Thursday, April 28, marks the 17th annual Dining Out for Life, when 166 Minnesota restaurants donate a portion of their sales -- from 15 to 100 percent for a specific meal or for the day -- to the Aliveness Project, a Minneapolis community center for people living with HIV/AIDS and their families.Last year's event raised $161,000, and this year's goal is $170,000.
"Restaurants are so supportive," said Tim Marburger, the Aliveness Project's director of fundraising and special events. "Of the 166 participating restaurants, I'd say that 130 of them are returning from last year. We have restaurants who have been with us for more than 10 years."
Find the list of participating restaurants at www.diningoutforlife.com/minneapolis.
Date to remember June 2 is the day when the Walker Art Center debuts Gather, its 20.21 replacement. The D'Amico & Partners restaurant will serve lunch Tuesday through Sunday and dinner Thursday evenings.
On the St. Croix The Afton House Inn's latest is Current (3291 St. Croix Tr. S., Afton, www.currentrestaurant.com), appropriately named as it overlooks the scenic St. Croix River. Chef Marc Paavola's eclectic menu includes a fondue using Minnesota-made gouda, flatbreads topped with grapes and brie and drizzled with Stillwater-sourced honey, green chile-pulled pork sandwiches and slow-roasted salmon. Lunch and dinner is served daily, and Saturday breakfast and Sunday brunch starts mid-May.
Food trucks return The promising spring weather has yielded more than daffodils and robins. Mobile food trucks and carts are starting to make their appearances on Minneapolis and St. Paul streets and sidewalks, including Dandelion Kitchen, Turkey to Go, the Smack Shack, World Street Kitchen and Fork in the Road. If you're not on Facebook and/or Twitter, here's a good reason to sign up: The social media sites are the most expedient way to track locations and menus.
The reigning monarch of the Twin Cities food truck kingdom, the Chef Shack, will make its 2011 debut on May 7, opening day of the Mill City Farmers Market.
One last note: Saturday marks the opening day of both the Minneapolis Farmers Market (www.mplsfarmersmarket.com) and the St. Paul Farmers Market (www.stpaulfarmersmarket.com).
