Takk for Maten & Kippis update
Takk for Maten, the Scandinavian cafe, is tentatively set to reopen May 15 in the former DAC deli space in the Tech Village, on Superior Street next to Pizza Luce. The cafe used to be on Lake Avenue just above Superior Street, until an unfortunate steam pipe incident in January.
Takk for Maten (Norwegian for “thanks for the food”) will occupy the space during the day. At night, tentatively starting in June, it will be home to Kippis (Finnish for “cheers”), a full-service tapas bar.
There has been a lot of work going on, including a newly refinished bar and a brighter look inside; gone is the old dark-blue paint. The photo above shows some newly painted walls – though that green is only the primer. Here is one more look inside:
50 Comments
zra
about 8 years agonice...the old DAC Deli is a great space. maybe a little more accessible too...and a tapas bar? tres chic!
Calk
about 8 years agoYAY! Finnish style tapas? Duluth is so fricking cool, i don't think you can find a Finnish style tapas bar anywhere else in the USA! I am so there.
shana
about 8 years agoThanks for the update! I've been wondering!
deadrabbitsheen
about 8 years agoFantastic.
ironic1
about 8 years agoFinnish tapas? Wowzers. That sounds like fun.
traceydee
about 8 years agoVery exciting - congrats! As a Tech Village tenant I am eager to try your fares.
wildgoose
about 8 years agoNutty Meg's and DAC did not do very well in that location. I'm not sure why but I hope Takk for Maten does better. I work nearby within easy walk/meeting distance and will visit when I can. I think that the rent is probably pretty high, and people are habituated to Luce which is right next door and grandma's etc which is just a couple of blocks away in canal park If everyone with a job in Duluth visited at least one small independent, locally owned, truly independent business a week I wonder what would happen to our quality of life and return on investment for small businesses in our city. I'm not saying never go to McDonald's or Luce, I'm just saying go to one independent local business once a week. And yes, I do know I'm preaching to the choir here.
Calk
about 8 years agoI STILL miss Nutty Megs, I loved that place.
wildgoose
about 8 years agoOh and please advise a fifth-ish generation Swedish American ... in any event too far out of Scandinavian roots to even know what "tapas" are. And what else should I try there?
huitz
about 8 years agoCafe and late-night tapas. Yumm, fried lutefisk, can't wait. Just kidding. Both places sound like fun. I'll check it out, for sure, but if we're sharing kitchens here, I'll avoid anyplace that serves fried cafe leftovers and calls them "tapas". Still, if you have a decent cook, and good ambiance and not too pricey, I'm there.
ginger
about 8 years agoWildgoose: Tapas are Spanish, not Scandinavian, so the concept is certainly fusion. I am not sure the Finnish have a comparable concept. In Spanish culture, it's common for people to eat "small plates" either earlier in the evening or later at night while out and about dancing and partying. They are a supplement, or alternative, to dinner, which is typically eaten much later in the evening than we of Scandinavian heritage are accustomed. Tapas became quite trendy in the States about 5 years ago and will have finally made their way to D-town!
Barrett
about 8 years agoAlso, Finland is not a part of Scandinavia. Scandinavia is Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
Calk
about 8 years agoI remember about 5 years ago, I mentioned to two Duluth friends who asked me about a recent trip I'd taken to NYC that I'd enjoyed a tapas bar I'd gone to. They looked at me funny and one said, "Were the waitresses pretty?" I just about died when I realized they thought I'd gone to a topless bar!
huitz
about 8 years agoFinnish language is closer to hungarian or estonian (no, I didn't look that up on wikipedia) They still, however, share some cuisine with their neighbors. Fusion tapas sounds interesting, anyways, even if the finns are about as far away from the mediterranean culture as you can get.
wildgoose
about 8 years agoI've been to Finland. Spent the night there in Helsinki on New Year's Eve, 1993. The whole town was drunk. And when I say the whole town, I do mean everyone, cab drivers, border guys, old ladies walking home from the grocery store, kids standing around at the bus stop ... the town was one big party and I had clearly missed it. I knew about the Russia, Karelia, Estonia connection and the language distinction, but I guess I never knew it wasn't "Scandinavia."
ginger
about 8 years agoFrom Wiki: "Scandinavia is a historical and geographical region in northern Europe that includes, and is named after, the Scandinavian Peninsula. It consists of the kingdoms of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark; some authorities argue for the inclusion of Finland and Iceland, in Scandinavia the term is, however, used unambiguously for Denmark, Norway and Sweden, which share a mutually intelligible language (a dialect continuum), ethnic composition and have close cultural and historic bonds, to a degree that Scandinavians may be considered one people. Regardless of how the term Scandinavia is used outside the region, the terms Nordic countries and Nordic region are used officially and unambiguously to identify the nations of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland as well as the Danish territory of the Faroe Islands and the Finnish territory of Ã…land as politically and culturally similar entities."
huitz
about 8 years agoMy mother's parents were Swede-Finn just off the Swedish and Finnish border. What language did they speak, I wonder? It seemed sort of pidgin, but I was too young to be sure. Not to mention what type of food they may have eaten.
calk
about 8 years agoI occasionally participate on a listserve with fellow alumnae of my alma mater. These alumnae live all over the world. I mentioned the Finnish tapas bar in Duluth on this listserve and a group of them are set to make a road trip to Duluth to partake. Yay.
Bret
about 8 years agoCan't wait! Hope they have gravlax tapas! Oh, and various infused vodkas! I've been to Finland, Sweden and Denmark and can't wait to have Nordic tapas extravaganza! Oh, and did I mention various infused vodkas?
natali
about 8 years agoWhat the heck are Finnish tapas??!?!! There's a tapas bar in Chicago that i LOVE to go to, but of course it's Hispanic food. I kept saying i should open a tapas restaurant up here.... Finnish tapas though..... could Duluth be anymore white.
zra
about 8 years agommm...lutefisk.
huitz
about 8 years agommm...pickled chorizo It will be cool if it takes off. Personally, I'd vote for a new japanese fast food place, but what the heck.
huitz
about 8 years agonatali, I agree with you. Given the cultural and artistic vibes we get from Duluth, you would never be able to tell by the restaurants, or even music (with exceptions, of course). Good thing/bad thing, you decide.
Barrett Chase
about 8 years agoIf an authentic tapas bar opened in Duluth, people would complain that it wasn't really tapas, and that it wasn't nearly as good as the tapas they had had elsewhere. And that it was too expensive. This place actually sounds perfect: a fusion of late-night dining (sorely missing in this town) and authentic ethnic cuisine (I assume the "Finnish" part describes the food style, and the "tapas" part is used to describe the style of dining.) Duluth is very white. But what is it about white people who deny the validity of their own ethnicity and the traditions of their own grandparents, all the while seeking similar authenticity from other cultures? Diversity is great. White people should join in and carry on the traditions of their own families, rather than assuming they have no culture other than consumer culture. Your food traditions do not come from McDonald's. They come from your great grandmother.
zra
about 8 years agobarrett chase = pdd philosopher laureate
pH
about 8 years agoUp with tapas! WDSE recently ran an imported series called "Perfect Day" (ahem) which featured modern Scandinavian cooking and travel. Will make your lonely nordic heart ache for the motherland. In the mean time, I plan to travel to downtown Duluth for my culture fix. Kippis!
pH
about 8 years agoPerfect Day
edgeways
about 8 years agoBarrett points out an important thing here. And, there is quite a wide range of cultures which are traditionally Caucasian. Russian culture and food are very different then French or Spanish, or Israeli or Greek... etc. Which is not saying these are the end-all-be-all of culture and food, lord no. Just that a dismissive "X is so white" fails on a number of ways. I perfectly understand the desire to live and interact with people of different ethnic, social and religious backgrounds... but just as people from Asian, African, Mid-eastern can't all be put in the same box and said to be the definitive representative of their geographical region I don't think you can do that with Caucasians as well.
Sandy
about 8 years agohey all, takk for maten won't be open this Friday; we're so very close, but we want it to be great before we open the doors. stay tuned for opening details in the coming days!
wildgoose
about 8 years agoDuluth -could- be much more white. It was. I grew up here, I know. Agreed with Zra on Barrett. And not wanting to hammer on Natali, but it in the circles I travel, where I live, and travel, Duluth today is a very diverse city. Seriously. But even in the 70s and 80s growing up and before, the other colors and cultures were always here, people just found them easier to ignore. As far too many still do. But this happens everywhere I've traveled, certain people stick to their neighborhoods and their kind. Projects like Takk for Maten who may attempt to break down some barriers and try some ethnographic "fusion," if you will, are to be applauded. Like I said, I hope it works.
Brent
about 8 years agoCan't we just be happy that business is blooming in Duluth? White? Cracker? Brown? Scandinavian? Norwegian? Blah blah blah......way to go Peter and company. It looks great so far but what really makes a great spot is the bathroom....give me some urinal shots!!! Xoxoxoxox
oldknifey
about 8 years agoIs it true that Takk for Maten opened today? I'm excited to try it.
Beverly
about 8 years agoIt's open now! Hours: Monday-Saturday 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. Breakfast served until 10 a.m.
emily
about 8 years agoanyone know who i need to talk to about hiring? serving or bartending positions?
Heather
about 8 years agoHmm, went to check out the new set up yesterday (Friday the 29th) around 1:45pm and the signs on all the doors said they were closed. No hours posted, and the 2 or 3 people milling about inside just stared at us blankly. Are they open yet? Rumor says they are, but it'd be nice to hear something official.
Tim K
about 8 years agoHad breakfast there (Takk for Maten) with the family this morning (Saturday). Good food, fair price.
sandy
about 8 years agoTFM closed at 2 pm Friday, not 1:45. I'm really dismayed to hear that anyone stared blankly! I greet each person as a friend and I think we have a super friendly group of folks. We hadn't posted hours yet 'cause we didn't want to have to change them. My partners and I meet today, and we will make a final decision on hours and post them tonight. Thanks for all the great discussion!
Customer
about 8 years agoGone a couple of times now, and enjoyed it each time. I walk by a couple times a day and it looks busy most of the time which is great to see. I'm always a fan of more (non-chain) options for dining. Good luck Takk.
Timo Winkenen
about 8 years agoWill there be kalamojakka on Fridays? Or liha mojakka other days? Also visit www.SaintUrho.com
Todd Gremmels
about 8 years agoTusen Tukk Takk for Maten!!!! Gu Dag, Gu Dag!!!
Calk
about 8 years agoWent to Takk for Matten with my Book group ladies for lunch today. They've got to work out some kinks -- like lots of waiting on line to order, it went pretty slowly. When I am with my book group ladies, I want to talk, not stand on a slow moving line. But food is great, prices are great, and I want to go back for tapas the finnish way!
Joseph S
about 8 years agoWe went to KIPPIS last night. It was fantastic. I would suggest the grilled Haluomi cheese, it is delicious. The prices are decent and the staff was friendly. It is nice to see that Duluth has something like this. It is very refershing. Good luck Kippis, we will be back for sure.
marn
about 8 years agoAte at Kippis last week. It was fabulous. Wasn't sure what to think of Finn Tappas, but it means fried cheese and little pieces of duck and other tasty meats all served with lingonberries or honey. Had a martini there called Superior Ice. It was the perfect taste expression of the color blue.
udarnik
about 8 years agoWe went to Kippis last night and it was outstanding. The food was excellent, the service attentive without being overbearing, it was casual and elegant at the same time, and I thought the price was just right. I hope this sticks around; it's my new fave.
misnomer
about 8 years agoMMM. Very delicious and nice atmosphere.
Conrad
about 8 years agoChanges are scary
-Berv
about 8 years agoHuh? I like the lefse dog.
davids
about 8 years agoNot sure why this thread got re-woken, but since it showed up, I'll weigh in with my support for Kippis--I went there for the first time a week ago--started first with some wine at Chester Creek Cafe, then went to Kippis for more wine and a sampler plate of baked cheese, salmon and duck tapas--good food, reasonable (for tapas) price, and the service was really perfect--attentive and friendly (gave us a free sample of toast and a delicious berry jam and a sample of a nice white wine as soon as we sat down). Then we went to Zinema and saw the Oscar-nominated short films. Great night out all around (really made me love living in this place), and Kippis will be a frequent stop from now on.
adam
about 8 years agoA slight switch in ownership.
girlfromnorthcountry
about 8 years agoIt is a very bad thing for my budget that the recent expansion of the skywalk has allowed me to take a morning stroll to Takk for Maten for a breakfast lefse and coffee... they'll even let me substitute veggies for the sausage option... Jarlsberg cheese and lefse goodness, very good coffee, oh yum. :)