Jon Oulman hopes to rekindle St. Paul’s love affair with Lake Como. Photo by Alex Lodner
The freshly painted walls and newly hung chandeliers at Como Dockside are beginning to form an image of what is to come: a sophisticated yet approachable space, where families and friends can gather for a lakeside meal or take in a concert on the promenade while sipping an elegant martini.
Now doesn’t that sound lovely?
The remodeled space harkens back to the refined days of yesteryear, when ladies strolled, twirling their parasols, children played unhindered on the grass, and all was right with the world. But the new restaurant at Como Lakeside Pavilion will be far from stuffy. The giant windows overlooking the lake and waterfall will keep things light and welcoming.
New owner Jon Oulman hopes to rekindle St. Paul’s love affair with Lake Como. His St. Paul roots go deep, and he hopes residents and visitors alike will enjoy the pavilion and the lake in all seasons.
His restaurant will act as a gateway of sorts, but the real star is the lake. Activities will abound with a variety of rental equipment and a guided, 30-foot boat to cruise passengers around the lake. The new owners hope to add winter activities as well.
Back inside the restaurant, the rich ebony hue now on the walls pulls the eye directly to the beautiful views outside the windows. The deep wood tones cast an air of comfort and elegant ease. Although the menu had not been finalized at press time, Oulman is excited about what he calls “New Orleans picnic food.” Think po’ boys and mussels, with a few great burgers and some grown-up mac and cheese thrown into the mix.
A full liquor license means you can pair those vittles with anything your heart desires, from a fancy Cosmo to a Hurricane. Oulman hopes to locally source as much of the menu as possible. The fish will all be sustainable fresh-water fish, for example, and the beer selection will be exclusively local.
Remember the tiny window in the back, where on a good day you could pick up some popcorn and a bag of M&Ms? Remember trying to prop yourself up on a boulder to sip your Diet Coke? The patio will now be sprinkled with comfortable seating, and the expanded window will offer a condensed version of the menu, complete with aforementioned local beers and a lovely wine list.
Music lovers need not fear. Oulman and his crew have taken over the music programming from Music in the Park and promise to add as much variety as possible.
“We welcome any and all input from the community when it comes to music, and anything else, really,” he said recently, as we sampled some locally crafted popsicles. “We don’t want to disappoint anybody, and we want the community to know we are listening to the input we received.”
The Como Dockside plans to open after May 1, with hours running from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday.
Alex Lodner writes about food and community news regularly in the Park Bugle.
How about offering beignets annd jazz music
Thank you Josh. Really looking forward to what’s coming.
So excited for the new owners can’t wait! Sounds like it will have a little something for everyone!
As a local Como resident, I speak for myself and our family oriented neighborhood, when I say that this is absolutely fantastic news! The pavilion has been so neglected with regards to what this community needed and now we will finally have what we have been wishing for! A great Friday night dinner spot for families to gather, a great place for a girls night out and walking distance for date night. We will be there in full support on May 1st and look forward to making this our new neighborhood gathering spot! Thank you…thank you, Jon Oulman!
We hope you continue to host the Memorial Day Band concert featuring the Roseville Community Band. It is Americana at its best!
Great news. Is he the Amsterdam owner? If so, he has great ideas.
How many craft beer taps will there be available?
Are you looking for some wonderful homemade treats to offer your guests? Cinnamon rolls, banana bread, pumpkin bread for breakfast, cookies and cupcakes for daytime treats, cakes and/ or pies for dessert? If so, I’d love to drop off samples for you to try! I grew up in the como park area and would love to be part of your new venture!
Suzanna