DeRUSHA: Happy State Fair Day 1!

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If you don’t like the Minnesota State Fair, I get it, I see you, and I don’t really want to hear you complain. 😄 I love it. AND it’s a great time to get a table at your favorite crowded local restaurants, so go support them while I’m at the fair every weekday!!

TODAY is the day!! The new food list isn’t blowing my mind, but people LOVE reading these reviews. Also, my intel says get ready for sticker shock. $14-$16 is going to be the norm. Here’s what I’m looking forward to / curious about:

• Hmong Corndog at Union Hmong Kitchen

• Cracklin’ Corn Ribs at Blue Barn

• Tanghulu at Iemochi Japanese Confections

• Bao Belly at RC’s BBQ

• Walking Chopped Italian Grinder at Mancini’s

• Savory Waffle Cones at Roon’s Savories:

• Apple Fries at Minnesota’s Original Apple Fries

HERE’s What I’m nervous about:

• Pickle Pie at LuLu’s

• Sligo Slider Bites On-A-Stick at O’Gara’s

• Apple Donut Ham Grinder at MN Farmer's Union

My reviews will post tonight or tomorrow at MNMO.com/Jason
I’ll send an email out with the link as well!

WALKING TOUR of NEW FOODS (This is what I’m using on Day 1): https://www.minnesotamonthly.com/general/eat-your-way-through-the-2026-minnesota-state-fair/

My Classics just published this week: Jason’s top State Fair classics - my 20 must eats almost every year at the fair. RANKED! Who’s in your top 20? or top 5? READ: MinnesotaMonthly.com

MY classics video from last year:

Interview with the adorable couple behind Summer Lakes Boat House: Audacy podcast: https://fluence-media.co/4xisrww

• Saffron is CLOSE to opening: I profile partner/bar mind Robb Jones

• Lake Monster Brewing Closing in Current Form

• Barrel Theory moving taproom from Lowertown to Lake Monster space

• New Steakhouse coming to Lobster Legend in Bloomington

• My weekly Restaurant TIP - one of the best meals I’ve had all year

LIVEA: Eating Healthy at the Minnesota State Fair

When I first started losing weight in the summer of 2022, I enjoyed the Minnesota State Fair AND still hit my goals for these two weeks. It’s doable! My advice: share everything, don’t be afraid to not finish a dish, and pace with lean proteins. Livea put together a guide featuring 40 State Fair vendors with Livea-friendly choices. Check it out before you visit: livea.com/state-fair/

Thanks to LIVEA for being a DeRUSHA partner!

RESTAURANT TIP OF THE WEEK: Bûcheron is better than ever.

I know it’s crazy to say when you’re talking about a place that was named James Beard award winner for Best New Restaurant in 2025, but we ate on the patio at Bûcheron Saturday night and every single dish was perfectly prepared and just packed with flavor. Sometimes even great places take time to become spectacular, and I think we’re seeing that at Bûcheron.

We got the petite plateau seafood tower (4 oysters, 4 shrimp, 4 piece crudo), wedge salad with lamb bacon, the highly addictive pommes dauphines, the combo of fried lion’s mane mushroom with creamed corn was special as was the blue corn-crusted pork loin. TIP: Don’t be afraid to call and get on the waiting list or sit at the bar, we enjoyed an 8pm dinner on the patio and pregamed with a cocktail and nachos at Hola Arepa right up the block. https://fluence-media.co/4brqmp0

ROBB JONES JOINS SAFFRON AS A PARTNER: My profile of one of the most significant cocktail minds in Minneapolis / Saint Paul. Robb talks imposter syndrome, ambition, and details the epic house martini that will be part of Saffron. READ: MinnesotaMonthly.com

SMACK SHACK ADDS STEAK: Bloomington’s Smack Shack will soon refresh and open as “Smack Shack Steak” September 15. VIA News Release “a new wood-fired steakhouse concept built around USDA Prime steaks, fresh seafood and live-fire cooking.” INSTAGRAM @SmackShackSteak

LAKE MONSTER BREWING: “Closing in its current form.” Owners are closing Sunday, August 30. Barrel Theory is buying the space - they’ll move production to the new Vandalia Center space as well as continuing production in Lowertown. The Barrel Theory tap room will move out of Lowertown though. Good news: free parking, huge patio, more space. Bad news: another blow to Lowertown Saint Paul. IG @lakemonsterbrewing . My analysis on X: https://fluence-media.co/4qAq7hS

IS BILL’S BAIT SHOP TOO EXPENSIVE: A couple reviews wrote about Bill’s Bait Shop being too expensive - my reaction when I went to a soft opening was that it was NOT expensive. So I looked at prices, wrote a thing, “value” is difficult to define today. READ: minnesotamonthly.com/general/sticker-shock-or-fair-shake/

PASTA CLUB at Malcolm Yards: Opened Tuesday IG: https://fluence-media.co/4x6jXIK

MODERN TIMES: Opened Wednesday 9a-3p. Details: https://fluence-media.co/46ibrul

SAFFRON MPLS: Sameh & Saed Wadi’s project in the former Young Joni should open in the next couple weeks. https://fluence-media.co/4wB9iFb

OG ZAZA UPTOWN: Opens September 7th and open late!! Until 1AM Sunday–Thursday and 3AM Fridays & Saturdays. https://fluence-media.co/4qrsdk9

BAR BRAVA: I wrote about the drama that led to the undoing of this James Beard-award finalist for the innovative natural wine program. Never recovered from this. New tenant (not a restaurant) will take the space. MNMO: https://fluence-media.co/3O9ob0A

GNOME in St. Paul: Brian Ingram talked frankly about break-ins at The Gnome, then discovered some issues with the roof and the building that he said made operating impossible. BMTN: https://fluence-media.co/4xZQmAR

IT’S KINDA CHIC TO DO THIS TREND THREE WEEKS LATE: https://fluence-media.co/4cc062w (Save a birth year wine bottle for your kids! It was a super cool experience)

SHIKI NOODLE BAR VIDEO REVIEW: https://fluence-media.co/4zqJ0rw

DOLLY PARTON EMOTIONS: https://fluence-media.co/4zEnkZ3

RIP Dolly: Audacy Podcast - https://fluence-media.co/4zEvFfp

The Strib video journalist who created The Annunciation Diaries: SPOTIFY: https://fluence-media.co/4ypfuRZ

Why not? Saint Paul should go for data centers in downtown: Audacy podcast - https://fluence-media.co/4xrgNQa

Blois at The Daily Agenda broke this story on Tim Walz’ legacy: AUDIO: https://fluence-media.co/3UljX9n

Target Getting $1 billion Was the least explosive scandal of their week: (it was this - https://fluence-media.co/3UXHbm7 or maybe this: https://fluence-media.co/4zHtKGQ)

MN and the Outdoor Retailer conference: https://fluence-media.co/4qFBdCo

BIG TEN BLOOD DRIVE: SPOTIFY - https://fluence-media.co/4qETG1H

It’s mostly the Minnesota State Fair this week & next.

TWINS v. WHITE SOX at Target Field: Join twins.com/mytwins for free and earn points for next year’s season tickets. $2 pregame beers Friday and Saturday for all - https://www.mlb.com/twins/tickets/single-game-tickets. Day game Sunday.

SHANIA TWAIN TRIBUTE: SATURDAY at Turf Club: local singer-songwriters (Molly Brandt, Kathy Callahan of Gully Boys, Jillian Rae, and others) covering Twain’s catalog. $20.11. 8 p.m., 1601 University Ave. W., St. Paul. TICKETS: First-Avenue.com

SKYLINE MINI GOLF at the Walker: We did this last weekend - 10 holes, artist-designed, wonderful fun. https://www.walkerart.org/whats-on/skyline-mini-golf-2026/

Thursday & Friday: Broadcasting live from the Minnesota State Fair

Saturday: going back to the Fair with Seth before he returns to NYU that night.

Sunday: Leaving the Maple Grove home to return for our last couple weeks in Saint Paul at Landmark Tower (lease is up in late October - hit me up if you want to lease my apartment!)