The 5 best things our food writers ate this week in the Twin Cities and beyond

Hye Young Shin is serious about her Korean fried chicken game. So much so that she has commissioned proprietary sauces made in South Korea (for the most authentic ingredients, she explains) to use at her new Richfield restaurant.

And it pays off in everything from the sweet chili to soy garlic sauces that are used for Korean-style, twice-fried chicken wings. The best testament to these original blends is an order of wings with the Yangnyeom glaze ($14, eight pieces). It’s essentially a gochujang sauce blend, and what could be better than something that incorporates the sweet and spicy flavors of the classic Korean condiment?

Shin, who helmed Korea Restaurant at the University of Minnesota’s Stadium Village from 2019 until selling it in 2023, has the twice-fried chicken technique down, rendering ultra-crisp results that allow sauces to evenly coat without making the chicken soggy. While here, it’s worth exploring other dishes — the tender, mildly sweet beef bulgogi ($15) is another example of Shin’s culinary aptitude and the power of K-ChiMac’s original sauces.

K-ChiMac has been in a soft opening stage while awaiting a beer and wine license to officially open. But the day has come and the grand opening festivities are slated for this weekend. (Nancy Ngo)

6420 Nicollet Av. S., Richfield, k-chimac.com

Did you ever run into a teacher over summer break? Out-of-context run-ins always bring a bit of delight, and that was the feeling when recognizing staff members of Twin Cities-based Wrecktangle Pizza working diligently in a new, open-air kitchen inside this Duluth taproom, where the crisp ciders match the cool lake breezes outside. Also home to one of the all-time great ice cream cones, Wild State Cider now boasts a menu full of Detroit-style pizzas.

Most of the menu is Wrecktangle classics, but specific to Duluth is the Wild Steak pizza ($26), a combination of pulled beef, wild mushroom duxelles and ricotta bloops topped with ground pink peppercorn and basil leaves. Just like most of these thick-crusted beauties, it’s an alternately hearty and fluffy bite. We couldn’t decide which cider was the best pairing, so we ordered a flight.

2515 W. Superior St., Duluth, wildstatecider.com

If you’re one of those people who, like me, goes to a steakhouse and orders chicken, take note of this one.

Stock & Bond recently opened in the downtown Minneapolis Westin, with New York-based restaurant group Apicii taking over the cavernous restaurant formerly known as Bank. Yes, this sumptuous Art Deco space once was the Farmers & Merchants Savings Bank, but the site’s history has 19th-century origins as a roller rink.

It was an extravagant backdrop fitting for my birthday dinner, and the steak-centric menu rose to the occasion. My spouse’s 8-ounce Midwest-raised Black Angus filet ($66) was spot-on (the $5 bourbon butter accompaniment is a must). But I went for the half chicken from Minnesota’s Wild Acres ($44): crackling skin, served right in the pan, ringed by silken whipped potatoes and a moat of herb- and shallot-laced pan jus. The deep, glossy, onion-sweet jus was the showstopper, and there was more than enough for double-dipping.

There was more that made this a celebration-destination: the caviar tots appetizer; the customizable martini menu; and, most importantly, a complimentary dessert of your choice on your birthday. The 16-layer chocolate cake was a sweet end to the night, and the year behind it. (Sharyn Jackson)

Whenever I spot a new-to-me baked goods vendor at a farmers market, I usually make a beeline to the chocolate chip cookies. That’s my pastry baseline, and how I know if I like the way these bakers work. So when I saw Café Verte last weekend at the lovely Golden Valley Farmers Market, I initially grabbed a thin and rippled-edged salty CCC ($3). But then, I saw a vision before me: honey butter toast.

For $5, a thick slice of buttery brioche gets lacquered in sweet-salty honey butter and broiled till the top caramelizes and every edge goes shatter-crisp. Weston Loeschke is the brioche specialist behind this magical snack that’s somewhere between Texas toast and crème brûlée.

Loeschke has a long pastry background, including servings as sous chef at Edwards Dessert Kitchen, production and logistics manager for Bebe Zito and, currently, part time at Honey & Rye. (He’s teaching a brioche class at Honey & Rye’s nearby baking school soon.) But the six-month-old Café Verte, a cottage business, is his first go on his own. By next summer, he hopes to obtain a full food license so he can launch a coffee cart, breakfast sandwiches on brioche buns and warm cinnamon rolls right out of the oven. Eventually, he’d like to take his market following into a west metro storefront.

Until then, find him at New Hope and Golden Valley farmers markets this fall. Oh, and that chocolate chip cookie? It’s officially in my rotation. (S.J.)

Upcoming markets: New Hope: Thursdays through Sept. 25, 4225 Gettysburg Av. N.; Golden Valley: Sundays through Oct. 12, 7800 Golden Valley Rd.; cafe-verte.square.site

Bellies full from the hearty diner fare, I had no plans for dessert, but Bettie Jane’s Dutch apple pie ($23), with the scratch-made, lard crust, proved irresistible. We had to grab one for car feasting, and my car quickly filled with the autumnal perfume. Digging out a plastic fork from my stash, we plunged eagerly into the crumbly topping, which led to a soft, sweet interior.

These pies are an iconic dish of the area. For years, Mary Etta Durham would rise early to bake batches inside Schaefer’s Foods, the local grocery store. After a richly earned retirement, she passed along her skill and knowledge to the bakery team. Every Sunday they make the crusts. Monday they tackle the fillings. And every day pie fans can find different flavors in the grocery store freezer, bakery and at a few local businesses, like A-Pine, where pies are available whole or by the slice while supplies last. (J.S.)