The relaxing view from the front porch of the Hyatt Regency
“Urbana Craeft Kitchen and Market will harvest the food produced from the garden, along with the honey from Bee Veterans apiary near the airport, and incorporate it directly into its menu," executive chef Paul Lynch.
Bloomington, MN (PRWEB) May 16, 2016
Most travelers today expect their hotel stays to be pleasant, with clean rooms, great customer service and place to just call “home base” while touring or working in a city. Many travelers have found the new Hyatt Regency Bloomington-Minneapolis, located in the Bloomington Central Station district near the Mall of America®, offers the perfect location to enjoy the warm weather, park scenery and neighborly atmosphere. The hotel restaurant, Urbana Craeft Kitchen & Market, opened its patio today, the largest outdoor patio in the south metro area with views of the adjacent park, water features and the Gardens of Urbana.
“We are welcoming spring and everyone to our front porch to get a sense of the neighborhood and a taste of our new spring menu, all while dining and gathering on our relaxing patio,” said Paul Lynch, executive chef for the Hyatt Regency. “Many of our vegetables this summer will come straight from the Gardens of Urbana, our new straw bale garden in the park.”
Urbana Craeft Kitchen and Market’s new spring menu places a focus on the first flavors of spring such as locally-grown asparagus, chives, spring peas, strawberries and more. Seasonal entrees fill the menu along with its new burger lineup. Patrons can chose from three types of locally-raised meats – Olivia Natural Beef, Eichten’s Buffalo or Minnesota Turkey. With the opening of the patio, the Hyatt Regency is offering a new mimosa bar with its weekend brunches, where guests can chose from several fresh juices and sparkling wines. The menu also features. The summer menu will be the first to feature produce from the Gardens of Urbana.
Chef Paul began building the straw bale garden this week in the Central Station Park with the placement and watering of the bales, along with building trellises for any vining produce. Straw bale gardening simply uses the bale as the container. Once the straw inside the bale begins to decompose and the straw becomes "conditioned," it’s ready to plant.
“We can’t get any more farm-to-table than this when it comes to produce and we couldn’t take on this hyper-local food sourcing if we didn’t have a beautiful park right out the front door of the hotel,” said Lynch. “Urbana Craeft Kitchen and Market will harvest the food produced from the garden, along with the honey from Bee Veterans apiary near the airport, and incorporate it directly into its menu.”
In conjunction with the University of Minnesota’s Bee Squad, Lynch has committed his support to the development of the Bee Veterans program, a collaborative effort between UMN Bee Squad and the Metropolitan Airports Commission. Urbana Craeft Kitchen and Market will host two Hyatt Regency hives in support of the rehabilitation of veterans and the bee population. The Bee Veterans apiary offers veterans the opportunity to experience bee keeping for a day or take advanced training to expand their skills.
“The program was founded on the strong belief in the therapeutic benefits of beekeeping for returning veterans,” said Lynch. “When the honey is harvested, it will be used in our dishes at the restaurant.”
To watch the progress of the Gardens of Urbana or Bee Veterans this spring and summer, visit us on Facebook. Reservations are not necessary to enjoy the front porch sounds and flavors of Urbana Craeft Kitchen & Market patio, but can be made at Open Table or the Hyatt Regency website.
About Hyatt Regency Bloomington-Minneapolis
The Hyatt Regency Bloomington-Minneapolis is located in the Bloomington Central Station mixed-use development site in the South Loop near the Mall of America. As part of the Hyatt Regency brand family, the contemporary hotel offers 303 guestrooms, including 14 suites, and has more than 15,000 square feet of versatile meeting space that can accommodate small meetings or up to 800 guests. The hotel features the Urbana Craeft Kitchen & Market, which is designed to foster connections and serve as a dynamic, energizing space where guests can collaborate, share and find inspiration. The hotel is the only one in the city with access to a park and outdoor spaces for entertaining, dining and celebrating.
About Hyatt Regency
The Hyatt Regency brand prides itself on connecting travelers to who and what matters most to them. More than 160 conveniently located Hyatt Regency urban and resort locations in over 30 countries around the world serve as the go-to gathering space for every occasion – from efficient business meetings to memorable family vacations. The brand offers a one-stop experience that puts everything guests need right at their fingertips. Hyatt Regency hotels and resorts offer a full range of services and amenities, including notable culinary experiences; technology-enabled ways to collaborate; the space to work, engage or relax; and expert planners who can take care of every detail. For more information visit http://www.hyattregency.com.
