West End dreams of nightlife surge

Could a lifestyle center in St. Louis Park really be home to the Twin Cities' next big nightlife district?

Hard to believe, but it looked that way last week when Crave celebrated its debut at the Shops at the West End with multiple grand-opening parties. The suburban chain became the first restaurant to open at the $400 million complex of retail and offices near the intersection of Hwy. 100 and Interstate 394. (It looks like an outdoor mall, but they hate it when you call it that.)

For the West End's ambitions, Crave's successful niche seems like a perfect match.

Call it "suburban chic."

Last week, diners drove up to Crave in Mercedes-Benzes and Audis, opting for valet parking despite the nearby heated ramp. Some waited more than an hour in the packed restaurant just to get a table. Live music by rocker Tim Mahoney filled the room as people ate sushi and drank "crafted cocktails." If you blinked, you might have missed VIP guests such as Vikings wide receiver Bernard Berrian and former all-pro John Randle.

While the rest of the restaurant industry licks its wounds, Crave continues to expand. This is its third location after the original at the Galleria in Edina and the second at Bloomington's Mall of America.

Crave and a half-dozen other restaurants like it will be anchor tenants at the West End, said Mark Fallon, who's in charge of leasing the property for Jeffrey R. Anderson Real Estate (which is partnered with Duke Realty on the project).

About 65 percent of the development is leased, with much of the retail (Anthropologie, Republic of Couture, Love Culture) expected to open by Thanksgiving.

While no one would confuse a suburban lifestyle center with downtown Minneapolis, the West End has all the ingredients for a full-fledged nightlife scene.

Its first three restaurants are safe bets. Crave opened Oct. 5 -- owners Kam and Keyvan Talebi already are thinking about an Orlando location. This week, pub impresario Kieran Folliard unveiled Cooper, his fourth Twin Cities Irish bar, but his first in the suburbs. By springtime, construction should be finished on what will be the Twin Cities' largest country bar -- Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill. Add in the mid-November debut of Kerasotes' 14-screen ShowPlace theater (it'll have a bar, too), and it's party time.

Setting the scene

Everything at Crave is big. An enormous glass wine cellar towers over the room. The soaring ceilings and long bar make the 8,500-square-foot space seem larger than the other Craves.

As for Crave, the brand hasn't exactly been a darling of the foodie intelligentsia, but it's always gotten points for being a cut above the usual suburban fare.

"We are clearly a dining destination for the masses," said Kam Talebi.

This is reflected in the something-for-everyone menu, which is nowhere near as expensive as the luxury cars parked out front suggest. Angus beef steaks and wood-fire pizzas are popular. Adventurous suburbanites can also get their chopsticks on a variety of sushi rolls. And when's the last time you cut into a lamb sirloin or ate an ahi tuna steak sandwich at a suburban chain?

But dinner is just the beginning here. While live music has proven to be a bit anemic at the Galleria Crave, entertainment is a part of the recipe at the MOA location and definitely in St. Louis Park.

DJs spin on Thursday and Friday nights, while musicians play on Saturdays. Members of the New Congress will take over as the house band in November.

Or how about Bellanotte? Talebi said to hold your horses. He took caution at any mention of the defunct downtown hot spot known in its later years as a nightspot first, restaurant last.

"This is not a nightclub," he said. "What we want to do is extend an offering to our dining customers so they have a place to stay after dinner."

Talebi called Crave a "comfortable alternative" to downtown Minneapolis. He touted the restaurant's twice-daily weekday happy hours and its upcoming Halloween bash.

"It's all about creating a scene," he said.

Even at a lifestyle center in St. Louis Park.