Biz briefs: Pollo Campero opening first Minnesota location in West St. Paul

Minnesotans will be getting their first taste of Pollo Campero when the Latin chicken restaurant chain opens its doors in West St. Paul on Tuesday.

The new drive-through will be at 1570 S. Robert St., on what was the Midwest Photo site.

The more than 2,500-square-foot restaurant will be the chain's first in the state.

"We're expecting a really good opening. There are people who are waiting for it," said owner Luis Gutierrez.

The restaurant offers mostly chicken products, such as Camperitos, or chicken chunks, and Pechuguitas, or chicken strips.

The chain, which originated in Guatemala in the 1970s, has more than 300 restaurants in a dozen countries. There are more than 50 Pollo Camperos in the United States.

West St. Paul Panera to open in MarchResidents of West St. Paul soon will be able to enjoy the coffee, salads and free Wi-Fi of Panera Bread. The 4,000-square-foot eatery is slated to open mid-March, said Jim Hartshorn, the city's community development director.

It will be Panera's first West St. Paul location. It does have other Dakota County restaurants in Burnsville, Apple Valley and Eagan.

Other center tenants will include Panda Express, Mattress Giant and Regis Hair Salon, but they are not expected to open until the spring or summer of 2011, Hartshorn said.

New restaurant for Le Cordon BleuThe Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Minneapolis/St. Paul has been given the green light to open a new restaurant dining and cafe facility.

The restaurant and cafe will be inside the existing 70,000-square-foot culinary school building at 1315 Mendota Heights Road in Mendota Heights.

The dining facility will have seating for 136 patrons, including outdoor patio seating. It will be predominantly student-run and used as a teaching component for the school.