menu of MPS students next fall. First place went to Nicole Kuhse, above, a first- and second-grade teacher at Marcy Open School, for her Turkey Butternut Squash Chili, which is a favorite on her family's Thanksgiving table. Finalists were Nancy Alholm, who works in special education, for Wild Rice Chicken Salad and Cyndi Fraedrich, who works in community education, for Salmon With Avocado Mango Salsa, whose food will also appear on the school-lunch menu.

Get your kids ready for the recipes by preparing these dishes at home first.

TURKEY AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH CHILI
Serves 12.
First place winner in competition among Minneapolis Public School employees. From Nicole Kuhse.

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 lb. ground turkey breast

1 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice

3/4 c. chicken broth

1 (4.5 oz.) can chopped green chiles

2 (14.5 oz.) cans petite diced tomatoes

1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans

1 (15.5 oz.) can white hominy, drained

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 tbsp. chili powder, or more to taste

2 tbsp. cumin

2 tbsp. garlic salt

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic; cook and stir for 3 minutes (be careful not to burn garlic). Add turkey and stir until crumbly and no longer pink.

Add squash, chicken broth, chiles, tomatoes, kidney beans, hominy and tomato sauce. Season with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt.

Bring to a simmer and cook 30 minutes, or until squash is soft.

WILD RICE CHICKEN SALAD
Serves 4 to 6.
Finalist recipe, from Nancy Alholm.

1 c. uncooked wild rice

1 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3/4 c. water

3/4 c. dried cranberries

3/4 c. dried apricots (diced same size as cranberries)

1 c. mandarin oranges (if canned, drain well)

2 to 2 1/2 c. red seedless grapes, cut in half

1/4 c. sliced almonds, toasted

Dressing:

1/3 c. light oil (canola or safflower)

2 tbsp. rice vinegar

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp. sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 to 3 green onions, finely sliced, including some of the greens, to equal 1/4 c.

Cook wild rice according to package directions. Rinse with cool water and drain well. Place in a large bowl.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil to medium; lightly salt and pepper chicken. Cook at medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn chicken over, reduce heat, add 3/4 cups water, cover and continue cooking until internal temperature is 165 degrees (10 to 12 minutes).

Remove chicken and let cool. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken to wild rice. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Add cranberries, apricots, oranges and grapes, and mix well.

To make dressing, combine in a jar the oil, rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, pepper and green onions. Shake thoroughly to dissolve sugar. Pour dressing over salad and stir until well coated. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Before serving, sprinkle sliced almonds on top.

SALMON WITH AVOCADO MANGO SALSA
Serves 4.
Finalist recipe, from Cyndi Fraedrich.

1 whole salmon, filleted into 2 boneless halves

Salt and pepper to taste

Juice of 1 fresh lemon

2 avocado, chopped

1 large mango, chopped

1/4 c. chopped red onions

1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Juice from 1 lime

1 c. quinoa

1 1/2 c. water

Lemon and/or lime slices, for garnish

For grilled salmon: Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper, and drizzle with lemon juice. Grill skin-side down over indirect heat or broil until fish looks opaque and flakes easily with a fork, about 30 minutes on grill or 10 to 20 minutes under broiler.

For salsa: Mix mango, red onions and cilantro together, mashing avocado slightly. Squeeze in lime juice and toss.

For quinoa: Rinse quinoa in a mesh sieve under cold water, bring 1 1/2 cups water to boil. Add quinoa, stir, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Fluff with fork.

Serve fish over a bed of quinoa, topped with salsa, with lemon and/or lime slices on the side for garnish.

The best way to spend Wednesday evening? Soaking up the dulcet tones of author and culinary anthropologist John T. Edge, in town for the night from Oxford, Miss., to talk up his latest title, “The Food Truck Cookbook” (Workman, $18.95).

The prolific Mr. Edge runs the University of Mississippi’s influential Southern Foodways Alliance, writes the monthly “United Tastes” feature for the New York Times, contributes to Saveur (his must-read piece, “BBQ Nation,” landed him the MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award at last week’s James Beard Awards) and other food magazines and is the name behind a series of entertaining and deeply researched books exploring apple pie, fried chicken and other all-American food topics. The man knows his stuff, and his gracious southern accent and infectious guffaw are added bonuses.

The question-and-answer period (it’s free) starts at 7 p.m. at the Mill City Museum in Minneapolis, with a meet-and-greet (and book signing opportunity) to follow. As an added attraction, the Chef Shack -- one of the several dozen mobile kitchens profiled in the book -- will be cooking, from 6 to 8 p.m. Don’t miss it.