New Restaurants: Mt. Fuji, Cowboy Slim's, Sauce Spirits and Brasa

[Jeremy Iggers]

The economy may be in the tank, but new restaurants keep opening:
The long-awaited Uptown branch of Mt. Fuji could open as soon as next Monday, says the cashier at the Maple Grove Mt. Fuji. Elsewhere in Uptown, Brian Asmus of the After Midnight Group say they expect to open Cowboy Slim’s Saloon in the former Campiello’s space around the end of April. The menu will likely be very similar to Cowboy Jack’s Saloon in Plymouth: steaks, ribs, chicken, meatloaf and Tater Tot hotdish.
The former La Bodega at Lake & Lyndale will reopen in early summer as Sauce Spirits and Soundbar, says Terry Chance of Site Assembly – that’s the company that built out Nick & Eddie’s, and teamed up with Shea Architects to create Alex Roberts’ Brasa Rotisserie on E. Hennepin. The night club side of Sauce will be a rock club, while the dining room will offer reasonably priced pizzas, pastas and sandwiches.
Speaking of Brasa, Chance says they’re working on a second Brasa next to Punch Pizza at 777 Grand Ave., St. Paul (the former Italian Pie Shop location). This one will be a lot bigger than the original, with four garage doors on two sides, and will likely have an expanded menu. Look for a May opening.

[maryn]

Yay for expanded Brasa. Yay for people who like Brasa going over to St. Paul, so that those of us who live by the original and *love* Brasa can get a seat! (Oops. Was that outside my head?)

[Stuart Borken]

With the recent trend in restaurants moving in the direction of cowboy and western and bruger themes, I have tried to suggest to the chef's of some of the sites that they try to bring The Stetson Chopped Salad to our town. It's the signature salad from Cowboy Caio's in Scottsdale, but, that does not mean it can't be copied here. The only slightly odd ingredient is the dried but still chewy sweet corn kernels. It's unique presentation as a deconstructed salad on a presentation plate which is then constructed tableside and dressed individualy makes for a different and entertaining and delicious item.