Calhoun Square lands new restaurant Parella

A prime corner of Calhoun Square is finally about to get a new bustling restaurant after years of being vacant. Parella, an italian restaurant, will open in the former Filgio space on the corner of Hennepin Avenue and Lake Street in early July.

Michael Larson, the owner of the successful Digby's restaurant at Rosedale Center in Roseville, is behind Parella. Larson has also managed to get all-star chef Todd Macdonald to join the team as head chef. Macdonald recently moved back to Minneapolis from New York City after begin an italian chef for the last 10 years there and working at well known restaurants such as Cru and Bouley.

Inspired by a small town in Piedmont, Italy, Parella will feature rustic italian food offerings cooked many of which will be cooked in the wood-fired pizza oven left over by Figlio or the new wood burning oven that Parella will install. Entrees will be mid-priced and feature dishes such as Jerusalem artichokes, chicken, and occasional specialty offerings such a unique steaks or roast suckling pig.

Parella will of course feature an array of pasta dishes that chef Macdonald is well-known for. There's even another unique feature that the restaurant will include; a crudo bar. Think italian sushi. It will be the second crudo bar in the city of Minneapolis after the first opens in early summer at Monello.

It appears that Minneapolis is becoming a haven for Italian food lovers. Monello will open in early summer at the Hotel Ivy in Downtown as part of a repositioning of the former Porter and Frye space. Il Foro will open in the former Forum downtown in late spring or early summer and will feature dishes by the star chef Jack Riebel. If italian food craving hearts weren't already weeping with joy we can now also have Parella to look forward to. What can we say, Minnesotan's love some good Italian cuisine.

One last thing that we are certain will make this restaurant a great success is the fact that Parella plans to be open until bar-close seven nights a week. Finally, a place where we can get our late night italian cravings fulfilled.

Parello plans to open by early July at 3001 Hennepin Avenue South in Calhoun Square.