Macarons by Maddie Lu closes at the Mall of America

No more macarons at MOA

Macarons by Maddie Lu, the Mall of America outpost of Maddie Carlos' Coon Rapids bakery Something Sweet by Maddie Lu, quietly closed Dec. 31 after five years. A social media post stated that lease terms, crime and staffing issues all factored into the decision.

Meantime, find the macarons at her original bakery, at 12772 Riverdale Blvd. in Coon Rapids, which opened in 2015. (Online orders are available at somethingsweetcakes.com.)

"It's bittersweet when an adventure comes to an end," the post said. "But I will leave you with this ... When one door closes, another door opens." So, stay tuned.

New market, wine shop now open

St. Louis Park's Texa-Tonka shopping center just got tastier with the opening of Westside Wine & Spirits (8016 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park, westsidewinemsp.com). Owned by Alex and Tom Schoenberger (Alex is a contractor, Tom a sommelier with extensive hospitality experience), the store is part liquor store and tasting bar, and part market, with a growing selection of cheese, charcuterie, oils, breads and grab-and-go items. The market is open daily from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; the liquor store is open from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon.-Sat., and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun.

A new way to spend Sunday suppers

Farmers Kitchen + Bar (750 S. 2nd St., Mpls.) is launching its monthly Sunday Supper Series on Jan. 15, featuring family-style service and comfort foods sourced from local farmers, along with a chance to visit with chef Kris Koch. January's dinner includes wild rice hot dish, turkey, stuffing, root vegetables, Jell-O salad and pear crisp. Grab a reservation between 4 and 8 p.m. Can't make it? The next installments will be Feb. 19 and March 19. Tickets are $36; reserve yours at farmerskitchenandbar.com.

New guest chef series promotes Indian fine dining

The fine-dining restaurant Raag Progressive Indian Cuisine (3812 W. 50th St., Mpls., raagindiancuisine.com) is gearing up to host the first of a series of guest chef dinners with notable cooks from around the world.

"When I took over Raag 12 months back, my vision was to build a new spot around the community," said owner Sohil Goorha, who plans to focus on the advancement of Indian cuisine.

The first event, Jan. 19 at 5 p.m., features a seven-course meal created by chef Roshni Gurnani, known as Chef Rosh, who cooks from her Sindhi heritage. She's also made the rounds on TV cooking competitions; she won the Food Network's "Chopped," and has appeared on "Beat Bobby Flay" and "Hell's Kitchen." Diners will be able to meet Chef Rosh, ask questions and learn about the evening's dishes. Tickets are $125 and available online at raagindiancuisine.com.

Farther afield ...

Those familiar with the culinary scene in Minnesota's lake country should take note that the popular Spanky's Stone Hearth (34785 Hwy. 4, Frazee, spankysstonehearth.com) is changing hands after nearly 20 years. In May, owner Josh Hanson will turn things over to three longtime employees, Matthew Hanson, Michael Kasper and Jared Faul, who will keep the same name and concept.

And just days after social media posts touted a new menu for the new year, WJON News reported that Old Capital Tavern has closed in Sauk Rapids, Minn., after more than a decade. The pandemic, followed by food costs, labor costs and labor problems "made it financially impossible to stay open," the report said.