The worst kept secret right now is that pandemics cause upheaval. Thanks to the current state of the world, I’m riding shotgun along I-94 in North Dakota right now, passing sunflower fields. They’re cheerful.
Chris and I are heading West to start a new life.
Before we left Rochester, Minnesota; we ate food from what we consider to be the most innovative restaurant in my hometown, Bleu Duck Kitchen (BDK). Their food has been inventive since they opened in late August, 2016. This isn’t just our opinion. They’ve been voted Rochester’s Best Restaurant three years in a row.
A Restaurant Adapts
On St. Patrick’s Day 2020, Minnesota restaurants were forced to close their doors to indoor dining. At 4 o’clock that same day, BDK had meals available to order online for curbside pickup, or delivery. They offered ready-to-eat and take-and-bake options along with weekly pop-up selections: Kraft Burritos, BluDuk Noodle, Lipstick on a Pig, and Cucina de Pato Azul. A few weeks later, as soon as we felt safe eating beyond the borders of our home, we made a date of picking up dinners curbside from BDK.
View all the details by watching our “We Tried Curbside at Rochester’s Best Restaurant” episode of The ChriMel Show:
As Minnesota's Shelter-in-place continued on, bDK Innovated on.
BDK teamed up with Little Thistle Brewing, Neon Green Art Studio, and Chamberlain Concierge to deliver Rochester’s Best Date Night for Two. We placed our selections for a bake-at-home meal, IPA beer, and an art kit on Friday. On Saturday, at around 5 p.m. a woman wearing a face mask and gloves delivered a box full of date night supplies outside our door. We had too much fun!
Watch “We Had a Date in a Box to Showcase the Awesomeness of Locally-Owned Businesses” to see how our artistic endeavors turned out.
Summertime and the pandemic's not easing
BDK closed its doors during the first week of June to prepare what they called Bleu Duck 3.0: Al Fresco, Online Takeout, and the Bleu Duck Truck. We love the Bleu Duck Truck!
The truck sets up outside of a variety of businesses around town. They post location and menu details on the truck’s Facebook page. On their menu, you can find anything from lobster grilled cheese to banh mi poutine to a more standard style cheeseburger. On weekends, the truck serves brunch. Chris loves their chorizo breakfast tacos. I love their donut holes served warm and covered in blueberries, caramel, and graham crumb.
Our last BDK meal before leaving town was on a weeknight. We ate Avocado Tacos (corn tortillas, beer battered avocado, blue cheese, kimchi slaw, and spicy aioli) and Elote in a Cup (roasted corn, jalapeno, cilantro, cotija, and chili lime powder). Both were delicious! While we’re away, we’re going to miss the culinary adventures BDK helped us have without traveling far.
