Restaurant news: Terra Waconia loses its lease

First, the sad news: Terra Waconia (140 W. Main St., Waconia, www.terrawaconia.com) is closing, a lost-its-lease situation. The silver lining? Chef/co-owner Craig Sharp is sticking around until February, so there's time to experience his seasonal, farm-to-table cooking (Another bright spot: Sharp is scouting new locations).

Other news in the southwestern suburbs: Victor's on Water (205 Water St., Excelsior, www.victorsonwaterstreet.com) is opening on Nov. 18.

Bonefish Grill (1607 West End Blvd., St. Louis Park, www.bonefishgrill.com) is now open. The Florida-based chain specializes in fresh seafood prepared on a wood-burning grill, serving lunch and dinner daily.

Timothy Fischer, a veteran of Hotel Donaldson (101 Broadway N., Fargo, N.D., www.hotel donaldson.com) and Canoe Bay resort (Chetek, Wis., www.canoebay.com) is now overseeing Cosmos and Cask Cookhouse (formerly Bradstreet Craftshouse) at the Loews Minneapolis Hotel (601 1st Av. N., Mpls.).

J.P. Samuelson has left 6Smith (294 E. Grove Lane, Wayzata, www.6smith.com) and is now at the helm at Red Stag Supperclub (509 1st Av. NE., Mpls., www.redstagsupperclub.com).

On Nov. 19, Jax Cafe (1928 University Av. NE., Mpls., www.jaxcafe.com) is hosting a six-course Hunters' Dinner on Nov. 13, featuring smoked duck crespelle, pumpkin soup with wild boar bacon, duck confit frisée salad, sunfish fish and chips and ale-braised bison, with beer pairings. Cost is $80 per person, reservations 612-789-7297, ext. 1.

For those who can't get a blaze-orange outing into their schedule, Hell's Kitchen (80 S. 9th St., Mpls., www.hellskitchen inc.com) is offering a venison burger, a grind of deer meat (raised in Fertile, Iowa) and bacon, for $14.95.

Lenny Russo is capitalizing on his restaurant's premium location. Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct Market (289 E. 5th St., St. Paul, www.heartlandrestaurant.com) is across the street from CHS Field, the opening-next-spring home of the St. Paul Saints, and Russo is floating a trial balloon of sorts. It's a burger bar menu, served in the restaurant's lounge.

Expect to encounter four burgers — beef, pork, veal and bison — along with house-made bratwurst, smoked kielbasa corn dogs, French fries prepared in beef fat, deep-fried cheese curds and more, all with peerless locavore pedigrees.

Can't make it to Heyday, Tilia, HauteDish and the Third Bird in a single night? Wait, yes you can.

The Soap Factory (514 SE. 2nd St., Mpls.) is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a major blowout in its 130-year-old home.

The Nov. 15 event starts at 6 p.m. and includes interactive noshes from the four Minneapolis restaurants — plus students from the University of Minnesota's College of Design, overseen by Mike DeCamp of La Belle Vie — along with cocktails from Bittercube and live performances. "Think of it as food performance art," said Tilia chef/co-owner Steven Brown. Tickets $100, www.soapfactory.org.

Condolences to the family and friends of Brian Nelson, who died last week at age 57. As a nearly 30-year fixture at Coastal Seafoods, Nelson was a key behind-the-scenes figure in the Twin Cities dining community, and a friendly and familiar face to scores of chefs and restaurateurs.

Rick Nelson