Restaurant news: Chicago-style hot dog chain eyeing location in Rochester
Fast food fans are getting gifts; for craft beer enthusiasts, a lump of coal. Here's a recap of some recent developments in the local dining biz:
... Portillo's restaurant, which recently opened a location in Woodbury, is also targeting Rochester along with several other cities in Minnesota. That's according to a report from WCCO-TV up in the Twin Cities. The chain, described as "fast casual," is known as much for its Prohibition-era theme as it is Chicago-styled hot dogs and beef sandwiches. No word on a possible opening date.
... Unless you have avoided Facebook for the last 24 hours, you probably are already in the know about Chick-fil-A's plans to build a new location at Crossroads Shopping Center (good scoop from the P-B's Jeff Kiger). Chick-fil-A is one of the nation's fastest growing food chains, now with over 2,000 locations.
... The highly-anticipated opening of Porch is next Monday. Located in the historic train depot downtown, Porch's menu will feature fine smoked meats and fried chicken with honey butter and lemon — as well as an array of sides, from the hearty to the healthy. (A Facebook friend of mine, who I assume has good taste, calls it the "best fried chicken" she has ever had.) The bottom floor, known as Cellar, won't open for a couple more months. We did a full write-up on Porch and Cellar back in July.
... Finally, Grand Rounds has said goodbye to its head brewer. The brewpub announced the departure of Steve Finnie this week on Facebook. "Steve was an integral part of the creation of Grand Rounds, and we would not be where we are today without him," the company wrote. Finnie's replacement is assistant brewer Adam Fredericksen. Both sides are mum on the split.
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