The Nominations are out for the 2012 James Beard Foundation Awards and once again the Twin Cities are making a big presence.  Congratulations to all the nominees!
Best New Restaurant:

• The Bachelor Farmer, Minneapolis

Outstanding Bar Program:

• La Belle Vie, Minneapolis

Outstanding Chef:

• Tim McKee, La Belle Vie, Minneapolis

Outstanding Pastry Chef:

• Michelle Gayer, Salty Tart Bakery, Minneapolis

Outstanding Restaurant:

• Restaurant Alma, Minneapolis

Outstanding Restaurateur:

• Richard D’Amico and Larry D’Amico, D’Amico & Partners, Minneapolis

Outstanding Service:

• Manny’s Steakhouse, Minneapolis

Rising Star Chef of the Year:

• Sameh Wadi, Saffron Restaurant & Lounge, Minneapolis

Best Chef: Midwest:

• Mike Brown and James Winberg, Travail Kitchen and Amusements, Robbinsdale, MN
• Steven Brown, Tilia, Minneapolis
• Doug Flicker, Piccolo, Minneapolis
• Russell Klein, Meritage, St. Paul, MN
• Lenny Russo, Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct Market, St. Paul, MN
• Stewart Woodman, Heidi’s, Minneapolis

Once again it is Restaurant Week!

During Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Restaurant Week, you can enjoy three-course prix-fixe dining at top Minneapolis-St. Paul restaurants.  This is a great deal! You can make your reservations on Open Table.

What: $10 or $20 Lunches | $15 or $30 Dinners
Who: 40+ OpenTable Restaurants
When: February 26 – March 2

Great Harvest Bakery ~ 8160 Coller Way Woodbury,  Minnesota 55125 651.578.9756

The Great Harvest Bakery  is sponsoring a fundraiser/awareness campaign for WomenHeart, a national coalition for women with heart disease.  The bakery will donate 5% of its sales to WomenHeart from the Friday, February 3 event (National Wear Red Day). Great Harvest is known for handcrafted heart-healthy whole grain breads featuring daily milled whole grains blended with pure-and-simple ingredients, like honey.

Additionally, Great Harvest Bread Company has put together a wonderful Valentine’s Day Basket that I am putting up for auction here on the Twin Cities Restaurant Blog.  All proceeds from this auctioned Basket will go to WomenHeart.

**Photo and Description of Basket to come!!**

Winning Bidder of  this auction will be able to pick up and pay for their basket at their convenience, but must be willing to travel to Great Harvest Bakery in Woodbury to pick up their goodies.

Cupcake Wars.  Have you seen this show on Food Network?

The winner of last week’s show (Jan 22, 2012) was none other than Abby Jimenez, owner of Nadia Cakes, which is opening soon at the Shoppes of Arbor Lakes in Maple Grove.

Abby won over the judges with her New York cheesecake cupcake, which is made with Madagascar Bourbon vanilla bean and has a made-from-scratch piecrust bottom and freshly made whipped cream topping with triple berry compote.  Doesn’t this look great?

Photo by Megan Hayes Photography

Construction on the Maple Grove store, which is expected to open in March in the Shoppes at Arbor Lakes, is currently underway. Abby is in the process of looking for a kitchen manager, head designer, store manager, and dessert artists to work with her at the new bakery. Though now based in Minnesota, Abby and her husband will split their time between the Los Angeles store and the Maple Grove store.

About Nadia Cakes
Nadia Cakes is a premier cupcake and custom cake studio that offers 135 different flavors of cakes and cupcakes. Desserts are made by hand daily on the premises with the freshest ingredients, including Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans, fresh fruit, sweet cream butter, juices and zests, spices, imported chocolates, coconut milk, and more. Nadia Cakes is also a committed community partner, donating $50,000 since opening to support programs and organizations that benefit children and families. Nadia Cakes has a bakery in Palmdale, Calif., and will soon open a bakery in Maple Grove, Minn. Find Nadia Cakes on Facebook and Twitter, or visit www.nadiacakes.com <http://www.nadiacakes.com>  <http://www.nadiacakes.com> to learn more.

Happy New Year! 2012 is here, I hope you’ve had a chance to celebrate this weekend with family and friends ;)

Tonight I am also celebrating a personal milestone for the Twin Cities Restaurant Blog…. as of tonight this site has reached over one million pageviews! 1,000,000! I’ve been at this since 2007 and it has taken quite some time to reach this number, but I still consider that a success.  Thanks to all of you for reading, especially to the commenters for letting me know you’re here ;)

Like last year when I posted the 2010 TCRB Stats, here are some numbers for 2011.  Readership continues to grow!

Ten Most Popular Pages in 2011

1. Twin Cities Restaurant Blog (58,210)

2. Twin Cities Sunday Brunch Buffet Guide (19,787)

3. Akita Sushi & Hibachi (14,061)

4. El Loro (12,953)

5. Great Moon Buffet (10,359)

6. Easter Brunch in the Twin Cities (7,780)

7. Texas Roadhouse (7,663)

8. Khan’s Mongolian Barbeque (7,089)

9. Jimmy’s Food & drink (6,847)

10. Cossetta’s (6,580)

Just a brief peek at some of the goodies we sampled in 2011…

(larger photos of each can be found here)

Looking forward to what 2012 has in store!

CRAVE ~ Downtown Minneapolis, Shops at West End in St Louis Park, The Galleria in Edina or Mall of America

• Special NYE Menu or
• Chef’s Special 4-Course Dinner for Two $99.  First course: Lobster Sushi Roll or Baked Brie Second Course: Seafood Bisque or Mixed Green Salads Third Course: Stuffed Salmon or Prime Rib or Surf & Turf. Fourth Course: Chocolate Layer Cake

Howl at the Moon ~ 430 1st Ave Minneapolis, MN 55401 612-333-1299

• The Champagne Supernova – $110 per person, Reserved seating
• The Big Shot – $80 per person, standing room only
  • Dinner buffet from 6-8pm
  • Open bar from 6pm-Midnight
  • Champagne toast at Midnight
  • Party favors

Kozlak’s Royal Oak ~ 4785 Hodgson Road  Shoreview, MN 55126   651-484-8484

• Celebrate New Year’s Eve with The Jimtones! Cost is $50 per person. (excludes tax & tip) and includes; Ordering from a Special  ‘Jimtones New Years Menu‘ , Party Hats & Favors, Live music, Dancing, dessert buffet presentation at 10PM, and champagne toast at Midnight!
•  The Oakview Terrace room will be offering a special ‘New Year’s Eve Menu!’
• Seating begins at 4PM on Saturday December 31st.

Manitou Station ~ 2171 4th Street White Bear Lake, Minnesota 55110 651-426-2300

• Dinner Menu served 4-10pm
• Free Appetizer Buffet at Midnight
• Live Music from Rusty Buffalo
• Champagne Toast at Midnight

Porterhouse Steaks and Seafood ~ Lakeville-11211 205th Street West Lakeville, MN 55044 (952) 469-2995 * Little Canada- 235 East Little Canada Road Little Canada, MN 55117  (651) 483-9248

• “New Year’s Dinner for Two” offered on Dec 29, 30, 31
• New Year’s Dinner for Two features:   A champaign toast, Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail for a starter, Two Nine ounce Filet Mignons combined with two six ounce lobster tails, two salads or soups, two side dishes, and a slice of home made Turtle Cheesecake.  In addition you will receive a $25 gift card to use on a future visit.  You receive all of this for $99.95!
• 651-483-9248

Roma Market ~ 460 Stillwater Road Willernie, MN 55090  (651) 653-4733

• Special Menu includes Steak Rossa & Lobster Adulare $39 or Fritti Del Mar $36.  Both entrees served with garlic mashed potatoes, sauteed vegetables, a side salad and ciabatta roll.
  

Rosa Mexicano ~ 609 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN  612-656-7144

• Special a la Carte Menu until 9pm
• Four Course Prix-fixe Gala Dinner after 9pm
• Premium Holiday Cocktails
• DJ and Dancing
• Festive Decor and Party Favors
• Reservations at

Solera ~ 900 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 55403

• Solera Sensory New Year’s Eve Party with entertainment by Apollo Cobra, Black Hearts Burlesque, Elektra Cute, Nikki Knickers, Fiona Flameteaser, Emily Colay, New Heist Crew, Showtime, Fourfeet, Infiammati Fire Circus, ReessPieces, DJ Tyrone, The Warriors, Vox Medusa and special guest, Woody McBride (aka DJ ESP).
•  Access to all floors, heavy appetizer and dessert buffet, complimentary champagne at midnight and signature drink specials.
• Tickets, $50 per person, are available at www.tempotickets.com, VIP (open bar) tickets are also available at Tempo Tickets. Valet parking is available at $8/vehicle.
  

Sea Change ~ 806 South 2nd Street at the Guthrie Minneapolis, MN 55415

• Three Course Meal for $55 per person
• First Course: Nantucket Bay scallops with fennel cream and preserved lemons or
  East coast oysters with horseradish mignonette or Beef Carpaccio with red wine aioli and horns of plenty
• Second Course: Potato gnocci with Manilla clams and brown butter pork cheek vinaigrette or Frisee salad with house made lamb lardons and poached egg yolk or Cauliflower soup with smoked raisins and crispy capers
• Third Course:  Crispy skinned barramundi in spicy langoustine broth with parsnips or Wild Acres Farm duck breast and confit with pumpernickel bread pudding and chestnut puree or Steelhead trout with scrambled Jidori egg and green asparagus
• *Raw bar items will be available as well. (Including smoked salmon)

Is your restaurant at risk of closing?

Are you in need of a boost in customers, good reviews and overall revenue?

Food Network is looking for passionate restaurateurs who have fallen on hard times.
The restaurant’s owners and management will be taking guidance from a celebrity chef and must be willing to overhaul their menu, décor and theme to put them back on the path to success!
Restaurant owners must have strong, outgoing personalities.

Restaurant’s must be full-service and have at least 50 seats and no more than 250 seats.
For a casting application please visit, www.RestaurantImpossible.com