Friday, August 29, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Beer flows at the Blue Nile
TOM HORGEN, Star Tribune
As the beer gods would have it, the Twin Cities are now home to quite a few boutique beer bars -- places where a good brew is as coveted as a fine wine. While these spots stand out among metro bars, one destination sticks out even more.
It's not everywhere you can order a premium Belgian beer with a plate of Ethiopian food, but the Blue Nile isn't your average bar. After more than a decade on East Franklin Avenue, it still looks like an Ethiopian restaurant hiding behind a Mexican facade, and it still offers great live music, from African and Caribbean to hip-hop and spoken word.
But how did an Ethiopian restaurant end up with one of the best beer selections in town? Owner Fahmi Katabay points to one man: His bartender, Al.
Al McCarty came looking for a job in the late '90s, intrigued by the restaurant's East African cuisine and worldly music. When Katabay put him in charge of the restaurant's bar, McCarty felt like a kid in a candy shop -- or in this case, a beer lover in charge of drinks.
The craft-beer revolution was just catching steam here. There was no Bulldog, Happy Gnome or Muddy Pig yet. McCarty points to only the Bryant-Lake Bowl and a couple of other bars as craft-beer havens. Regardless, he started asking the local beer distributors for the good stuff: Belgians and boutique American brands.
He only had 10 taps and a couple of big coolers under the bar, but McCarty worked with what he had. Today, he changes the tap selection regularly and has about 50 bottled beers, many of them imports. He does carry Miller and other mass-market beers -- club nights demand it -- but he stacks those bottles on their sides, packing them in to save room for the good stuff. He dreams of installing another 20 or so taps to compete with other beer bars, many of which have 25-plus.
One of his proudest moments was in 2002, when he took a perennial mainstream beer off the tap line: "I dropped Budweiser and replaced it with Maredsous, a Belgian Abbey beer. We got rid of the most ubiquitous beer in the world for a family-owned brewery."
Katabay said McCarty is like family and he supports his bartender's ambition. Plus, the range of beers matches nicely with the restaurant's mix of spicy meat dishes.
However, Katabay joked, "I did not think he would take it to this extent." McCarty will even age certain bottles, allowing the beer to develop more flavor (this works best with darker beers, he said).
He's had release parties for local breweries such as Surly. Lately, he's been trying to introduce a Sri Lankan beer called Lion Stout to the large African-Caribbean crowd that comes in on Thursdays for reggae night. They drink primarily Guinness Extra Stout, which is similar.
McCarty also pushes the importance of serving beers in their proper glassware to amplify the taste and aroma. Of course, some people would rather chug straight from the bottle. But sometimes, he'll get a novice beer drinker who wants to experiment with taste and presentation. And that makes this beer crusader feel good, as if world peace were next on his checklist.
"Every once in a while, you make a little difference," he said.
thorgen@startribune.com • 612-673-7909
As the beer gods would have it, the Twin Cities are now home to quite a few boutique beer bars -- places where a good brew is as coveted as a fine wine. While these spots stand out among metro bars, one destination sticks out even more.
It's not everywhere you can order a premium Belgian beer with a plate of Ethiopian food, but the Blue Nile isn't your average bar. After more than a decade on East Franklin Avenue, it still looks like an Ethiopian restaurant hiding behind a Mexican facade, and it still offers great live music, from African and Caribbean to hip-hop and spoken word.
But how did an Ethiopian restaurant end up with one of the best beer selections in town? Owner Fahmi Katabay points to one man: His bartender, Al.
Al McCarty came looking for a job in the late '90s, intrigued by the restaurant's East African cuisine and worldly music. When Katabay put him in charge of the restaurant's bar, McCarty felt like a kid in a candy shop -- or in this case, a beer lover in charge of drinks.
The craft-beer revolution was just catching steam here. There was no Bulldog, Happy Gnome or Muddy Pig yet. McCarty points to only the Bryant-Lake Bowl and a couple of other bars as craft-beer havens. Regardless, he started asking the local beer distributors for the good stuff: Belgians and boutique American brands.
He only had 10 taps and a couple of big coolers under the bar, but McCarty worked with what he had. Today, he changes the tap selection regularly and has about 50 bottled beers, many of them imports. He does carry Miller and other mass-market beers -- club nights demand it -- but he stacks those bottles on their sides, packing them in to save room for the good stuff. He dreams of installing another 20 or so taps to compete with other beer bars, many of which have 25-plus.
One of his proudest moments was in 2002, when he took a perennial mainstream beer off the tap line: "I dropped Budweiser and replaced it with Maredsous, a Belgian Abbey beer. We got rid of the most ubiquitous beer in the world for a family-owned brewery."
Katabay said McCarty is like family and he supports his bartender's ambition. Plus, the range of beers matches nicely with the restaurant's mix of spicy meat dishes.
However, Katabay joked, "I did not think he would take it to this extent." McCarty will even age certain bottles, allowing the beer to develop more flavor (this works best with darker beers, he said).
He's had release parties for local breweries such as Surly. Lately, he's been trying to introduce a Sri Lankan beer called Lion Stout to the large African-Caribbean crowd that comes in on Thursdays for reggae night. They drink primarily Guinness Extra Stout, which is similar.
McCarty also pushes the importance of serving beers in their proper glassware to amplify the taste and aroma. Of course, some people would rather chug straight from the bottle. But sometimes, he'll get a novice beer drinker who wants to experiment with taste and presentation. And that makes this beer crusader feel good, as if world peace were next on his checklist.
"Every once in a while, you make a little difference," he said.
thorgen@startribune.com • 612-673-7909
What to do in Minneapolis/Twin Cities while you’re waiting for the Republican National Convention
Los Angeles Times staff writer Christopher Reynolds gives an entertaining and informative guide to the Twin Cities for John McCain. For those who struggle to tear themselves away from political news updates on TV, here are some simple suggestions for what to do and where to eat and drink in the Twin Cities while you wait for the GOP convention to begin.
Five Popular attractions in Minneapolis-St. Paul:
1. Walker Art Center
2. Frank Gehry’s Weisman Museum
3. Midtown Global Market
4. Cathedral of Saint Paul
5. Mall of America
Music during the Republican National Convention:
The Twin Cities Daily Planet has the lowdown on all the music events going on in the area during the convention. Read: Music to ripple through Twin Cities during RNC
Where to eat and drink: Gayot’s Hot 10 Restaurants in Minneapolis list includes Alma, Chambers Kitchen, Good Day Café, Heidi’s, Meritage, Modern Café, 112 Eatery, Red Stag Supperclub, Saffron Restaurant & Lounge and Town Talk Diner. Meanwhile the Mpls. St. Paul Magazine has an extensive dining guide and bars + nightclubs guide to get the locals’ dish on where to go.
Five Popular attractions in Minneapolis-St. Paul:
1. Walker Art Center
2. Frank Gehry’s Weisman Museum
3. Midtown Global Market
4. Cathedral of Saint Paul
5. Mall of America
Music during the Republican National Convention:
The Twin Cities Daily Planet has the lowdown on all the music events going on in the area during the convention. Read: Music to ripple through Twin Cities during RNC
Where to eat and drink: Gayot’s Hot 10 Restaurants in Minneapolis list includes Alma, Chambers Kitchen, Good Day Café, Heidi’s, Meritage, Modern Café, 112 Eatery, Red Stag Supperclub, Saffron Restaurant & Lounge and Town Talk Diner. Meanwhile the Mpls. St. Paul Magazine has an extensive dining guide and bars + nightclubs guide to get the locals’ dish on where to go.
Skyway art celebrates new immigrants
MINNEAPOLIS - A busy downtown Minneapolis skyway has been transformed into a celebration of Minnesota's newest immigrants.
The "Speaking of Home" public art project features 23 family photographs of immigrants and other new Minnesotans. The photos are printed on 10-by-13-foot sheets of white transparent fabric and installed consecutively in the skyway window frames.
Artist Nancy Ann Coyne collaborated with the latest Twin Cities residents to create the project. It's one of the official events celebrating Minnesota's 150th birthday.
The project is installed inside the 150-foot skyway connecting the IDS Center and Macy's department store. It's visible to pedestrians passing below on Nicollet Mall.
The display runs through October 31st.
The "Speaking of Home" public art project features 23 family photographs of immigrants and other new Minnesotans. The photos are printed on 10-by-13-foot sheets of white transparent fabric and installed consecutively in the skyway window frames.
Artist Nancy Ann Coyne collaborated with the latest Twin Cities residents to create the project. It's one of the official events celebrating Minnesota's 150th birthday.
The project is installed inside the 150-foot skyway connecting the IDS Center and Macy's department store. It's visible to pedestrians passing below on Nicollet Mall.
The display runs through October 31st.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Metromix Twin Cities
Another interesting link for finding entertainment, restaurants and other fun things do along with the educational, networking and relationship building that you do while at the Air Medical Transport Conference in Minneapolis, October 20-22, 2008
http://twincities.metromix.com/
http://twincities.metromix.com/
Spa at the Airport
We'll all want to linger a while longer in the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport if plans materialize for a spa for travelers. The airport could have a 5,000-square-foot wellness center in time for September's Republican National Convention. The center is to be part spa--including hair and nail care, plus massage--part medical clinic, with a health practitioner available to diagnoze and treat basic illnesses. Visit http://www.mspairport.com/ for more information.
Start scheduling those October 2008 pre-AMTC manicures now and post AMTC massages before you return home!
Start scheduling those October 2008 pre-AMTC manicures now and post AMTC massages before you return home!
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