Kafe 421 Serves Big Romance in Dinkytown

For those of you who live outside of the Twin Cities metro area or never cheered "Go Gophers" from the student section of a sporting event, Dinkytown is a 4-block funky oasis that flanks the University of Minnesota to the north. The historic neighborhood is an eclectic cluster of used book stores, college bars, tobacco shops, vintage clothing outfitters, and restaurants sized for a college budget.

Nestled in the heart of Dinkytown, Kafe 421 is one of those special places that makes you fall in love again. The dimly lit front room is small but elegant, its front door closed off from chilly drafts and curious onlookers by a regal, horseshoe-shaped burgundy curtain. The back room is slightly larger but still intimate, with flickering table top votives projecting massive human shadows on the walls and bronze colored radiators wrapping diners in pleasant, drowsy warmth. And if the ambiance isn't enough to make you swoon over that special someone, Kafe 421 offers a short but smart wine list that has something for both connoisseurs and the budget-minded.

One great thing about this restaurant is that it's not just about the mood. Our waitress was friendly and attentive, striking that rare balance of giving you just what you need without perpetually disrupting your meal. She was professional and opinionated about how wine should be served, but was very approachable and managed not to come off as a snooty wine tart. The menu was short but varied, offering everything from a Chicken and Wild Rice Burrito to a traditional Bouillabaisse.

We weren't quite that adventurous - we skipped an appetizer and went straight for the good stuff. I ordered a Porcini Mushroom Risotto and it was a knockout. The risotto was soft but not soggy, buttery and savory with a strong white wine base, and topped with crispy leek flakes that nicely contrasted the dish with a salty crunch. A few Parmesan shavings laid delicately on top of the risotto as if they had just fluttered down and landed there... the entire dish was simple yet blissfully executed.

My dining partner opted for the Chicken Balsamico, a linguine dish with grilled chicken, asparagus, mushrooms, tomato, and feta all bound together with a creamy balsamic sauce. This was a strong dish with more of a "sock it to ya" type of flavor layering. I liked it but found it pretty acidic - I think if I were re-creating it in my own home I would substitute the feta for a cheese with less punch and would try to cut the tartness of the dish with more cream. (Because, let's face it... more cream can always make a good dish even better!)

Overall, I highly recommend Kafe 421 as a local staple for a high quality but approachable meal in a space that tells patrons "we care about you as much as you care about the person sitting across from you." And while this restaurant is a treat you won't find any gilded lilies here - Kafe 421 makes a statement about how well-executed simplicity makes a restaurant almost unforgettable.