Lola's On The Lake Could Soon Replace Tin Fish At Lake Calhoun
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A popular place to eat along the shore of Lake Calhoun is about to undergo a big change.
What used to be Tin Fish will likely be Lola's Cafe on the Lake when it reopens in the spring. A committee for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, approved a lease Wednesday night for a new vendor after the previous operators chose not to renew their contract.
Lola's Cafe currently serves up food at U.S. Bank Stadium during Vikings games. Louis King is the man behind the cafe.
"We can really cook, that's the thing. Everybody really likes our food. We know what we are doing," King said.
Lola's Café is a food vendor that's familiar to people who've strolled through the plaza of U.S. Bank stadium on game day.
It's here that smoked ribs, pulled pork, chicken and seafood are served up with flavor and flair.
"We are trying to grow the business, and this is the crown jewel of Minneapolis," King said of the Lake Calhoun food pavilion. "If you are going to play, you gotta play at the top of the food chain, and this is it."
King plans to renovate the building and address the long lines that customers of Tin Fish had come to know.
"We are built for speed, I spent a whole lot of time out here watching," he said. "We are going to open it up, put more cash registers in."
He intends to install kiosks near the building to speed up service. One would sell cold drinks and ice cream, the other serving wine and beer. He says customers will still find their old favorites, but there will be plenty that's new.
"You'll be able to get oysters, crab cakes, fish tacos, you'll be able to get it here," he said.
King also plans to sell food at additional locations around the lake and offer rentals of tables or blankets so you can set up a picnic along the water.
"I think they are going to be pleasantly surprised. We are going to make friends here," he said.
The full Park and Recreation Board is expected to take a vote on the committee's recommendation at their meeting on Nov. 29. If approved, Lola's Cafe on the Lake will open in April.
