Modern Cafe

337 13th Ave NE
Minneapolis, MN
612-378-9882
http://moderncafeminneapolis.com/

Category: American - Casual

Rating (Scale 1-10, with 10 being the highest):
Food: 8
Service: 7
Ambience: 7

Recommendation: Very Good. Great homey neighborhood restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis serving American comfort food.

Modern Café is located on a quiet street in Northeast Minneapolis and if you weren’t looking for it, you’d walk right by this gem of a place. We had driven by it hundreds of times and never gave it a second thought until a friend suggested it. The interior is a cross between a retro diner and an artsy café. Modern café has a casual café feel but has some nice artwork and bright colors. On a recent Friday night, we went there with a group of 9 friends and hung out for a while, without feeling rushed. It’s a great location for a quieter night when you don’t want to deal with the weekend crowds at most restaurants. The menu consists of hearty comfort foods such as Pot Roast, Meatloaf, Gnocchi, Soups, and Salads. Even the side dishes such as Lentils, Hotdish, and Mashed Potatoes scream comfort. They have an extensive wine list with nearly all selections under $40 - talk about great value.

The Pot Roast, which is the main draw, was served with mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, caramelized onion jus and horseradish sauce. It was tender, juicy and just pulled apart without effort. The generous portion of horseradish sauce was excellent and gave the dish a strong flavor that we loved. The Duck Ragu served with homemade fettuccini was another favorite. The duck was delicious and the pasta was cooked to perfection and not overdrenched with the sauce. The Gnocchi with Oyster Mushrooms was another winner. We have to admit that we are somewhat snobby when it comes to gnocchi and there are only a few places in town that make gnocchi to our liking…we’ve definitely added Modern Café to that list (Pazzaluna and Arezzo being the others). The Slow Roasted Pork with polenta and pear chutney was tender and the pear chutney was an excellent complement to the dish. Our friend tried the Lamb Burger and liked it. We also liked the Brussels Sprouts and Squash Hotdish, which was a cheesy gooey concoction. The only dish that was somewhat disappointing was the White Bean and Ham soup. The beans were a little undercooked. Our server was friendly and didn’t rush us through the night.

$$. Most entrees cost $14-$16. Free parking in the back of the restaurant.