ROCHESTER – Restaurateurs Mike and Abby Rakun are hoping Rochester's appeal as “America's Healthy City” will extend outside the hospital walls, to its dining halls.
The couple is opening Mill Valley Kitchen there next week, and the menu will feature flavors from the Northern California community of the same name, known for cooking that satisfies health-conscious foodies.
“A lot of people who come to Rochester are coming for health reasons, whether it's preventative care or surgery,” Mike Lakun said, “We want to make sure they come, have a good experience and feel good when they leave.”
The Rochester restaurant, opening in the former Pescara site downtown, will be Lakuns' second Mill Valley Kitchen location since opening its first in St. Louis Park in 2011. It will also be the restaurant group's second location in Rochester. The other location, Benedict Diner, is located one block north of the new Mill Valley Kitchen.
Mill Valley's menu features seasonal salads, four to five fish dishes, bison and salmon burgers, and sourdough flatbread. Most dishes are priced between $20 and $40. The dining room has an oyster bar, an extensive cocktail and wine menu, and a grab-and-go station for college students during the day.
Lakun said his goal is to change the menu seasonally, working with local purveyors to source many of his ingredients. He said he's already found a beef producer in the area and is “still looking for a local chicken farmer.”
“I'm a professional chef. [using local ingredients] “Freshness has always been very important to me because the fresher the product is, the easier my job is,” Lakun said.
Lakun acknowledges that downtown Rochester already has a lot of great restaurants, but believes there's still a gap when it comes to healthy eating options. At Mill Valley, ingredients are prepared as naturally as possible, allowing the natural flavors of the ingredients to shine through without relying on heavy cream or copious amounts of butter.
“The core of my philosophy is to find great ingredients, treat them with respect and care and let them speak for themselves,” Lakun said.
To accommodate customers with dietary restrictions, Mill Valley will offer a variety of gluten-free and vegan options, and the menu will include full nutrition facts, from calories to grams of protein.
Since Pescara closed in April 2023, the space has undergone extensive renovations, giving it a brighter, more airy feel. The presence of the University of Minnesota Rochester has also livened up the area: the school began using the former hotel building as student dorms last school year, and since the pandemic has seen an increase in visitors filling local hotel rooms.
“We've noticed more people coming to the area and more locals coming downtown. It seems like life is coming back,” Lakun said.
