The past few weeks have been a flurry of gardening, time with friends and family, and cabin visits.

Between that, I managed to fit in a few trips to Eagan to run errands. Since I spend so much time in the second-ring suburb, I thought I’d try out a few new-to-me places, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Saffron Indian Grill & Bar

Fried momo at Saffron Indian Grill & Bar in Eagan. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

A few months ago, I noticed a sign for this restaurant just off Dodd Road, near the turn I take to go to Costco.

It registered as vaguely chain-like, though I vowed to check it out. Before I remembered to do so, a few readers contacted me to ask whether I had tried it, and that was my sign to get there.

It’s in a strip-mall-like configuration with a My Burger, a Caribou and a few other businesses, which might explain why my brain automatically thought it was a chain.

But the inside is cute and modern, with a full bar, cozy booths and spacious tables. There’s a patio, too, though it was cold and windy the day of our visit, so we chose to eat inside.

They have a fun cocktail menu, so even though it was a weeknight and I had an early morning ahead of me, I couldn’t resist a tamarind whiskey sour, which was a great choice. Tamarind is such a clever way to add depth and tang to a drink — but I’d never thought of pairing it with whiskey.

The menu here is huge and includes a lot of items I haven’t tried, so picking was difficult, but we landed on fried momos, tandoori chicken, a giant dosa with hot chutney and a paneer kathi roll in addition to some chicken tikka masala for my very hungry teenage son.

The momos were chewy-crisp with a lovely spiced chicken filling and a fresh tomato and cilantro sauce. They didn’t last long.

In what became a theme of this dinner out, I didn’t get a bit of the tikka masala before my son inhaled it, but I’m guessing it was delicious. I was lucky I got any of the tandoori chicken, because that was next on his list. The few bites I did get were juicy and flavorful — some of the best tandoor chicken I’ve tasted. My husband had never had a dosa, which is a crisp crepe, rolled into a giant cone and served with sambar, a lentil stew, and coconut chutney for dipping. He loved it, and I thought it was on par with dosa I’ve had elsewhere, though the savory, tropical coconut chutney might have given it an edge.

And the paneer wrap, featuring house-made cheese bathed in a tikka masala sauce, would make an excellent on-the-go lunch.

There are plenty of options here for vegetarians and gluten-free diners, and it’s spacious enough to accommodate a large group.

Not to mention, it’s on my way to Costco, so needless to say, I’ll be back. Frequently.

Saffron Indian Grill & Bar: 845 Vikings Parkway, #D, Eagan; 651-666-3642; saffronindiagrill.com

Southern Social

A barbecue platter at Southern Social in Eagan. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)

This place, which is a little further south than I usually venture into Eagan, has been open for a few years in a former Green Mill.

The parking lot was packed, so I was certain we’d have to wait for a table, but it turns out the inside is so spacious that I needn’t have worried. The decor is modern farmhouse chic, with lots of black and gray accents.

The menu here, as the name suggests, is mainly southern foods, with an emphasis on barbecue and fried chicken. There’s also an extensive cocktail menu, including punch bowls full of booze that you can either order to share or as a single drink. Given the size of the place, it would be fun to meet friends here and take down a punch bowl, perhaps on the cute patio. Since I was just out running errands, I skipped the drinks and went straight for the barbecue.

We ordered a platter — ribs, pulled pork and brisket — and a fried chicken breast, you know, for balance. The meats were all properly prepared, which is no small feat, and we enjoyed them. The platter, which is a pretty reasonable $39.95, comes with two sides and easily feeds two people.

Of the sides we tried, I can recommend the pimento mac and cheese, which is better than your average soggy midwestern version, the generous serving of house-made coleslaw and the smoky collards.

Again, as is the case with too many suburban haunts, the menu here is gigantic, so we’ll have to return to get a better sense of it, maybe with some friends to check out those drinks.

Southern Social: Three metro locations, including 1940 Rahncliff Court, Eagan; 651-478-7919; southernsocialmn.com

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Today is Thursday, June 5, the 156th day of 2025. There are 209 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On June 5, 1968, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was shot and mortally wounded after claiming victory in California’s Democratic presidential primary at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles; assassin Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was arrested at the scene.

Also on this date:

In 1794, Congress passed the Neutrality Act, which prohibited Americans from taking part in any military action against a country that was at peace with the United States.

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In 1950, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Henderson v. United States, struck down racially segregated railroad dining cars traveling across state lines.

In 1967, the Six-Day War began as Israel, anticipating a possible attack by its Arab neighbors, launched a series of airfield strikes that destroyed nearly the entire Egyptian air force.

In 1975, Egypt reopened the Suez Canal to international shipping, eight years after it was closed as a result of the 1967 Six-Day War with Israel.

In 1976, 11 people were killed when the Teton Dam in Idaho failed, releasing 80 billion gallons of water.

In 1981, the Centers for Disease Control reported that five men in Los Angeles had come down with a rare kind of pneumonia; they were the first recognized cases of what later became known as AIDS.

In 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her Salt Lake City home. (Smart was found and rescued by police in a Salt Lake City suburb in March 2003.)

In 2004, Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, died in Los Angeles at age 93 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.

In 2016, Novak Djokovic became the first man in nearly a half-century to win four consecutive major championships, finally earning an elusive French Open title with a win over Andy Murray to complete a career Grand Slam.

Today’s Birthdays:

Broadcast journalist Bill Moyers is 91.
USA Track & Field Hall of Famer John Carlos is 80.
Musician-artist Laurie Anderson is 78.
Author Ken Follett is 76.
Finance author Suze Orman is 74.
Musician Kenny G is 69.
Actor-comedian Jeff Garlin is 63.
Author Rick Riordan is 61.
Actor Ron Livingston is 58.
Singer Brian McKnight is 56.
Actor Mark Wahlberg is 54.
Actor Liza Weil is 48.
Actor-comedian Nick Kroll is 47.
Rock musician Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy) is 46.
Singer-actor Troye Sivan is 30.

WEST SACRAMENTO — The Twins’ rotation has been among the best in the majors this season, but it’s about to be tested in a major way.  Ace Pablo López was diagnosed with a Grade 2 teres major strain on Wednesday, an injury which will keep him out for two to three months and test the Twins’ starting pitching depth.

That means the Twins are going to need the young arms in their rotation to step up and on Wednesday, Zebby Matthews turned in another solid performance in the Twins’ 6-1 victory over the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Matthews, who joined the rotation in place of Simeon Woods Richardson last month, threw five innings on Wednesday, giving up just one run on four hits.

Though he dealt with traffic all night he was able to work his way through it, limiting the struggling Athletics (23-40) in their hitter-friendly minor league ballpark in his fourth start at the major-league level this season.

“Definitely feeling better each start,” Matthews said. “Confidence is growing. Definitely want to keep that going. There’s still a lot of stuff to continue to work on. Each outing you kind of learn more about yourself.”

He pitched with a lead from the outset as Ryan Jeffers, the team’s designated hitter on Wednesday, homered off opener Justin Sterner in the first inning. The Twins (34-27) tacked on another two runs in the fifth inning on Harrison Bader’s sixth home run of the season, which extended their lead to 3-0 at the time.

After the A’s scored their one run off Matthews in the bottom of the fifth, the Twins added on late, putting three more runs on the board in the final two innings of the game.

“We did get some big moments and big swings. RJ and Bader get us going with some good swings, but we also had guys draw a walk. We had guys hit some balls pretty good,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We’re doing it in different ways, but I’m really pleased with the types of at-bats we’ve had.”

And they did it without shortstop Carlos Correa who was scratched before the game with back tightness. Correa, who described slipping at the plate and his back compensating to stabilize him through the motion, is likely to get Thursday’s series finale off.

“It’s just discomfort in my middle back and I don’t want to make it worse where I miss months of the season (for) two games,” Correa said.

But even without Correa, the Twins had no problem taking care of the Athletics for the third straight night. The Twins have outscored the Athletics, who have now lost nine straight games and 20 of their past 21, 26-8 in the series.

The Athletics couldn’t do much against Matthews and did even less offensively off the Twins’ bullpen in the final four innings of Wednesday’s game. That group — Louie Varland, Griffin Jax, Brock Stewart and Jhoan Duran — recorded 10 of their 12 outs via strikeout to help the Twins secure the win.

“Each guy just simply did his job,” Baldelli said.

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What makes Woodbury special is its senior leadership team and elected officials, retiring City Administrator Clint Gridley said. It’s one of the things he’s most proud of in his 21 years of work in the city.

“I’m so thankful for the leadership, because they set the tone,” Gridley said.

As the third and longest running city administrator in Woodbury’s history, Gridley is retiring from his official position Friday. He describes the job as a unique opportunity in which he serves his community under the City Council as a non-partisan business entity. Woodbury has a legacy of trust and ethical government, he said, it’s expanding and never dull.

“It’s a little bit emotional because my profession is not a typical profession,” Gridley said. “It really is, for me, a passion that’s rooted in the love of good government, and the service of making things work.”

Gridley has been responsible for overseeing daily operations, management and city services. Essentially, he is there to ensure that Woodbury is operating well, in a way that is pleasing to both its residents and members of city government.

“Clint has the right balance of IQ and EQ, thoughtful and extroverted, planful while able to adjust to changing conditions/circumstances,” Woodbury Mayor Anne Burt said. “His intelligence and experience have suited him well to lead a large and still growing, complex organization.”

Burt pointed out that Gridley joined the city when Woodbury was under 50,000 residents and has led its development into “a safe and thriving community of 82,000 residents,” the seventh largest in the state.

As Woodbury continues to grow, Gridley said he hopes it will keep its small-town charm and be a place where community members know each other by name.

“I believe the number one thing in a city is building relationships,” Gridley said.

Resident surveys have shown a strong sense of trust in city council members and city staff, according to Gridley.

He said his position has served as a bridge between those residents and city government: understanding the wants, needs and values of Woodbury’s community and helping see that through on the policy side.

“I’ve learned the art of appreciative inquiry and questions, of trying to walk the path of a citizen and walk the path of an elected official, and translate that for staff who are very operational and want to get things done,” Gridley said.

History of civic engagement

Gridley, a baby boomer from Lake Bluff, Ill., said his parents met while his father served in World War II. They were “enthusiastic citizens, who impressed on me the blessing we have in our freedoms and in this country.” Their civic engagement in Illinois cemented Gridley’s current love of well-functioning government and served as inspiration for his life’s work.

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“I had this aspect of, ‘we’re very fortunate where we live’ and the love of the principles of our country,” Gridley said.

In college, he studied political science and economics and said he tried finding a place where the two came together, which led him to intern with city government at 23, be hired on full time at 25, then become a city administrator in Wisconsin at 32.

When Gridley moved to Woodbury in 2004, he had four children under the age of 15 and was caring for his elderly mother, he said. Within his first year as city administrator, 1,200 new homes were built and the first years were “a whirlwind,” he said.

“Where I’ve grown is, first of all, in the knowledge of the community and second, relationships,” Gridley said.

Engaging the community

Quality and intentional relationships – that has been the driving force of Gridley’s time in Woodbury, he said. It’s what has allowed the city to thrive, expand and be forward-thinking, he said.

“We’ve been an ethical city,” Gridley said. “We’re very functional politically. We are stewards of money, land and resources, which means we’re not owners. We don’t own this (city), we are its caretakers for the people.”

When Woodbury formed in 1967, the community was not very culturally diverse, Gridley said. It is becoming increasingly diverse: what was once farmland for miles has become a bustling city with new businesses and housing types continuously in demand. Census after census, Woodbury’s population of BIPOC individuals has increased, he said.

One of the most impactful relationships Gridley has built over the years has been with the Multicultural Advisory Committee, a group of volunteers that advocates for marginalized and underrepresented communities in Woodbury. The committee works closely with the city’s law enforcement and was a pivotal influence after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Gridley said.

The committee and other organizations have made Woodbury more vibrant and connected, Gridley said. Hennepin County Diversity Equity and Inclusion Department Manager Shawn Sorrell and Fellowship Church Pastor Tim Brewington are two leaders in the Multicultural Advisory Committee who Gridley said have helped inform and change the city for the better.

“I’ve really gotten to know them,” Gridley said. “When I see those two, it’s a hug, not a handshake.”

In recent years, the city of Woodbury has heavily leaned into community engagement and outreach, Gridley said, through programs like One Woodbury and events for new residents.

“That’s been really meaningful to bring people closer to government,” Gridley said.

Some of the most valuable projects Gridley has worked on include the building of a permanent water-treatment plant to filter PFAS and sustain safe drinking water in the community, the Metro Gold Line, Central Park’s renovation and Royal Oaks street and utility reconstruction, he said.

Gridley said a lot of these projects, which are under construction, have made it difficult for residents to get around the city, which can be a pain, but are for good reason. He and his team get things done so that community members can enjoy the city they live in for the long run, he said.

Next steps

Unfortunately, there are multiple projects that Gridley won’t be able to see come to fruition, like the opening of the water-treatment plant, the development of a new public safety building and the reopening of Central Park in the fall, because after retiring, he and his wife will be moving to Wisconsin.

Gridley said leaving his role as a city administrator brings up a mix of emotions.

“When you live and you work and you worship, and all in the same community and everyone knows you in that role, it is hard to separate your life,” Gridley said.

The hours are demanding and the government meetings run late into the evening, but he wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“This has been a fast-growing and very active community,” Gridley said. “It’s demanded a lot from me, but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”

Some things he’ll miss most are the 3,600 acres of park land and 180 miles of trails he and his wife bike regularly, easy access to retail amenities, the abundance of service and nonprofit opportunities, and his leadership team.

“I struggle sometimes to leave Woodbury, because I can do anything and everything I want to do right within the confines of the community,” Gridley said.

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Gridley’s life moving forward will allow for a slower pace, one that he’s excited for. He’ll also be closer to his favorite football team, which, after 21 years, he’s aware is controversial: the Green Bay Packers.

The next city administrator will need to have the long term in mind, Gridley said. All its past leaders have, including the first mayor, Orville Bielenberg. That’s what’s made the city welcoming, innovative and tight-knit.

“My hope is that they bring their energy,” Gridley said. “They will need it to continue the legacy of trust and ethical, good government, to build on relationships and serve for the long term.”