With changes coming to Calhoun Square, the clock is ticking for several Uptown Minneapolis restaurants. Passage to India (1401 W. Lake St.), one of the city's reliably good Indian destinations, will close March 31 after almost a decade in business. "We're looking at real estate in Uptown, but it's hard," said manager Mohammed Awal. Around the corner, the Lotus Restaurant (3037 Hennepin Av. S.) is saying goodbye March 23, after nearly 25 years in business. The Vietnamese stalwart may be down, but it's not entirely out. "We're planning on reopening somewhere in the area," said employee Ash Hane. "We don't know where yet, but we're looking at lots of properties in the Lyndale-Lake area. Hopefully we'll be back open by July."
Rotisseria is already gone. The 10-year-old counter-service restaurant did a fabulous roast chicken, along with great pizzas and gyros. Owner Saleh Hamshari opened a second location last year a few miles to the east (1532 E. Lake St.), where he's still selling that great chicken, along with a char-broiled fish.
Of course
At Vincent (1100 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis), chef/owner Vincent Francoual is trying to coax downtown lunchers out of the skyway system with a two-course (entree and dessert) weekday lunch for $12.50. And three Parasole restaurants are offering an $8.95 family-style dinner (two-person minimum) every Sunday night. At Figlio (3001 Hennepin Av. S., Minneapolis), it's lasagna, at Pittsburgh Blue (11900 Main St., Maple Grove) it's pot roast with vegetables and at Salut Bar Americain (5034 France Av. S., Edina), its a pair of mini-cheeseburgers with fries.
