Passover is April 14-22, and Easter is April 20. Make plans.
Construction may have temporarily closed the Birchwood Cafe, but that isn't keeping chef Marshall Paulsen from preparing Easter Key lime pies, available with graham cracker ($25) or gluten-free gingersnap ($30) crusts. Order by April 19 at 9 p.m. — online only, at www.birchwoodcafe.com — and pick up April 19 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at Verdant Tea, 2111 E. Franklin Av., Mpls.
www.birchwoodcafe.com
Let the folks at Brasa do the Easter cooking, with a reheat-and-serve meal that includes house-smoked hams, Yukon gold scalloped potatoes with mushroom gravy, a green bean casserole and honey-glazed cornbread. Cost is $24 per person (for parties between two and 20). Order through April 15 — call 612-353-7798 — and pick up at Brasa's St. Paul location on April 19 between 1 and 4 p.m.
777 Grand Av., St. Paul, www.brasa.us
Rosa Mexicano celebrates Passover with matzo ball-posole soup, braised lamb shank with dates and saffron-red chile rice, matzo-breaded chicken with an arugula-jicama salad, a sangria made with tequila and a Manischewitz reduction, and more. Available in a la carte or fixed-price options.
609 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., 612-656-7144, www.rosamexicano.com
Patti Soskin and her crew at Yum! Kitchen and Bakery will be observing Passover with a bevy of menu items. Along with one of the city's great matzo ball soups, there will be popovers (filled with chicken salad, tuna salad or egg salad), matzo toffee, macaroons and granola made with matzo farfel, nuts, dried fruits, honey and maple syrup. "And of course we have Easter stuff, too," said Soskin with a laugh. "But Passover comes first."
