8. EDSR 12-10-2007 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Suburbs singing restaurant bleus Page 1 of 2 StarTr~bulrte~4~n I~1I1~1NEA{~)~I -T. PAL, t~Il:~irS~T Suburbs singing restaurant bleus Copper Bleu restaurant, which cost more than $5 million, opened to critical acclaim in 2005 and quietly closed last month. By _Kevin Duchschere, Star Tribune Last update: November 14, 2007 - 4:50 PM Disappointment -- and some mystery -- surrounds the fate of Copper Bleu, the swank Lakeville restaurant that opened to wide acclaim two years ago and closed with nary a whisper last month. The copper-clad American bistro, designed by atop-flight Chicago restaurant architect, was thought by some to herald a new day in fine dining in the outlying Twin Cities suburbs. Critics raved about the food and the eye-catching building, which owner and local restaurateur Scott Winer said cost more than $5 million. Although the bistro seemed to be busy, especially on the weekends, some in the restaurant world wondered whether there would be business enough for Winer to make good on his investment. Winer didn't return phone calls last week to say why he closed the place and what plans, if any, he has for the site. Steve Mielke, Lakeville's city administrator, said that locals were "sad and disappointed" to learn of Copper Bleu's closing. Winer received no subsidies for the operation, he said. "It's a tough business. The successes are there and so are the failures, but their food was outstanding," Mielke said. Steve Eck, who works for a Minneapolis software company and lives in Lakeville, agreed that the food was good at Copper Bleu but that he and his wife typically went there only on special occasions, because "it was pricier than my budget would allow." One problem with Copper Bleu may have been its proximity to a Cub Foods store and a strip mall, a humdrum vista just outside the restaurant windows. Eck said it seemed a strange location for such a contemporary building. "A wavy roof, interesting shape, covered in copper panels and stone work," he said. "I guess that would be part of my concern -- what are they going to do with such aunique- looking restaurant?" http://www.startribune.com/332/v-print/story/1548458.htm1 11/16/2007