How A Walk Around A Minneapolis Lake Led To Love & An Uptown Restaurant
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Not many restaurant stories start with a run around a Minneapolis lake, but Kate Sidoti wouldn't live in Minnesota, running her own restaurant, if not for that one single moment when she saw the man who would become her husband.
"We were on a run, at the same stoplight just down the street. We locked eyes and ran around (Lake of the) Isles together, and told our life story," she said.
Kate was a personal chef for clients in Park City, Utah, and New York City. But she encountered destiny: Six months after that run, she and Pat were engaged. One year post-meeting they were married.
"Never stopped running," Sidoti said, laughing.
They shared a house near Lake Bde Maka Ska, and kept walking past an open space that overlooked the lake in Uptown.
"I kept walking by, thought that would be a cool spot someday if I had a coffee shop or café," she said. Opportunity knocked, the Sidoti's leased the space, and opened Brim. A healthy, organic, gluten-free restaurant largely built around bowls.
"Just trying to make that really flavorful, not crunchy granola food, really good food that makes them feel well and healthy and vibrant," said Sidoti.
A kimchi rice bowl features broccoli, avocado and tamari ginger sauce. The vegan poke bowl is on jasmine rice with pickled watermelon radish, beets, and red cabbage. There's a lemongrass curry with ten different herbs and roots, and wild rice that comes direct from Red Lake Nation.
Everything is made from scratch, using whole ingredients. "It's all organic, we try to go direct to farmers as often as possible," she said.
The golden turmeric-roasted cauliflower bowl is served with a swoosh of hummus, and lots of bright, fresh greens. Other bowls have Minnesota grass-fed beef, or free-range local chicken.
"There's something about a bowl that feels completely nurturing. Think of a cereal bowl or a popcorn bowl," she said.
Kate's approach is so fresh, and on-trend, the Minnesota State Fair invited Brim to open a stand at the fair.
"It was amazing. Unbelievable. Craziest experience of my life so far," she said.
The fair has led to new opportunities -- more catering, more people experiencing healthy food Brim-style, all in a spot at the epicenter of where life for Sidoti changed.
"It's a couple monumental spots, our house is over there, Brim, and where we met," she said. "It feels really good."
Brim
2919 Knox Avenue South, Minneapolis
Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.- 9 p.m.; Saturday/Sunday 9:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Closed Mondays & Friday
