The life of a food writer is weird. You never know when you’ll eat something so awesome you want to shout it from the rooftops! Or even just let people know they should check it out.

But until now, there’s not been a place in the Pioneer Press Eat section for a little blurb about whatever we discovered this week.

Until now.

We’re going to write an occasional feature we’re calling Dining Diary where we tell you about a new spot to check out or a dish that knocked our socks off. We’re planning pithy reports that give you great ideas about places to check out when you’re in the mood for a perfect burger, a new (or new-to-you) Thai spot, or in today’s case, a restaurant that maybe you’ve always meant to visit and another that will be closed far too soon.

Saint Dinette

Last week’s visit to this Lowertown gem, which will close March 22, will likely not be my last, because I can’t resist the lure of bellying up to its bar.

On this particular day, we showed up because Brunson’s Pub owner Thomas LaFleche, who was one of the opening bartenders at Saint Dinette, was a guest bartender.

His smiling mug behind the bar, making my husband his beloved old-fashioned, would have been enough, but we couldn’t resist a squishy bologna sandwich and a giant bowl of some of the best Brussels sprouts in town while we were there.

Brunch here had its last hurrah last week, but you can still get a perfect omelette and the restaurant’s phenomenal, fluffy flapjacks or a butter-infused smash burger until the last day.

General manager Nicole Paton said she’s been smiling nonstop for the past few weeks, because the dining room has been full of guests who are coming to say goodbye. So full, in fact, that chef Kenzie Edinger recently had to make burger buns from scratch because they ran out on a weekend. Paton said they were phenomenal, and I believe her wholeheartedly. I can’t wait to see where the staff of this special restaurant land. (It was just announced that Edinger will be helming the kitchen at the upcoming Woodbury Italian spot Liliana — yay!)

For now, go see them! There are still some reservations left, and the bar — my preferred spot — is always first-come, first-served.

Saint Dinette >> 261 E. Fifth St., St. Paul; 651-800-1415; saintdinette.com

Bar La Grassa

I’m embarrassed to admit I’ve never been to this iconic North Loop restaurant, which opened in 2009, before the neighborhood was the hottest in the Twin Cities.

And every time we have a reason to be in the area, I try too late to get a reservation. Because 16 years later, it’s still tough to get a table at Bar La Grassa.

We didn’t have a ton of time before a show at Berlin, see below, so we decided to focus on pasta and a few appetizers this visit.

We loved the crispy insalata, a mostly arugula salad spiked with crispy parmesan chips, pine nuts and a simple vinaigrette. Bruschetta topped with sweet carrot puree and crispy pork shoulder was similarly delicious, though the arancini was sort of forgettable, despite the sauce having a nice kick.

The fresh pastas were all pretty tasty, the best of which was the perfectly al dente mafalda with a deeply umami bolognese. A ziti with a shrimp and cream sauce was also flavorful, but the pasta was a little too soft for our liking.

I’ll definitely be back, hopefully to check out some of the entrees and some of the other bruschetta varieties.

Bar La Grassa >> 612-333-3837; barlagrassa.com

Berlin

This 85-seat bar was inspired by the small jazz clubs the owner encountered in Germany, and the space is warm and dim, accented with a gorgeous stained-glass wall, with small tables for enjoying excellent cocktails and snacky food.

We were there to check out some ambient hip-hop music from local artist Lazerbeak. We arrived a few minutes after the opener started and most of the tables were already taken, so we ended up in a cozy nook behind the bar, which was fine but lacked any sightline, so if it’s a show you really want to see and not just hear, I recommend arriving early.

The cocktails here lean toward the classic, some with a slight twist. I thoroughly enjoyed an almost-savory aquavit martini, and my husband was a fan of his bourbon old-fashioned.

And the savory monkey bread, served with a zippy njuda (spreadable Italian sausage) butter, was a great late-night snack. I’d love to go back and catch some jazz.

Berlin >> 204 N. First St., Minneapolis; berlinmpls.com