No one beats George Foreman when he's here to chow down

It was George Foreman vs. Twin Cities restaurants.

To celebrate his birthday, the former heavyweight champion flew in to take a bite out of the some metro restaurants featured by Adam Richman on "Man v. Food." It was also an opportunity to visit his firstborn, Michi Foreman; her mom and Foreman's first wife, Adrienne Foreman Jones, and her husband, Ben Jones, and Foreman's goddaughter Cerise Lewis. Foreman has some fun with his age at startribune.com/video.

"It's about 'George Challenges Food,'" Foreman told me while having breakfast Tuesday at Hotel Ivy, where his family lodged. "People don't know that some of the best-kept [restaurant] secrets in the whole world are hidden in the Minneapolis area. So I came here to eat." Despite his Lean Mean Grillin' Machine fame, Foreman eats fish and chicken throughout the year but breaks his personal ban on red meat for his birthday.

The Foreman family hit Matt's in Minneapolis for a Jucy Lucy, the yummy cheese-filled burger. At Brasa Rotisserie in St. Paul, they had a roasted suckling pig and "one of every item on the menu," according to manager Joseph Alton.

While at Brasa on Monday night, Adrienne called me when Foreman inquired: Where is that newspaper lady? I had previously met Foreman and his son George III, aka Monk. In the background I could hear Happy Birthday being sung. "That was me!" said Alton, when I called for dining details, adding, "I've never met a nicer gentleman than Mr. Foreman. Alex [Roberts the owner/chef] did an amazing job on the [pig]."

On Tuesday night, the Foreman party went to Minneapolis' Gasthof zur Gemutlichkeit, where the birthday honoree enjoyed the meter of brat that comes in at 39.37 inches. "Walk away from it," Monk advised his dad as consumption slowed. Foreman stopped eating when proceeding would have made the experience less enjoyable.

"The purpose of this trip is to eat bad," said Adrienne. Joan Foreman, his wife, said "George should do one of those eating shows because he loves to eat."

Georges everywhere There were gorgeous Georges everywhere.

George Foreman brought some of his sons, all of whom are famously named after him, to the metro for the gastronomic birthday celebration. There was George V, aka Red, and George IV, aka Bigwheel, whose nickname is misspelled on Wikipedia. Monk was pleased the birthday trip coincided with his girlfriend Margaret Hoffman's performance in the role of Michelle in "Dreamgirls" at the Orpheum.

Monk apparently couldn't stay in town longer because he's in training, working on his own career as a boxer. Please don't get hit; Monk's just so handsome. "Three years ago when George was in Minneapolis with Donald Trump," said Adrienne. "Monk was here, too, and my girlfriend said, 'Damn, that's hot!'"

Meanwhile, Steve Mueske, of Pine Island, was also celebrating his birthday at Gasthof zur Gemutlichkeit when George Foreman was there.

After swapping birthday greetings, Mueske said, "You're even better looking in person." Foreman replied, "If I had a bank, you'd have a loan like that," snapping his finger.

However, an insider at Apple Valley's River Valley Church told me that Kidman and Urban were not at 9-month-old Gavin Law's funeral on Saturday.

Baby Gavin suffered from a rare genetic disorder that prevented the child from growing, according to KSTP-TV. At prayersforgavin.com, his parents raised awareness of the disorder that tragically took their baby.

Is it possible Kidman and Urban flew in but didn't attend the funeral? My church insider was firm in saying the celebrities were not at the funeral, unless they were wearing some incredible disguises.