Note: this post describes my uncompensated experience at a preview event and is not a review. Sauce Pizza and Wine in the latest addition to the booming Shops at West End in Saint Louis Park. This Sauce is not to be confused with Sauce Spirits and Soundbar, which is now changing its name due to the trademark conflict. Sauce is from Arizona-based Fox Restaurant Concepts. The owners, Michael McDermott and Jason Merritt, went to college here and are also working on opening Rojo Mexican Grill also located in the Shops at West End. Ordering pizza here is and the dining style is similar to that of Noodles and Company or Punch Pizza: stand in line to order, take your drink and a number with you and staff will bring out your food. My first impression of their Mozzarella, Fontina Cheese & Basil pizza, which is at the top of their menu, is that it is thinner than a lot of Neapolitan-inspired pies. It's very easy to eat and pieces can be held in one hand easily. The cheeses were quite flavorful and they had a nice bite. The dry crust paired with the fairly wet top. The edges are small and crunchy. The strangest aspect, however, is that for a restaurant called Sauce, there was hardly any of their namesake to speak of. In fact, I later tried a couple slices of their Rosemary Potato pizza (with spinach, feta and olive tapenade) and there was no sauce to speak of. The Rosemary Potato is actually quite tasty and a fun combination of flavors but leaned heavily on the dry and salty side. No complaints, however, as it pairs very well with their Tangent Winery Pinot Grigio, which is an exclusive to Sauce. Sidenote: Tangent Winery sells a Pinot Gris and rips on wineries making Pinot Grigio on their site. Strange. Anyway, it's a light and summery wine that's very refreshing and recommended. I also enjoyed their cheesecake which is simple (to my liking), very tasty, had a soft texture, and light but filling. Overall the experience and food I had at this preview of Sauce was good. It's a perfect fit for the area, a working concept and the staff was fantastic. I'll come back in a couple months and revise this post if needed if the experience is much different than this preview event. Note: a couple cohorts with the Heavy Table stopped by you can read another take on Sauce Pizza and Wine there. Sauce Pizza & Wine 1610 West End Blvd Saint Louis Park, MN 55416 952-657-5020

Cosmo and Agent 34 on Flickr (Post originally from Minnesota Meow) Names: Cosmo (L) and Agent (R) Nicknames: Cosmo: Cos, Stank Ass, Baby Boy; Agent: Bubbie, Fattie, Fuzzy Butt Born: Cosmo: May 2003; Agent: April 2004 Lives in: Saint Louis Park Lives with: Alison Schipper Cosmo was was rescued as a stray at five weeks old through a volunteer at Feline Rescue. Agent was inherited from Alie's boyfriend at the time as she was urinating everywhere. She’s never peed anywhere but in her litter box since Alie has taken care of her. Alie writes:

Cosmo is probably the most dog-like of the two. He charms guests by playing fetch with a toy mouse and won’t let you stop. A couple of years ago, he escaped from my garden level apartment and probably had a wonderful five-day adventure hunkering under a broken-down car in the parking lot before he fell for the tuna bait in my live trap. Cosmo also likes to sit on the toilet tank and watch me dry my hair and yowls at me from the edge of the tub when I’m in the shower, as if to say "HEY! Don’t you know you're getting wet in there!" Agent 34 likes to greet me when I get home by flopping on her back and showing me her belly, begging to give it a pat. She also really likes to eat people food. She waits while I eat cereal for me to set down the bowl so she can have the leftover milk. She eschews the water dish and prefers to drink out of the toilet. At night, she jumps into bed with me and "tucks" me in by kneading the covers around me.

Alie is working on her MBA from Metropolitan State University, blogs, and enjoys "boring people to death" about her cats. More photos of Cosmo and Agent 34 can be found on Alie's "Cats" set on Flickr.