A barbecue place offering slow cooked meats, Southern sides, Vodka Chile Sauce and other signature house-made sauces is moving into the former Heirloom space on Marshall Avenue in the Merriam Park neighborhood in St. Paul.
Bark and the Bite, the barbecue outfit that has made a name for itself with a food truck and daily take-out operation at Sunny’s Market in Northeast Minneapolis before a fire closed the operation last October, is taking over the space.
When the team opens in what they hope will be early April, expect a larger operation than what was previously offered through Bark and the Bite.
“We have a lot more space in here than the little bodega we had before,” said business manager Mark Myers. “With the restaurant having two sides, one side will be the kitchen and a seating area for take-out and quick dining. The other side will be a full bar and full service, sit-down restaurant.”
Myers added that while the the take-out and casual dining side could be up and running in early spring, the full service part may not open right way because of the length of time needed to get the necessary licenses.
A smoker has been installed in the space. Chef/owner Noah Miller plans to feature what was previously offered through Bark and the Bite, including best-sellers such as hush puppies, twice-cooked chicken wings, pulled pork sandwiches and ribs. The larger space also allows Miller to expand the menu to include new items. He’s planning on smoking whole turkeys for serving turkey legs, smoked turkey sandwiches and using in collards. Brisket, which previously ran as an occasional special, will also have a permanent place on the menu.
Miller lives in St. Paul and when he came across the Heirloom space, it was just what he was looking for. Heirloom, the neighborhood eatery serving modern, seasonal dishes, closed last summer after 2½ years.
“We felt incredibly lucky when we found this space. The previous people who were at Heirloom did an amazing job building out this space and kitchen,” Myers said. “The fact that it was here and available was luck on our part.“
As far as the Bark and the Bite food truck, “we’ll still be running the food truck at tap rooms but probably not as regularly as before,” Myers said. “We’ll be doing a lot of weddings, corporate events, things like that.”
BARK AND THE BITE
- Where: 2186 Marshall Ave., St. Paul
- For more information: barkandthebite.com