Meal choices at Everest on Grand
BY STEPHANIE FOX
For those from Minneapolis who think they need an excuse to travel to St. Paul, here’s a good one: Grand Avenue hosts the kind of fun-to-visit and lively shops and restaurants not seen elsewhere in the Twins Cities.
Here are a few of these excellent businesses.
Iron Ranger, 1085 Grand Ave., serves St. Paul favorites, like chicken wings, flat breads, burgers and sandwiches. They also offer ‘Iron Range’ classics including pasties, cabbage rolls, porketta sandwiches, porketta and chicken nachos, fried pickles, and cheese curds. They have a nice selection of locally brewed beers, and claim “the coldest Hams beer on the block.” Wander out to the patio after 5:30 on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday for live music.
Baking Betty’s, 1700 Grand Ave. As a child, Betty began baking cookies in her mother’s kitchen and as an adult, inspired by the words from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Do not go where the path may lead. Instead go where there is no path and leave a trail,” decided to share her passion for baking. At her shop you can choose from a cookie called pug chow, cookie cakes (personalized large cookies made to look like cakes), snickerdoodles, even gluten-free vegan cookies. She also makes specialty cookies for dogs. You can choose curbside pick-up (order the day before) or local and national delivery.
Russell’s, 656 Grand Ave., strives and succeeds on taking American classic food up a notch or two. Owner Todd Russell grew up on Grand Ave. and has called his restaurant “A way of giving back to a street that’s been good to our entire family.” Housed in the space that once held the iconic Tavern on Grand, Russell’s tries to keep true to the street’s heritage. There are a lot of Minnesota inspired favorites on the menu – think Swedish meatballs and walleye nachos – as well as more exotic foods including tuna tartare, shrimp and grits and an omelet Florentine. Their drink menu includes cocktail classics as well as non-alcoholic cocktails, beers and wine.
Minnesota themed gifts on display at Good Things
Everest on Grand, 1278 Grand Ave. Roshan Chandhary opened the restaurant in 2001 and it is known, he says, for offering foods from the Himalayan Mountains. Many customers come to feast on the vegan and gluten-free foods. Chef Rajan Singh stays busy making various momo dumplings, Nepali style noodles, 11 veggie curries, 19 meat and fish curries, and classic street foods. Chandhary says he serves a mix of diners including Indians and Americans but one customer-base seems to have disappeared. “Since Trump won we haven’t seen our Mexican customers. They don’t come anymore. They’re scared to come to public places.”
Seasoned Specialty Food Market, 1136 Grand Ave. At first glance Seasoned Specialty looks like a typical small gourmet grocery. But this is a market with a mission; helping local small batch food makers and woman-owned food businesses bring their specialty food products to a general market. Owner Kayla Yang-Best opened the store in 2017 with an idea: co-retail or community retail. Making lots of money was not at the top of her list. What was on top was to “do good first.”
“We’re a launch pad for entrepreneurs and we support local food makers to get their products developed. At the start, the organization gave 100% of what they took in to their clients but they had to reevaluate because they were unable to cover expenses. Now, the shop’s membership fee for the first five years helps keep the lights on. Their best selling products have included a frozen, gluten-free, low sugar and high protein Japanese style scone, and Jovejoy’s Bloody Mary mix. A couple of new products are Yoga Pops, a lotus seed spin on popcorn; and Bao Bao Bund, a frozen Taiwanese style puffed pastry filled with chicken, veggies or pork, ready to be steamed.
Products available at Grey Area Cannabis Dispensary
Grey Area Cannabis Dispensary, 1330 Grand Ave. Currently, this shop carries THC and CBD edible products but was recently approved and licensed to carry the real thing – locally grown marijuana. It took 18 months to go through the process of getting the go-ahead. Jason Tautges who works at the St. Paul Grey Area said that there are generally two kinds of customers. Older folks come in during the daytime to purchase products to help them sleep and to alleviate stress. Younger customers, who show up later in the day, are more focused on fun. The shop sells many edibles including gummies, drops labeled ‘dietary supplements’, and s’more cookies with directions: “1 s’more for beginners, 2+ s’mores for advanced.”
Good Things, 1082 Grand Ave. This large store has three areas, each devoted to different products and customer bases. The recently opened fashion section sells stylish clothing aimed at middle-age women. There’s a kid’s area with lots of toys, games, stuffed animals, puzzles and much more, with room for kids to run around and play. At the center of the store is the gift shop where the best selling products are Minnesota themed. One customer said she was buying Minnesota gifts (mugs and t-shirts with Minnesota sayings) for her son who was moving to Chile for school but on the way there would visit his girlfriend in Brazil. The store is dog-friendly, so bring the kids and the dogs when you come.
Relaxing at Catzen
Catzen, 3875 Grand Ave. This coffee shop opened on New Year’s Day with a special difference. Owner Vanessa Beardsley lives in the neighborhood and wanted to find a way to bring people together. Customers can buy a fancy coffee, a pastry or a sandwich and then head to the den, a bright and sunny room to cuddle with one of the 11 cats who live there. The kitties range from four months to eight years. All are friendly to people. Catzen is in the middle of three colleges and many come to hang out with both cats and other humans. The shop also holds art classes and has live music. There is an age limit. Customers to the den need to have reached their 15th birthday, with age 10 allowed on weekends.
Pet Evolution, 1074 Grand Ave. This is a shop devoted to dogs and cats, offering high quality food, toys and grooming including a self-service dog wash. Their main mission, said Emily Stubbe a wellness associate at the store, is to provide pets with American-made food with high quality ingredients. “What we offer are products that are health focused.” Stubbe brings her own cats, Matilda and Bodega, to the store’s groomers when they need their nails trimmed.
A grooming customer waits patiently at Pet Evolution
Finally, two timeless stores on Grand Ave., places many thought would last forever, are now gone. Treadle Yard Goods, a sewing specialty store, where sewing experts and beginners alike could come to learn and improve their techniques, buy fabric and tools, take classes and meet fellow sewing fans is now closed. Owner Michele Hoaglund said, “My battle against cancer has taken much more time and energy than I anticipated. I have enjoyed getting to know so many of you over the years and loved seeing and hearing about your sewing projects. I am especially grateful to work with the lovely Treadlettes!”
Down the street, Irish on Grand, for decades a beloved go-to place for Irish gifts, is now shuttered and the old Victorian-style home where it was located is for sale. Owners, Maeve O’Mara and Liam O’Neill, originally from Cork, Ireland, have retired as of March 30. A realtor sign sits outside for anyone who wants to take over the gift shop or begin a new Grand Avenue business adventure.
