On the Run

This Sunday marks the 30th running of the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon. One of the biggest sporting events in our community, the Twin Cities Marathon is dubbed, "The Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America."

The 26.2 mile course begins at Mall of America Field, winding down around the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes before heading up Summit Ave to the finish on the state capitol grounds in St. Paul. In addition to soaking up the natural beauty, runners get to bask in the cheers of 300,000 fans and more than 12 entertainment acts along the way.

Located less than a mile from the finish line, Cork's can't help but get a little excited about all the action!

If you're not running, feel free to stop in for some brunch before you head over to the capitol grounds to cheer on not only the elite runners, but everyone else who took steps to complete such an amazing journey!

Good luck runners!

We ♥ Sports!

Let Cork's be your favorite sport spot! Our Vikings and Wild specials are ramping up again, as we prepare to bleed purple and go wild! Don your favorite jersey and swing on in!

Vikings Games 
5-6-7-8 Specials (Valid for every NFL Game)
$5 - Order of Wings
$6- Pitchers of Coors Lite
$7 - Pizza (With up to 3 toppings)
$8 - Pitchers of All Other Tap Beers

...and for Sunday games, we have our Sunday Bloody Sunday special going on in conjunction with the game specials - $5 Bloody Marys ALL DAY + our Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar from 11am - 4pm. 

Wild Games

If you were lucky enough to score tickets, beat the traffic and park in our lot. Parking is validated with any purchase, and ride our shuttle to the game for just $5. Then, you get a $5 Cork's Cash voucher (good on your next visit)!
25% Off Food and Beverage with a Same-Day ticket (or stub) - Valid before or after the game.

Plus, you still get to take part in the usual daily specials, depending on which day of the week the game falls! 

Skol Vikings, Go Wild, & S'lainte!

Help Fight Leukemia & Lymphoma

Cork's is proud to shed some light on a wonderful event for a great cause. This Friday, September 16, two of our regulars, (who just so happen to be three-year Lymphoma and five-year Leukemia survivors respectively), will be hosting a fundraiser cocktail party in The Pointe's party room (4th floor) from 5pm to 10pm. There is a suggested donation of $10 with all proceeds going to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Expect to be entertained if you drop by! The evening includes:

• Celebrity Bartenders (Tim Fort, #12 from America's Got Talent for one!)
• Downtown St Paul Political Storytellers (City Council member candidates)
• Belly Dancers
• Silent Auction - This baby's HUGE!
• Kissing Booth (Get a kiss from a cancer survivor!)
• Complimentary Refreshments 
• Great Drink Selection 
• And more!

Everyone who's 21 or older is welcome, regardless of amount able to pay! For a fabulous evening, benefiting a great cause, make sure to swing by on Friday night!

Passport Times TWO!

You probably already knew that we were offering the Crispin Cider & Guinness Passport Program. You simply pick-up your Passport at Cork's, and once your Passport is full, you'll receive a sweet limited-edition Guinness and Crispin t-shirt. For more info, CLICK HERE.

Now, what you may not be aware of is that Cork's is actually owned and operated by an independent restaurant management firm, Tri City Restaurants. Tri City works with the property group that owns and operates three of the Embassy Suites properties in the Twin Cities to lease their restaurant space.

As such, we get the benefit of two sister restaurants, Chez Daniel (located within the Embassy Suites Bloomington) and Woolley's Steakhouse (located within the Embassy Suites Minneapolis Airport).

With three great restaurants to choose from, Tri City decided to launch their very own passport program! Dine at any one of the three restaurants to receive your passport card and your first stamp! Then, try out the other two restaurants to earn an additional stamp after dining at each of those restaurants as well.

Once your passport is completed (and you've received a stamp for dining at all three locations), simply present your passport at any of the three restaurants for a free dinner!

It's a pretty easy way to try out some great new places (and get a free dinner in the process)! Plus, you can double dip by getting your Guinness & Crispin passport stamped if you order a Guinness, Crispin, or combo pint! Stop in this week to pick up your Passport(s) and try the new Guinness Black Lager!

Halfway to St. Patty's Day - September 17

In mere weeks we'll be celebrating the halfway point to the most wonderful day of the whole year, St. Patty's Day!

Join us on Saturday, September 17 for a rockin' party! From 7 - 10pm, Cork's will play host to the second happiest celebration of the year.

If you're looking for a party that has:

Rip Roaring Irish Music 

Courtesy of The Tim Malloys

Irish Bag Pipes

Prizes and Giveaways

Battle of the Pubs 2011 Winning Irish Dish

$3 Jameson Irish Whiskey

$5 Irish Car Bombs

$3 Reuben Sliders

$2 Scottish Eggs

Then, look no further! Mark your calendar and dust of the greenery for a fantastic night!

'Tis the Season...for Steak! (and tomatoes)...

If your garden is brimming with tomatoes, (or you just eyed up some gorgeous ones at the Farmer's Market or even your local grocery store), then you must try this quick and easy salad recipe! From the mind and kitchen of our very own chef, this is a salad that eats like a meal!

Beef Steak Tomato Salad with a Red Wine Vinaigrette 

 Served with a Certified Angus Beef strip loin & topped with St. Pete’s Blue Cheese crumbles

Ingredients:

• 2 large garden ripe tomatoes 
• Shaved red onion 
• Plump Chef Original Shake 
• Red wine vinaigrette (recipe below)
• Mixed greens 
• St. Pete’s Blue Cheese crumbles 
• Certified Angus Beef New York strip loin 

Red Wine Vinaigrette Recipe: 

• ½ shallot minced 
• ½ cup red wine vinegar 
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme 
• ½ Tbsp Dijon mustard 
• 1 ½ cups olive oil 

To assemble:

1. Make the red wine vinaigrette 
2. Slice the tomatoes in ½ inch slices
3. Shave the red onion
4. Crumble the blue cheese
5. Toss the mixed greens with some red wine vinaigrette
6. Arrange the greens and sliced tomato on plate
7. Season the tomato with Plump Chef Original shake.
8. Garnish with shaved red onion and blue cheese crumbles
9. Dress with more red wine vinaigrette to taste
10. Season the steak on both sides with Plump Chef original shake and grill steak to desired temperature. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing and plating.

And most importantly, the final step, ENJOY! 

Tasty Beverages This Week

We've been having such a great time enjoying these last weeks of summer. From the Irish Fair to the Taste of the Visa Championships and everything in between, Cork's has been living life to the fullest (as we hope you are too)!

This week, we've got some new suds for your enjoyment and a great wine feature.

We've added Summit Oktoberfest to our tap list. According to Summit, Oktoberfest is "brewed in the classic Märzen style with Northern Brewer hops from Germany. Rich, toffee malt flavors up front with a clean hop finish as crisp as the autumn air." Oktoberfest is a seasonal beer, so get it while it's here!

We also have two new bottled beer features this week. Sam Adams Octoberfest and Dark Horse Sapient Trip Ale. 

According to the brewer, "Samuel Adams Octoberfest masterfully blends together five roasts of malt to create a delicious harmony of sweet flavors including caramel and toffee. The malt is complimented by the elegant bitterness imparted by the Bavarian Noble hops."

Dark Horse states that their Sapient Trip Ale is brewed "with a Trappist yeast strain so it is very traditional. The flavors are incredibly complex with notes of mild fruit and finishes with a bit of clove. Although this beer is higher in alcohol it is very smooth and finishes dry on the pallet."

We've also got a great wine feature this week. Bottles of Rodney Strong Merlot are just $26 and glasses are just $5. The winemaker's notes: "Plum and blueberry flavors with a touch of dried herb predominate in this soft, rich, mouth filling merlot, and are enhanced by aging in small oak barrels for a toasty, spicy vanilla character, and a lingering berry-cream finish."

So stop in this week for some tasty beverages! If you're also looking for a great deal, stop in today, Wednesday, August 17 and show your bartender some love! Summit Oktoberfest taps will be just $4 ALL day; otherwise, there's always Happy Hour. $3 for glasses of house wine, $2 for standard taps and bottles, and $3 premium taps and bottles. Not too shabby! 

S'lainte!