Jan. 6, 2022

The owners of Papa’s Pub & Eatery in Dell Rapids have decided to abandon their attempts to reopen the restaurant. Owners David and Rebecca Ohayon of Sioux Falls closed the restaurant in February last year after deciding not to renew the lease in the historic opera house where they had operated for two years. They purchased another building in downtown Dell Rapids but struggled to get financing to set up the restaurant. In a post Wednesday on social media, the couple noted that “David has had the luxury of actually spending time with our family and it’s been delightful.” He has started offering his services as a chef for in-home dinners.

Grab-and-go plant-based meals from Brookings-based ‘Brosia Bowl are available now in Sioux Falls at Pomegranate Market. Owner Darcy Green delivers items on Mondays and Thursdays. Each time, customers will find two salad and two heat-and-eat options. Wraps, burritos and soups are coming soon, she said. Green started selling her grain and salad bowls in 2019, offering online ordering and delivery in Brookings and Sioux Falls, in addition to selling at the Brookings Farmers Market and other venues. She expanded to include a food truck last fall.

Chef Lance’s on Phillips has released its new menu for the season. In addition to its Tuscany Burger for January’s Downtown Burger Battle competition, diners will find crab cakes and a pulled pork flatbread. Lunch-only options include a three-cheese tortellini with vodka sauce and a Cuban sandwich. For dinner, one of the new choices is the black and bleu sirloin.

Two bakeries are joining in the fun for the Downtown Burger Battle. Intoxibakes is back with its cupcake and brownie “burgers” and is donating 20 percent of sales to B-Squad Dog Rescue.

Prairie Cocoa & Confections will offer the Sweetest Burger when it’s back from winter break Jan. 12. It even comes with a side of “fries.”

Look’s Marketplace is back with its own burger challenge for the month, pitting four kitchens against each other. Here are the four Burger Mania offerings: The Yolk Hogan starring peanut butter, bacon and an over-easy egg; The Hardy Boy with two smashed burger patties, pastrami and shoestring fries; La Lucha Libre featuring chorizo, egg and beans; and The Undertaker with pepperoni-spiced marinara and fried smoked provolone. The winning team earns a championship belt to go with the bragging rights.

The fourth annual Hartford Area Burger Battle Challenge in underway this month. Participating businesses include the Main Street Humboldt Bar and Big J’s Roadhouse in Humboldt and four Hartford spots: The Goat Bar & Grill, The Dugout Sports Bar & Grill, Hartford Steak Co. Tavern and Buffalo Ridge Brewing Co. Get details on the burgers and how to enter the weekly drawing for $25 in Hartford Bucks by clicking here. And, if you’re looking for an easy option to sample several of the burgers, Sioux Falls Food Tours is offering an evening tour Jan. 20. Ten seats are open in the van that will leave from Sioux Falls; tickets can be ordered online and are $89.

Let It Fly has added a weekday lunch special. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., diners can pick two menu items for $10. Here are the offerings:

Squealer’s Smoke Shack in Tea has updated its lunch specials. Tuesday: 3 Amigos Tacos with chips and salsa for $10; Wednesday: buy a burger and get the second one for half-price; Thursday: full order of boneless wings and fries for $14; Friday: buy a flatbread and get the second one for half-price.

January’s featured menu at Tinner’s Public House might make you feel like you’re on vacation. Start in Asia with chicken lettuce boats, head to the islands with the Big Island chicken sandwich, stop in Italy for the Tuscan turkey wrap, visit Greece for the garlic butter lamb T-bones and finish it on the East Coast with a slice of Boston cream pie.

Breadsmith is bringing back the specialty bread it makes with Monster Cookie Oatmeal Stout beer and spent grain from Severance Brewing Co. Customers can find it every Friday this month.

Glacial Lakes Distillery & Brewhouse has a new featured drink menu, including a cocktail named after Mayor Paul TenHaken, “who enjoys stopping in to see us from time to time.” Haken Not Stirred is a martini made with the distillery’s aquavit and features notes of jalapeno, cucumber and star anise.

The downtown tasting room for the Watertown-based distillery also is featuring a new mocktail every week this month for those who give up alcohol as part of the Dry January challenge. This week’s offering is Brrrberry Mockshake, made from mixed berries, pineapple and coconut cream.

The popular traveling food truck On the Hook Fish & Chips will be in the parking lot of Tractor Supply Co. on North Cliff Avenue from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday.

Changes in service, hours

As COVID-19 cases rise again in the area, restaurants and bars are beginning to post notice of changes in operation. A handful of businesses even closed temporarily because of staffing issues related to the cornavirus surge.

• M.B. Haskett Delicatessen is requiring masks for entry until Feb. 2. “We cordially ask that a mask be worn at all times while not actively eating or drinking,” the downtown restaurant said in a social media post.
• DaDa Gastropub has returned to spacing out its tables for social distancing. “We also strongly encourage that you wear a mask, and our staff is committed to doing so as well.”
• The Hello Hi is closed today through Sunday “as we navigate these COVID waves with quarantines and caution,” but Pizza Cheeks remains open for takeout and delivery.
• The three bars that are part of the Carpenter group were closed for several days because many of the bartenders were out sick. “We were caught in the wake of the super-catchy, albeit mild, virus,” according to a social media post. Carpenter Bar and Highball reopened today after being closed since New Year’s Eve. The Treasury was closed New Year’s Day through Tuesday.

La India Taina Puerto Rican Restaurant posted on social media that it’s closed for “family reasons” until Wednesday.

Zooks Coffee Bar in Tea has moved to winter hours: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Here are other recent food and drink headlines.

Strawbale Winery owners to retire

Watecha Bowl to return to food truck scene

New location, corporate office, revamped play land: McDonald’s franchisee previews 2022

Taco Bell rolls out monthly taco subscription service nationwide