CRAFTED from SCRATCH

Karen Wills

knows that where there’s great food, there are great memories to be had with family and friends. As the owner of K’s Bakery and Loren Lee’s she uses her food to help craft warm memories for others daily.

It’s a passion that has evolved from the kitchen of her childhood home in Waubun, Minnesota, where flour-dusted hands, the sounds of whisks scraping the sides of mixing bowls, and the smell of fresh-baked goodies were an everyday occurrence.

Home cooked foods continue to remain a large part of Wills’ life, but these days she takes it up a notch. From the delectable treats and savory lunches at K’s Bakery to the polished dishes on Loren Lees’ menus, customers get a new take on home cooking.

“I’ve always loved food, which is one reason I spend a lot of time in Chicago and downtown Minneapolis,” says Wills. “These are places where fine dining lives and breathes, and it’s also where I go for inspiration on new dishes and flavors to bring to Fargo.”

Loren Lee’s offers a wide variety of dishes that pack flavor and flare, and nothing says flare quite like fondue. Since the restaurant opened in August of 2016, the smoked Gouda dish, paired with tangy sour dough croutons, fresh steak, apples and grapes, has become a customer favorite.

The dinner menu also offers showstoppers that pay homage to France with delicate sauces such as citrus beurre-blanc, which is often paired with pan-seared scallops. Loren Lee’s doesn’t leave pub grub out of the mix either. Spicy duck flatbread and a grown up ham and cheese, croque monsieur, go great with one Fargo’s local beers on tap.

Wills has also brought back more than flavor inspirations during her travels. It’s where she learned about the Gotham Project, a wine-on-tap movement, which not only eliminates bottle waste, but also delivers high-quality, flavorful glasses of wine day after day. Loren Lee’s is currently the only place in North Dakota where wine lovers can enjoy it. The restaurant offers 16 wines on tap, in addition to several bottles on the menu.

Another first for Fargo that Wills looks forward to implementing is a dog-friendly patio. “We will have treats and water dishes in our patio so people can enjoy a fine meal in the company of their furbabies,” she says. “We are a family-friendly place, even if those family members are a little furrier than others.”

She also offers kid-friendly menus and accommodations for events, birthday celebrations and even tea parties.

“The English tea party at K’s Bakery is such a fun experience for the little ones,” Wills says. “We can offer the traditional tea and crumpets or customize the party with sweet treats the kids are more accustomed to.”

K’s Bakery knows how to bring the fun and the comfort food. What started in 2006 as a place that only offered home-baked sweets has evolved into a lunch hub and catering business, which continues to offer the sweet goodies for which the location has become known.

From bars, cakes and cookies, to BLTs and chicken dumpling soup, the food evokes memories of lazy Sunday mornings and warm family gatherings.

Like Loren Lee’s, Wills and her team at K’s Bakery create every dish from scratch and often source local ingredients, such as rhubarb and tomatoes. The menu also changes with the seasons to give customers the best flavor experience.

In addition to baked goods and lunches, K’s also specializes in bringing comfort food to special events.

“We can cater any gathering and work one-onone with customers to develop a menu that suits their tastes and budget,” says Wills. “From graduation parties to family reunions, we do it all.”

“Doing it all” also seems to be words Wills lives by. Most days you’ll find her bouncing between locations, answering phones, serving dishes and taking reservations. She has a hand in it all and it comes from her deep passion for great food and a strong desire to spark that same passion in others. “I have the best customers, which makes me love what I do even more,” she says. But she doesn’t work alone.

“I couldn’t do it without my husband Dean and my dedicated team, including Jerra Sjolander and Maggie Swenson. These guys rock.”

And rock they do, from making great food to crafting great memories.

K’s Bakery

2301 University Dr S, Fargo

Loren Lee’s

3179 Bluestem Dr, West Fargo