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Fhima’s Minneapolis Reimagined | Minnesota Monthly

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Fhima’s Minneapolis Reimagined | Minnesota Monthly


Fhima’s Minneapolis

Photo: Kelly Birch Photography

Fhima’s Minneapolis has revitalized its historic art deco space downtown and refreshed its menu. I had the opportunity to check it out Oct. 14 at a media preview and enjoyed the cool ambience and some menu samples.

Fhima’s Minneapolis

Photo: Kelly Birch Photography

The Historic Space

Fhima’s Minneapolis is housed in a unique space on 7th Street that’s interior was once part of the Forum Cafeteria. Created in a building originally constructed in 1914 as the Saxe Theatre (which was renamed the Strand Theatre a few months after it opened), the interior was rebuilt in 1929-30 as the Forum Cafeteria in glitzy art deco style with mirrors, geometric shapes, tile, and stone surfaces. In the 1970s, the space was converted to a disco called Scotties on 7th. Then, the space was threatened with demolition in the 1980s to make way for the City Center building, but preservationists got the Forum on the National Register of Historic Places and developers were required to disassemble and store the entire 3,500-piece interior, which was then reassembled in a space a few feet up 7th Street, becoming part of City Center. Restored to its former glory, the space has housed fine dining establishments over the years, with Fhima’s Minneapolis having taken over the treasured space when it opened in 2018.

Fhima’s Minneapolis Bar

Photo: Kelly Birch Photography

Collaborating with the design firm Shea and Greiner Construction for the remodel, the goal was to give the interior a fresh makeover while preserving its historic charm. The update features new furniture to optimize the space plus cool accessories like feather “palms” that enhance the Moroccan vibe in the bar area and curtains around some tables that can make a dining experience extra cozy. The enhanced lighting highlights the unique mirrored and tiled walls, and the kitchen received a facelift. There is also a private dining area on the upper level of the restaurant.

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Chef David Fhima in the refreshed Fhima’s Minneapolis restaurant

Photo: Mary Subialka

“We have always considered it an honor to be embraced by this historic building and are excited to broaden our commitment to the space by giving the ambiance a facelift, furthering our pledge to be the stewards of history, and continuing to tell the story for many years to come,” said Chef David Fhima in a statement.

The Menu Reimagined

The restaurant’s visionary and chef, David Fhima was born in Casablanca, Morocco, to a Spanish mother and a Sicilian father, and created the menu to follow the Fhima family’s heritage while incorporating his French culinary training in iconic restaurants. Now, he said, the refreshed menu is leaning more into his Moroccan heritage. And it uses ingredients in partnership with Minnesota and local farmers. His son, Elijah Fhima, is the maitre d’ and director of operations.

Fhima’s Minneapolis Craft Cocktails

Photo: Kelly Birch Photography

The bar menu is shaking and stirring things up with craft cocktails, beer, and a curated selection of red, white, and sparkling wines by the glass. We enjoyed samples of some of the creatively named cocktails including Telephone Call From Istanbul, Fhima’s signature Old Fashioned; Moroccan Tea Toddy, a warming bourbon and mint creation; the Marrakesh Mule—a mixture of Pierre Ferrand 1840, Bénédictine, Cardamom and Star Anise Honey Syrup, Lime, Rosewater, and Fresh Ginger—which was my favorite; Mama Fhima’s Sangria, a Fhima family classic; Hotel Casablanca gin-based apéritif, and the Espresso Martini.

Food samples included the delicious Wagyu Butter Burger and Lamb Cigars, which are handheld bites of phyllo-wrapped Moroccan ground lamb, toasted powdered almonds, and served with harissa aioli. We also tried the Parisian Street Lamb Sausage (Merguez) in a Baguette with Pommes Frites and Harissa, which had a spicy kick. The falafel sample with hummus was served atop a tasty soft flatbread. A dessert sample we enjoyed is called the Gazelle Horn, which is almond- and date-filled crispy dough drizzled with honey.

Some other entrees on the menu include a Vegetable Tagine, Vegan Cigars, Seafood Paella, a Moroccan Sampler (Hummus, Shakshuka, Moroccan Olives, Tahini, Baba Ganoush, M’Smen, which is a tender, flaky, flatbread, and Grandma’s Salmon and Chickpeas. You’ll find a Falafel Bowl—Moroccan salad topped with falafel, served with tahini, hummus, and zhoug, which is a spicy cilantro sauce. It’s always good to have chicken on the menu, and Fhima’s take is Apricot and Onions Chicken Tagine with Root Vegetables. You can also find a pasta—Taktouka Linguine: Shakshuka, mussels, shrimp, sea bass, salmon, ras al hanout, and herb de Provençe—as well as a 12-ounce Moroccan spiced Wagyu New York Strip with Saffron Rice, Dried Fruits, Almonds, Zhoug—and a 14-ounce Moroccan Aged Rib-eye Wagyu with couscous, grilled vegetables, za’atar demi, and more.

Side dishes include tahini, pomme frites, hummus, falafel, and baba ganoush. And, lunch is served weekdays, which includes some sandwiches on that menu. In addition to the Gazelle Horns, the dessert lineup includes gâteau au chocolat, crème brûlée, and Moroccan pastilla (flaky phyllo layers, almonds, and tres leches sauce)—because there is always room for dessert. And, it’s all enjoyed in this unique historic space with a really cool vibe.

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Building interior entryway

Photo: Kelly Birch Photography

Fhima’s Minneapolis is located at 40 S. 7th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55402. There is an adjacent parking ramp and the restaurant is easily accessible from the interior hallway.





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Minneapolis, MN

JD Vance: Ilhan Omar ‘definitely committed immigration fraud’

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JD Vance: Ilhan Omar ‘definitely committed immigration fraud’


The Republic of Somaliland is calling for Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar to be extradited after Vice President JD Vance accused her of committing immigration fraud.

Vance accuses Ilhan Omar of immigration fraud

The backstory:

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Vance appeared on conservative Benny Johnson’s podcast over the weekend, where he accused the Minnesota lawmaker of fraud.

“Ilhan Omar definitely committed immigration fraud against the United States of America. She has been at the center of a lot of the worst fraudsters at the center of the Somali community,” Vance told Johnson.

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Omar has been at odds with the Trump Administration and the White House multiple times over accusations that she married her brother to obtain U.S. citizenship. FOX 9 looked into those allegations, and found no evidence that can corroborate that.

Omar calls allegations ‘a ridiculous lie’

The other side:

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Omar responded to Vance’s allegations on Sunday, via FOX News.

“This is rich coming from someone who literally said they were willing to ‘create stories’ to redirect the media,” the statement said. “This is a ridiculous lie and desperate attempt to distract from the pedophile protection party’s unpopular war of choice, increasing gas prices, and rapidly dropping polling numbers.” 

Omar sprayed at town hall

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Local perspective:

In late January, Omar held a town hall where after calling for then DHS Sec. Kristi Noem to resign over Operation Metro Surge in the Twin Cities, an attendee stood up and sprayed Omar with a liquid. 

The man, later identified as Anthony Kazmierczak, was charged with threats of violence and assault for the attack. The Hennepin County complaint alleges that Kazmierczak told Omar that “you should f–king die” during the attack.

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Trump on Omar: ‘Throw her the hell out’

Why you should care:

President Trump made an appearance in Pennsylvania last December, where he highlighted Minnesota’s ongoing issues with fraud.

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Trump said in the appearance she married her brother, and “she should get the hell out.”

“You know, that’s called the Great Big Minnesota scam with one of the dumbest governors ever in history. I love this Ilhan Omar, whatever the hell her name is, a little turban. I love her, she comes in, does nothing but bitch. She’s always complaining. She comes from a country where, I mean, it’s considered about the worst country in the world, right?” Trump said. “They have nothing. She comes to our country and she’s always complaining about the constitution allows me to do this. We ought to get her the hell out, she married her brother in order to get in. Can you imagine if Donald Trump married his sister, if I married my sister to get my citizenship? Do you think I would last about two hours, or would it be less? She married her brother to get in, therefore she’s here illegally. She should get the hell out, throw her the hell out.”

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Ilhan OmarPoliticsDonald J. TrumpJD VanceImmigration



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Minnesota weather: Gorgeous Sunday with a warmer Monday ahead

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Minnesota weather: Gorgeous Sunday with a warmer Monday ahead


A sunny and warm Sunday is in store for the Twin Cities, with even higher temperatures expected on Monday before a chance of rain and cooler air returns later in the week.

Sunday forecast

Local perspective:

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Sunday is starting with some cloud cover before sunshine moves in with highs near 70 degrees around the metro and southern parts of the state. 

Winds will be much lighter than Saturday, coming from the south at 5 to 10 mph with only occasional gusts up to 15 mph. 

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The Brainerd Lakes area will see temperatures in the 60s, while the North Shore will be cooler, which is typical for this time of year. 

Sunday’s weather is expected to be dry and pleasant.

Overnight, temperatures will drop to the upper 30s and lower 40s, with some clouds moving in ahead of Monday. 

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Extended forecast 

What’s next:

Monday could be the warmest day of the week, with highs in the lower 70s for the Twin Cities and some spots in southern Minnesota possibly reaching close to 80 degrees.

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Winds will shift from southerly to southeasterly and then easterly as the day goes on, but should remain light. 

After the warm start to the week, a cold front will move through on Tuesday, bringing a chance for a few rain showers in the early morning. 

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Temperatures will likely drop to the upper 40s by Wednesday and Thursday, with another front possibly bringing showers late Friday into early Saturday.

The rest of the extended forecast calls for temperatures close to or just below average, with highs in the upper 40s to lower 50s.

The Source: This story uses information from the FOX 9 weather forecast.

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Man found dead in south Minneapolis house fire

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Man found dead in south Minneapolis house fire


Firefighters are investigating the Minneapolis’s second fire fatality of the year after a man died in a house fire Saturday afternoon. 

Fatal fire on 28th Avenue South

What we know:

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According to the Minneapolis Fire Department (MFD), fire crews arrived shortly after 1:00 p.m. and found smoke coming from the second floor of a single-family home on 28th Avenue South. Bystanders alerted firefighters that someone might be trapped inside.

Crews had to work through heavy debris to reach the upstairs area. It took about 40 minutes to fully put out the fire.

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During the primary search, firefighters found a man in his 60s dead on the second floor. No one else was found after searching all the floors.

Minneapolis Animal Care and Control took in a dog found outside the home.

Assistant Chief Wes Van Vickle said, “The department is grateful to the neighbors who alerted fire crews that someone may still have been inside, allowing them to act quickly.”

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Fire safety reminders and community response

What they’re saying:

“This afternoon’s tragic loss of life weighs heavily on all of us, and we extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased,” said Van Vickle.

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He also encourages the public to regularly check and maintain smoke detectors and fire extinguishers at home.

There were no other injuries reported. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner is working to confirm the man’s identity.

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What we don’t know:

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and the man’s name has not been released.

FireMinneapolis
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