All About Food | August 15th, 2013
By J Earl Miller
Nearly 10 years ago I wrote a goodbye letter to Ralph’s Corner that got published in the High Plains Reader. I talked about all the unique people that entered its doors and about the music. It was a very heartfelt letter about how I cared about a place.
This month, a downtown Fargo cornerstone is celebrating 10 years of being in business, and once again I am writing about a bar -- but don’t forget about the restaurant and hotel. The main reason I brought up the goodbye letter is because of the emotion of the place I used to work, and the Hotel Donaldson captures that same emotion through its employees.
When you walk into the HoDo Lounge, you recognize faces that have been there for nearly 10 years -- and some have. When the bar first opened, there were a lot of fresh faces with employees from all over the F-M service industry scene and they were all good at their jobs, but the HoDo’s business plan turned them into some of Fargo-Moorhead’s best bartenders, servers and chefs.
In fact, the HoDo carries a number of awards locally and nationally. Its unique and incomparable staff provides some of the best customer service in town. Ask the bartenders for a drink and they’ll know exactly how to make it, and they usually make it better due to the bar’s top-shelf ingredients.
The chefs are always thinking outside the box while doing their best to source local ingredients. The menu is ever changing with its weekly specials but keeps its favorites such as “The Dirty,” which I refuse to call it by its new given name; I just like saying “The Dirty.”
The Dynamic Duo (chefs Ryan Nitschke and Nick Weinhandl) are folding up their aprons on Sept. 5 and have invited Andrea Baumgardner, who originally opened the kitchen, back to work her magic at the HoDo for one night only.
There are so many great things the HoDo has done over the years, including raising money for cancer research for men and women, giving musicians a truly intimate setting where they can really connect with the crowd, and providing artists a space to display their unique expression.
The High Plains Reader and I say thank you for 10 great years and for many, many more.
May 26th 2026
April 15th 2026
March 23rd 2026
March 16th 2026
February 23rd 2026
__293px-wide.jpg)
__293px-wide.jpg)
_(1)_(1)_(1)_(1)_(1)_(1)_(1)_(1)__293px-wide.jpg)
By Dr Christopher Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Sollera For nearly fifty years, this region has known us as Rape and Abuse Crisis Center. We have answered late-night calls. Sat in hospital rooms. Walked with victim survivors…
By Michael M. Miller Francie M. Berg, native of Hettinger, N.D., edited an impressive book, “Ethnic Heritage in North Dakota,” published in 1983. She grew up on a ranch near Miles City, Montana. Her son, Richard Berg, is…
June 6-7StatewideYou grab a line and I’ll grab a pole — and if you’re a North Dakota resident, you can head on down to your favorite fishing hole, no license needed (for this weekend, anyway). All other rules still apply…
By Sabrina Hornung As the school year comes to a close, a new crop of young people are starting a new chapter in their lives. As a former young person, I’d like to offer my unsolicited advice. As cliche as it may sound, be the…
By Ed RaymondWere women created to do the work of God?One of the first requests made by new Pope Leo XIV was to invite an expert on the alt-right conservative Catholic organization known as Opus Dei to brief him about its…
By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…
By Rick GionThe scarfing of canned fish and seafood products by online food influencer types is hard to miss on social media these days. Some of the consumed morsels range from exquisite to downright nasty. However, there are many…
June 3-6, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.FARGODOME, 2800 N. University Dr., FargoDo we dare call RibFest the ultimate summer kickoff in Fargo? Well, we just did. Enjoy succulent ribs, pulled pork, brisket and so much more. Featuring top notch…
__300x100.png)
By Greg Carlson Filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan gives longtime pal Martin Short the celebrity documentary treatment in new Netflix movie “Marty, Life Is Short.” With a half century of show business experience under his belt, Short…
By Sabrina Hornung The Plains Art Museum has been a trailblazing force in the North Dakota art scene since its inception and it’s not slowing down any time soon. In fact, this summer they are preparing to break ground on a major…
Saturday, January 31, 6:30-9 p.m.Transfiguration Fitness, 764 34th St. N., Unit P, FargoAn enchanting evening celebrating movement and creativity in a staff-student showcase. This is a family-friendly event showcasing pole, aerial…
By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…
By Eli Liverani Cholesterol is probably one of the first molecules I have ever heard of in my childhood. Most of the relatives on my mother's side had high cholesterol in their blood, and apparently, levels above a certain range…
January 31, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.Viking Ship Park, 202 1st Ave. N., Moorhead2026 marks 10 years of frosty fun! Enjoy sauna sessions with Log the Sauna, try Snowga (yoga in the snow), take a guided snowshoe nature hike, listen to live…
By Jim Fuglie I was out for a walk on a fine Bismarck spring evening, strolling down 4th St. alongside the state capitol grounds, when I noticed some dirt work being done on the spot where the former governor’s residence had…