Copper Bleu - RussellFreedom

[Copper Bleu] in Lakeville, MN is the latest and greatest over-hyped suburban restaurant in the Twin Cities.

From: http://www.startribune.com/stories/456/5411053.html

[Copper Bleu], scheduled to open in Lakeville this fall, could be one of the most expensive restaurants ever built in Minnesota. ScottWiner?, who owns Champps restaurants in Burnsville and MapleGrove, says he is spending more than $5 million on the contemporary bistro concept, scheduled to open in late November at LakevilleCrossings?.

"They better anticipate doing $10 million a year in sales," said PhilRoberts?, CEO of ParasoleRestaurantHoldings?. The only local restaurant that beats that benchmark is the CheesecakeFactory in Edina, says Roberts.

The [Copper Bleu] menu, planned with consulting chef [Toby Nidetz] (sic), will offer comfort foods with a millennium spin. The design will feature an undulating copper roof, outdoor fire pit, handmade furniture and hand-blown glass fixtures.

Why the name? "We did some market research and about 90 percent of the women responded favorably to [Copper Bleu]," said Winer. "And we know who decides where you are going to eat tonight. It's either the wife or the kids."

One can sense the amount of personality of [Copper Bleu] without even going in it! The millennium tastes great, and if those market surveys can help get me in the door -- awesome!

[Copper Bleu]'s building was designed by the Chicago architectural and design firm [Jordan Mozer and Associates], who also did work for the CheesecakeFactory. Woo. It's trendy. Foreign, for Lakeville.

From their own website, you can read all about what kind of "fine dining" [Copper Bleu] is by reading a bunch of amazing adjectives if you can make it through the huge run-on sentence at the end (emphasis added):

[Copper Bleu] is a new Lakeville landmark restaurant and is sure to be your restaurant of choice for an unforgettable dining experience. [Copper Bleu] features classic Hand crafted food created and served in an extraordinary way. Everything is home made. We offer amazing appetizers, garden fresh salads, hand-carved sandwiches certified angus burgers, pastas, steaks and ribs, fresh fish and decadent desserts as well as one of a kind tableside mashed potatoes, hand-poured martinis, fresh squeezed juices to order, unique signature cocktails and a wide range of wines by the glass poured at the table.

Wow, hand-poured martinis? Wines by the glass poured at the table?! That's unforgettable.

The interior of [Copper Bleu] is stylish, inviting and surreal with copper, elements of fire and water, wood and stone, a comfortable bar, an open ceiling with wood beams, and breathtaking décor. The interior of [Copper Bleu]-from the roof to the restrooms is truly amazing. [Copper Bleu] is a down to earth, solid American restaurant.

[Copper Bleu] has "truly amazing" restrooms. In the same paragraph, [Copper Bleu] is "surreal with copper" and has "breathtaking décor" but yet it's "down to earth." What is it? [Copper Bleu] is just surreal suburban dining.

[Copper Bleu] has surprisingly good food. Although it doesn’t have much personality and in a few years the freshness and trendiness of the place will wear off, my guess is with all the new money that’s moving to these outer suburbs, the great food and otherwise lack of “fine dining” in these parts, [Copper Bleu] will stick around.

[Copper Bleu]
17516 Dodd Blouevard
Lakeville, MN 55044
952-431-5050

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