Axios Twin Cities

Butcher & the Boar is back. The award-winning restaurant known for its smoked meats opens in North Loop tomorrow with a reimagined menu, new ownership, and plenty of whiskey.

Catch up fast: The original Butcher & the Boar on Hennepin Avenue abruptly closed in September 2020 after eight years, inciting a bidding war for the rights to its name, menu and building.

• Jester Concepts, the restaurant group behind Parlour, P.S. Steak and Constantine, won the naming and menu rights, giving us Butcher 2.0.

👋 Audrey stopped by the new place to see if the buzz was worth it.

The location: Butcher 2.0 is only a block from North Loop's bustling Washington Avenue, but feels off the beaten path; the drab exterior (it was an office building, after all) made it easy to miss at night.

• One perk: Unlike most North Loop businesses, it has a parking lot and ample street parking.

The atmosphere: Most of the space is decked out in black, but the wood accents, comfortable leather booths and warm glow from hanging lights make it feel cozy, not cold.

• Freestanding tables have rugs beneath for a homey feel; the enormous custom bar features a giant stuffed boar as a centerpiece.

What we ordered: Don't be fooled by the reputation — Butcher 2.0's menu is more than just steak and whiskey.

• I started with the blue crab beignets, a light and savory fried dough that melts in your mouth.

Main course: We settled on a ribeye and the charred chicken.

• Steaks can be easily overpowered by their accompaniments, but Butcher 2.0 kept its focus on the meat. The cognac-mushroom cream sauce complimented the dish perfectly.
• The chicken was generously portioned and looked beautiful, but even with the creamy dill labneh… it's just chicken.

My thought bubble: I am not Butcher's target audience. I rarely eat red meat, don't enjoy dark liquor, and never visited the original restaurant.

• Despite that, the luxe atmosphere, menu variety, excellent food and quality service had me planning a date night at the bar by the time I left.

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Butcher's cocktail menu takes a unique approach to "something for everybody."

• Each drink has three versions: The classic, the bar's spin on it, and a non-alcoholic option.

Brandy Old Fashioned: The lack of whiskey and added splash of spiced apple bitters made this the only Old Fashioned I've ever liked. 9/10.

Cross Pollination: Nonalcoholic drinks can be delicious, but this "Manhattan" with NA whiskey, orange and honey tasted like citrus-infused water. 2/10.

Pearls Before Swine: This is the ultimate dirty martini. Butcher's version uses oyster-shell infused vodka, which gives the drink a seawater-like brine, a slight umami flavor and plenty of salt.

• My dining partner called it the best martini he's ever had. I tried one sip and gagged. Average rating: 5/10.

Rents in the Twin Cities grew at a slower place than the U.S. average in 2022, according to a report by Moody's Analytics.

Details: The average asking rent for an apartment in the Twin Cities grew by 5.2% in 2022, reaching $1,510, per Moody's.

Why it matters: Rents have risen slower than income growth, which is why the Twin Cities is one of five metro areas where renters became less cost-burdened over the past three years, according to Moody's.

Yes, but: Apartment construction has been booming in the metro over the past several years, helping boost supply.

• Still, there are early indications of a slowdown due to rising interest rates, construction costs, and concerns about rent control policies.

🚃 DFL lawmakers are pushing a bill that would fund Amtrak train service between the Twin Cities and Duluth. (MPR News)

🛍 The owner of Maplewood Mall is no longer putting the shopping center up for auction and will continue its leasing efforts. (Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal)

📃 A state official has ordered Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher to immediately cut down the county jail's population due to safety concerns for inmates.

• Fletcher blamed the county board for not providing him enough resources. (Star Tribune)

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When it comes to MLS team valuations, Minnesota United FC falls in the middle of the pack.

• The Loons are worth $540 million — 16th among the 28 teams that played in 2022.

Driving the news: LAFC recently became the league's first franchise to be worth $1 billion, per Forbes.

By the numbers: The average MLS team is worth $579 million, up a staggering 85% since 2019, Axios Sports' Jeff Tracy writes.

Between the lines: United owner Bill McGuire paid a $100 million franchise fee to join MLS and another $250 million to build Allianz Field. It's looking like those were wise investments.

What's next: Minnesota United opens their season against FC Dallas on Feb. 25. The first home match is March 11.