Klassic Food Meets Music and Somali Feasts at Sanaag
The Tap for Friday, February 14, 2025
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IN DEFENSE OF OPEN ARMS
I would be hard pressed to come up with a more noble public service mission than the one that animates Open Arms. The group exists to create and deliver food for neighbors suffering from life-threatening illnesses, and it provides more than 12,000 meals a week to about 1,300 clients.
It's an important mission in the best of times, and as we seem poised to sail into a time of greater food insecurity thanks to labor shortages and trade wars, it can only become more crucial and life-saving in the months and years to come.
That's the set-up to my alarm at receiving a statement from the group's CEO, Leah Hébert Welles.
Our organization has been informed of a drastic cut to our Ryan White funding starting this April, amounting to more than $650,000 in reductions over the next year – due to a $20 million deficit in funding at the state level. Compounding this crisis is a federal funding situation that is like nothing we have ever seen.
What began as a total funding freeze ordered by the Trump administration, disrupting essential and expected payments on our existing contracts, has now created fear and uncertainty for our future. One of our current federal grants that pays for local purchasing of ingredients for meals remains frozen today.
Although Heavy Table leans pretty hard into "start with flavor and move outwards to find the story," we thought it important to share this specific piece of news about how chaos in Washington is putting lives in Minnesota at risk. Now would be a good time to donate to Open Arms, or volunteer there. Or you could take Welles's advice at the closing of her note:
Many of you have asked what you can do to help. Please consider calling your elected officials in Washington DC and sharing how important it is to honor existing federal contracts and continue funding food resources for those most vulnerable in our communities.
We’re going to see many opportunities to support and protect neighbors in the days to come - this is an early and clear-cut chance to help. -- James Norton
THE TAP
The Tap is the Heavy Table’s ongoing biweekly account of noteworthy Minnesota restaurant openings, closings, and future openings. Please send any tips to editor@heavytable.com. All dates are approximate based on best information available; opening dates, in particular, tend to shift around a lot.
NOW OPEN (Up to 3 Months)
Hikari Hand Roll Bar, Eat Street Crossing, 2819 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis ■ The rapidly evolving Eat Street Crossing food hall turns over another space as a sushi hand roll spot opens up. Opened January 31, 2025.
EGGFLIP/SUSHIFLIP, The Market at Malcolm Yards, 501 30th Ave SE, Minneapolis ■ Korean-inspired egg dishes and sushi anchor the menu at this new restaurant under the roof of the Market at Malcolm Yards. The egg dishes skew rich and meaty, the sushi side of things includes poke bowls and plenty of sauced up and modernized roll options. Opened January 20, 2025.
Las Delicias de Frida, 2904 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis ■ Tortas, tacos, ice cream, paletas, and more, from the same owners as the nearby and delightful Iconos Gastro Cantina. Opened January 17, 2025.
Hendrix and Siena, 1601 Mainstreet, Hopkins, Minn. ■ Pizza, pasta, and a full wine list define this upscale but approachable new spot on Mainstreet in Hopkins. Opened January 9.