A quick post about an ultra-casual eatery: Sandcastle by the beach in Lake Nokomis park in South Minneapolis. Owned and operated by Doug Flicker and Amy Greeley (and their partner Chele Payer) since it opened in 2013, Sandcastle is at the opposite end of the spectrum from Piccolo (their celebrated fine dining restaurant that you may have read about one or seven times on this blog). There’s no five course tasting menu here, no modernist food, no foie gras-laced desserts. Which is not to say that the food is cookie cutter. You can order cheese curds and hotdogs, yes, but you can also order the Dog Flicker (a hotdog with kimchi) and shrimp and octopus ceviche. All of it is served casually and best enjoyed on the wonderful terrace/patio overlooking the lake. Sandcastle is open from early May through early October and, sure, the height of summer might be the best time to go, but it’s also a great place to be in denial about the coming of the permafrost. Grab a hotdog or a burger, get a beer (either on tap or from their visiting brewers) and then walk it off around the lake (and take your dogs too—they welcome dogs on the patio).  Continue reading →