More in the North Loop
There should probably be a weekly feature titled "new North Loop restaurant news."
The latest is Shag (730 Washington Av. N., Mpls.). Restaurateur Michael McDermott is promising a concept that includes a sushi bar, an Asian restaurant and a 1970s Vegas-style lounge, all designed by Minneapolis-based Cuningham Group Architects.
It's the second sushi outpost for McDermott; his first is Sushi on Shea in Scottsdale, Ariz.
McDermott is the ownership behind Rojo Mexican Grill (1602 West End Blvd., St. Louis Park and Southdale, Edina, www.rojomexicangrill.com) and the Asian-American Ling & Louie's (921 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., www.lingandlouies.com), which is set to open the first week of September and will include a massive rooftop patio.
"As a Minnesota native, I've been excitedly watching the North Loop neighborhood grow from both a residential and culinary perspective," McDermott said in a statement. "Noticing the neighborhood's lack of sushi offerings presented an opportunity to bring food I'm passionate about to this side of Minneapolis."
Look for Shag to open later this year.
Off the fairgrounds
For those who prefer to get their State Fair food fix with a chef-driven twist, consider HauteDish on a Stick at HauteDish (119 Washington Av. N., Mpls., www.haute-dish.com).
Fresh from his Master of the Market triumph (see page T2), chef Landon Schoenefeld is preparing a long and clever list (18-plus) of on-a-stick snacks and serving them dim sum-style, including jerk-style chicken thighs, smoked lamb belly, house-made mortadella and a return of last year's biggest hit, an octopus treatment.
