Owners of Donut Trap vending machines opening a St. Paul walk-up window

The Donut Trap, which features creative varieties of the sweet treats in vending machines across the Twin Cities, is giving fans another option that doesn’t require pressing buttons to order.

Owners Bradley and Ashley Taylor are setting up a retail space with a walk-up window at 1350 Hague Av. in St. Paul, in the same building where they run their commercial kitchen and catering arm. The new location will kick off with a soft opening this week on Thursday, which is Juneteenth.

The retail component, in which customers can order via a walk-up window, will be open Thursdays through Sundays. Housemade doughnuts, as well as cold press and ice cream sourced from local purveyors, will be available. Customers can enjoy their food and drink orders to go or on the newly minted 40-seat patio.

Bradley said the new forum allows them to expand their offerings, too. “We’ll be broadening with more diverse options, and our wacky ideas will continue,” he said.

Donut Trap has gained a following for its doughnuts flavored with salted caramel, tres leches, Fruity Pebbles and more. Its vending machines can be found at several locations, including Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Up-Down Arcade Bar, Rosedale Center, Lush and local breweries.

A spot serving up Korean fried chicken, bulgogi rice dishes and street food has taken over a former Leeann Chin space in Richfield (6420 Nicollet Av. S., k-chimac.com).

K-ChiMac rolled out last weekend and is in the soft opening stages. A grand opening is planned within the next two or three months, when the team hopes to secure a license to serve beer and wine at the Korean-style bar and restaurant.

Owner Hye Young Shin is not new to the restaurant world. She took over Korea Restaurant at the University of Minnesota’s Stadium Village and ran it from 2019 to 2023, before selling it to take a hiatus to tend to health issues, Shin said. Now she’s back in action.

Shin was born and raised in Seoul and wanted to bring the type of casual Korean fare she loves to the Twin Cities. K-ChiMac stars Korean fried chicken, the twice-fried technique that renders ultra-crispy results. Classic, gochujang-glazed and soy-garlic styles are available for mixing and matching. Shin also has created her own sauce company using proprietary blends made in South Korea, using ingredients found only there.

“Some ingredients such as gochujang have a different taste. The ones you get here are more salty, but are sweeter in South Korea,” she said.

Rice dishes such as beef, spicy pork and chicken bulgogi plates with housemade kimchi also are available, along with Korean street fare like spicy gochujang rice cakes and spicy Korean noodle soup.

Speaking of doughnuts, Donut Star has changed ownership at both its Burnsville and Lakeville locations.

Tapestry Coffee owners Scott and Kiley Van Daalen and Brady Heerema, whose java is served at both Donut Stars, have bought the business. The changeover allows former owner Peter Sebastian to spend time on his other restaurants: Mario’s, Estelle and the upcoming Liliana in Woodbury. In 2022, Sebastian, a pastry chef, took over the beloved Burnsville doughnut shop and opened a Lakeville outpost in spring 2024.

“Peter built something really special, and we’re honored to continue it,” said Brady Heerema.

In a news release, the Tapestry Coffee team said they’re looking forward to continuing to serve sustainable, fresh roasted coffee and seasonal drinks as well as Donut Star pastries at their coffee cafe. At Donut Star, they plan to continue offering the popular scratch-made doughnuts to serve alongside Tapestry’s drip coffee while expanding the coffee program and baked goods. Tapestry’s coffee shop is located across the street from the Lakeville Donut Star.

“We’ve been big fans of Donut Star for years,” said Scott Van Daalen. “They’ve served our coffee, and we’ve proudly served their donuts. We truly believe they make the best donuts in the Twin Cities, and we’re excited to carry that legacy forward.”

My Burger, the locally owned fast-casual burger joint, is getting ready to open its 11th location. The next outpost will be located in Woodbury near the intersection of Valley Creek Road and Radio Drive, with a July 7 rollout planned. Look for a menu of meat and veggie burgers, salads, milkshakes, malts and more as well as an ever-changing Burger of the Month.

It’s all part of the latest expansion plans for the growing chain that last year marked its 20th anniversary. CEO John Abdo, whose father, Larry Abdo, rolled out the concept in the Minneapolis skyway in 2004, hopes to double the size of the company over the next few years. “We continue to dedicate ourselves to thoughtful growth throughout the metro while keeping our core local feel and values, and are excited to be putting another restaurant on the east side of town,” Abdo said.

It’s food truck season, and Minnesota Food Truck Festival organizers want you to have a dedicated place to find dozens of the roving kitchens in one spot. There are three food truck festivals this summer, starting this weekend:

Each event will feature about 50 food trucks and craft beverage stations. Entertainment, including live music, dog adoptions and activities for Fido, also will be part of the lineup. Vendors will be on hand selling everything from vinyl and garden goods to fashion and accessories.

For more information, including the food truck roster and the music lineup at each festival, visit mnfoodtruckfestival.com.