Never bet against Dean Vlahos. He invented the modern sports bar (Champps). He redefined local casual dining (Redstone). He beat cancer and survived a business relationship with Tom Petters that busted him. BLVD reminded his west suburban clientele he had more to prove, and he’s back in the game as a proprietor with his most ambitious venture yet, Wayzata’s Cōv. It’s a textbook Vlahos operation—inviting, sure of itself and overflowing with affluent, middle-aged customers. Word on the street was that Cōv took in $350,000 per week when it opened this summer. If so, that would make it arguably the top-grossing restaurant in the state. Vlahos is there every day, his glare reminding employees to sweat the details.