# Headed to Minneapolis next week...any KKFers want to meet?



## Zwiefel

Once again, my employer has deemed I leave the solitude of my home office. So I'm headed up to Minneapolis on Monday and will leave sometime between Friday and Sunday, depending on how many/when KKF folks want to meet.

Looking forward to meeting more awesome peeps.


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## mr drinky

I will be in Minneapolis on Friday with family. We will be staying around Chuckles' restaurant, so it might work out to meet there. I'll have to check with the wife and figure out when we get into town. I'm heading to a concert later. There might be an opportunity after the show too. 

k.


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## heldentenor

Sure, I'll be in town. Haven't had a chance to have dinner at Charlie's new place; perhaps we could get together there.


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## Justin0505

Hell
Yes


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## Zwiefel

I'm loving the idea of meeting at a KKFers resto!


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## mc2442

I just went there for the 1st time a month or so ago. Weather was great, which seems to be the main mark against the city. Friendly, clean, seems like a great city...and freaking green. Trees, vines, whatever was everywhere. I guess I have been in So. Cal. too long, though I spent enough years in the Midwest. Hit is before it got hot and humid, obviously not in the cold. Went to a Twins game and just explored the city. I love the skywalk downtown.


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## mr drinky

I should be relocating to MSP in the next year. Already love the city. 

k.


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## Chuckles

I am in the woods right now and just saw this. I am back Monday and am up for anything. I will add if you come to my place especially during the week we need to plan for what to do after it dies dead at 9:00pm. #rockinthesuburbs


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## heldentenor

Cool. What potential night(s) are we talking about? I'm only unavailable on Wednesday.


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## Zwiefel

Anytime except Monday for me.


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## DeepCSweede

Z - If you are in Mpls for a while make sure you hit the Butcher and the Boar too. That was a fun and fantastic meal on my last trip.


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## Zwiefel

DeepCSweede said:


> Z - If you are in Mpls for a while make sure you hit the Butcher and the Boar too. That was a fun and fantastic meal on my last trip.



Thanks! I'll look it up.


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## Miles

+1 on Butcher and The Boar. 

I love Minneapolis. Great city.


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## mr drinky

The butcher and boar is one of the latest kitchens open too -- if you're running late. I still have to say that after 15+ visits, the Bachelor Farmer is still my favorite. Eat at the bar in the restaurant and then go down to the Marvel Bar for a drink before heading home. I'm also a fan of Piccolo on Bryant, though I haven't been there in about a year. The kitchen bar at Borough is also a fun place if you are eating alone, and you can check out the knives of the cooks there. 

k.


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## Chuckles

The bar a at 112 Eatery is my pick for solo dining. 

Will you be staying downtown? 

Marvel bar could be a fun place to meet. Plus they are used to Drinky whipping out blades. :bigeek:


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## Chuckles

Are you in Guatemala K? When you back and is your Fri show downtown?


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## Zwiefel

I'm staying in Eagan as that's where the office is, but I have a car, and a GPS.


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## mr drinky

Chuckles said:


> Are you in Guatemala K? When you back and is your Fri show downtown?



I'm in Atlanta now on my way back to MSP. I will actually be eating at Parma tonight to wait out rush hour traffic. 

The concert is at the Cabooze, but I am staying at the Sofitel. All the hotels were booked up downtown in preparation for Zwiefel coming 

k.


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## Zwiefel

mr drinky said:


> All the hotels were booked up downtown in preparation for Zwiefel coming



HA! [email protected] right they are!

I made it in safely last night, I'm at a hotel in Eagan. 

How does Thur night work for everybody? 

Mr. Drinky, Heldentor, Justin0505, Chuckles?


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## Chuckles

I'm in. Should be done working by 8:30 at latest. (fingers crossed)

Wanna come to my spot or go somewhere else?
For realz no pressure to come to my restaurant.


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## mr drinky

I probably won't be able to make it on Thursday. If you are around Friday maybe. 

k.


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## Zwiefel

Chuckles said:


> I'm in. Should be done working by 8:30 at latest. (fingers crossed)
> 
> Wanna come to my spot or go somewhere else?
> For realz no pressure to come to my restaurant.



Would love to come there!



mr drinky said:


> I probably won't be able to make it on Thursday. If you are around Friday maybe.
> 
> k.



I'll def be around on Friday...in fact, it's looking like I'll be here through mon/tues of next week as well.

Anybody else in for Thur/Fri?


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## heldentenor

I can definitely be there Thursday either early or late. Might have a conflict right around 9. Venue-wise, I'll let Zwiefel call it; 112 Eatery, Butcher and the Boar, Marvel Bar, Charlie's place all sound great to me.


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## heldentenor

Friday is wide-open and probably a better night for me.


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## Zwiefel

Looking like Friday Night is better. I like the idea of meeting at Chuck's place...not sure if he'll be able to visit us on a Fri night though. Maybe much later?


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## Chuckles

So four people under the name Zwiefel at say 7:30? Hopefully I'll be able to join before you guys are done eating. 

Sounds like that time won't work for Karring but we can meet up with him after his show. His hotel is close to Parma.


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## Salty dog

Just curious, what's the name of the restaurant and what part of town?


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## heldentenor

Chuckles said:


> So four people under the name Zwiefel at say 7:30? Hopefully I'll be able to join before you guys are done eating.
> 
> Sounds like that time won't work for Karring but we can meet up with him after his show. His hotel is close to Parma.



I'm there. See you guys in a few days.


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## Zwiefel

Was going to try 112 Eatery tonight...but they didn't have any reservations available before 8:30. Going to hit them up Thur night though.



Chuckles said:


> So four people under the name Zwiefel at say 7:30? Hopefully I'll be able to join before you guys are done eating.
> 
> Sounds like that time won't work for Karring but we can meet up with him after his show. His hotel is close to Parma.



Sounds great...and NO ONE will just guess that name.



Salty dog said:


> Just curious, what's the name of the restaurant and what part of town?



Yeah...I'll need this too 

You're welcome to join us Salty...bit of a drive though....


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## mr drinky

Salty dog said:


> Just curious, what's the name of the restaurant and what part of town?



Parma 8200 in Bloomington. 

k.


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## Zwiefel

mr drinky said:


> Parma 8200 in Bloomington.
> 
> k.



That's pretty close to my hotel...excellent!


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## Chuckles

Snap. I just checked. You are seeing Gogol Bardello aren't you. Good venue too. 

The more the merrier if anyone wants to join in.

I have some fun stuff for the new menu that should be ready by Friday for sampling too.


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## mr drinky

Chuckles said:


> Marvel bar could be a fun place to meet. Plus they are used to Drinky whipping out blades. :bigeek:



Plus they also have Will Catchside's cocktail spoon that I had made a while back. Btw, Pip was just in the July Food & Wine issue. 



Chuckles said:


> Snap. I just checked. You are seeing Gogol Bardello aren't you. Good venue too.



Yeah, it's a fun venue. But the last time I saw them there the bruises on my body were not insignificant. I was hurting for a while. But now I am older and wiser -- I think...

k.


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## Justin0505

Friday plans sound good. I like Charlie's place: good food, nice patio and a pool table for laying out knives.


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## Zwiefel

[email protected], i forgot my roll. :bashhead:

Also, i know thats not your photo in your avatar, Mr Drinky....but i cant seem to shake the expectation that you will look like that.


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## mr drinky

Zwiefel said:


> Also, i know thats not your photo in your avatar, Mr Drinky....but i cant seem to shake the expectation that you will look like that.



Yeah, I get that quite a bit. That's why I often go shirtless at these gatherings. BUT I will have just seen my avatar in concert, so he will be in town somewhere. 

k.


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## DeepCSweede

That would be pretty funny to go up to him and start calling him Karring or Mr. Drinky - Hahaha - I can just see him going ***?!?!?!


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## Justin0505

I don't care about his shirt or lack there of or if he starts wearin' purple, wearin' purple as long as he brings that new wootz slicer.

also: Simpsons knife avatar high-five.


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## Zwiefel

DeepCSweede said:


> Z - If you are in Mpls for a while make sure you hit the Butcher and the Boar too. That was a fun and fantastic meal on my last trip.



Solid recco. Took a couple of colleagues here for dinner tonight. 

Had the Hawaiian Tuna "kimchee poke," which was a refreshing take on raw tuna; the red hot brussel sprouts, which is sprouts pan roasted in butter and Frank's Red Hot, I love sprouts so this was a very welcome change; stuffed jalepeno apps, there was a bit too much cream cheese in these for me, esp with the sweet sauce and golden raisins, but was pleased to see fresh japs with a grilled, smoky flavor; the grilled oysters were excellent as well.

Going to try 112 Eatery tomorrow night...probably


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## mr drinky

I will bring the slicer. Actually used it tonight on some salmon. 

There is also a chance I might make the Parma reservation. Let me know if it is ok to bring some good wine. 

k.


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## Salty dog

Zwiefel said:


> Was going to try 112 Eatery tonight...but they didn't have any reservations available before 8:30. Going to hit them up Thur night though.
> 
> 
> 
> Sounds great...and NO ONE will just guess that name.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah...I'll need this too
> 
> You're welcome to join us Salty...bit of a drive though....



I'm jonesing for a road trip and was thinking EAA in Oshkosh today, then head further north but we're going to get spanked on Friday and I'm a little short staffed. I'll be manning the salad/dessert station. (Cooler over there)


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## Chuckles

K. I will look inti it but suspect that a corkage fee will be unavoidable. 


Zwiefel. Things from 112 that I wish I could have for breakfast right now: 112 tartare, crab salad, foie gras meatballs, lamb scottadito, Harissa sandwich, country rib - I wish I had time to insert a pic of a drooling Homer here.


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## mr drinky

Chuckles said:


> ...foie gras meatballs



That tagliatelle dish is one of my all-time favorites. I've had it at least 10 times, and I will even stop by and take it to-go if I don't have time to sit down and eat. 

k.


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## DeepCSweede

Those Foie Gras meatballs are a masterpiece - 
Wish I could make it up tomorrow, my dad was bugging me to head up to the family cabin and I could have done Mpls on the way up (two hours north of the Cities on the Sconnie side) but I have been gone too much the last month and need to catch up on stuff around the homefront. I am not sure if I will be able to get into the garden if I let the weeds grow any longer.


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## Zwiefel

Chuckles said:


> K. I will look inti it but suspect that a corkage fee will be unavoidable.
> 
> 
> Zwiefel. Things from 112 that I wish I could have for breakfast right now: 112 tartare, crab salad, foie gras meatballs, lamb scottadito, Harissa sandwich, country rib - I wish I had time to insert a pic of a drooling Homer here.




Ill consider these marching orders and coerce my colleagues.


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## Chuckles

FYI - There was another Zwiefel in the reservation system and a Zwiefelford. 

Should have put it under Abe Frohman.

Also, no joke the reservation right before Zwiefel is for a Mr. Dick Town.


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## Zwiefel

mmmmm....Chicago Sausages.....

That's astonishing...I've never met anyone else named Zwiefel. 



Chuckles said:


> FYI - There was another Zwiefel in the reservation system and a Zwiefelford.
> 
> Should have put it under Abe Frohman.
> 
> Also, no joke the reservation right before Zwiefel is for a Mr. Dick Town.


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## Justin0505

So what's the final plan? Parma @ ?:??


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## heldentenor

7:30, I think.


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## mr drinky

I might show up a bit earlier. 7ish. Just fyi. 

k.


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## Zwiefel

mr drinky said:


> I might show up a bit earlier. 7ish. Just fyi.
> 
> k.



After the week I've had...I'll be there at 7 too. I'll be the one looking super-tired and lost.

supermegaultra looking forward to it. 

NOTE: soft, old guy operating on <2 hours sleep.

In other news: I'll be in Minneapolis next week too.

Could anyone possibly offer to drive me back to my hotel in Eagan after the gathering tonight?


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## Zwiefel

Had a great time with senor Drinky, Heldentenor, justin0505, and chuckles. Hope I was better company than I felt.

Got a few photos....though i did, once again, wonder how many KKFers are wary of being photographed.

Will share tomorrow when I'm a bit less thin.


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## heldentenor

Nice to meet you, Danny--hope you got some well-deserved rest!


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## Zwiefel

Sorry there more aren't and better photos...light was tricky, as was my conciousness

Apps: pork belly skewers with shredded green onions and apple compote





Very nice...super crisp, plenty of unctous fat, little bit of sweetness...very well balanced.

House made pasta noodles (can't remember what they were called), citrus cream sauce, spinach, little hit of crushed red pepper:




This was a really good combination. The red pepper with the citrus and cream...the noodles were prefectly cooked, and the spinach added a bit of welcome greenness.

Drinky's Wootz Slicer....nice bit of kit:





The pool table of lust:





Obviously, playing with the toys on the pool table was a highlight of the night....but so were the various people who walked by the table who were visibly uncomfortable. 

Was really great to meet everybody and spend a few hours getting to know each other better. Sorry I couldn't make it downtown, hope you guys had fun.

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I'm headed out to 112 Eatery tomorrow for dinner, en solo....unless someone else is looking for an excuse to eat well and hang out a bit (more).

Also, I'm here for most of the week if anyone wants to get together on a week night (subject to customer demands, obviously).


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## Zwiefel

Just realized I forgot the swordfish dish b/c I didn't get a pic of it.

Grilled Swordfish steak over parsnips with crispy parsnips on top, in a pool of bacon broth. Was delightful...esp with a bit of bread to sop the broth.


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## Chuckles

View attachment 17717
FWIW


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## mr drinky

First of all, thanks Zwiefel for giving us another reason to hang out, drink, talk knives and generally neglect the other people in our lives. I wish I could have made the pool table blade layout -- that looked awesome. 

And a special thanks to Charlie for once again providing an amazing venue and food. All three dishes were amazing, and that consommé with the fish was so tasty I was craving it the next morning, the next day after that, and right now as I am writing this. Good stuff. It was sort of pleasantly odd that these were items for the new menu and the servers had never tried or probably seen the dishes before. There was definitely some envy hovering around that table. 

And for those of you who paid for everything I ate and drank that night, many thanks. 

k.


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## heldentenor

You're doing everyone else credit but selling yourself short, Karring. Charlie's food and generosity as a host deserve tons of thanks, but much of what we drank came from your wine cellars--and MAN was that Denner Mother of Exiles good! Zwiefel, Justin, always a pleasure. 

Oh, and based on first impressions, Jon's new Gesshin Badass line might be the value of the year.


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## Zwiefel

heldentenor said:


> You're doing everyone else credit but selling yourself short, Karring. Charlie's food and generosity as a host deserve tons of thanks, but much of what we drank came from your wine cellars--and MAN was that Denner Mother of Exiles good! Zwiefel, Justin, always a pleasure.
> 
> Oh, and based on first impressions, Jon's new Gesshin Badass line might be the value of the year.



correct on all counts. 

I'm lusting for a Kagekiyo now....the F+F, grind, taper are all superb...and that handle is very cool and unique. Hell, the box kicks @$$ too!


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