Getting Modern in Minneapolis

Last week I got to enjoy my first official dinner out as a resident of Minneapolis.  My sister and I were invited to The Modern Cafe by Auntie Jane, who I trust implicitly when it comes to anything having to do with dinner, parties, dinner parties, talking, drinking, talking and drinking… you get the idea.   

The dinner had a sweet and calm feel to it.  Megan and I got to the restaurant on time, picked a cozy but comfortable booth with just enough room for four moderately sized people that like each other.  We ordered some glasses of wine (her the Rose special that was cheap and fine for the price, me the French Pinot Noir* that was more fruity than earthy but red and pleasant just the same) and waited for the others who arrived shortly.

The server explained that they had just switched to the fall menu so they didn’t have any specials that night, which was fine by us but also gave me a smile because fall food basically equals comfort food, and autumn has always been my favorite season.  The menu didn’t need to be explained as a fall menu though, as it was laden with items like squash, soup, meatloaf, and pot roast.  Jane ordered a dry white (server said Pinot Grigio**) and Brian had a glass of the same (he said, “She’ll end up finishing it so I just get what she wants.”)
 

We ordered our mains right away and were served within ten minutes.  Brian had the pot roast (which he said he had only had as part of their hash at breakfasts, and wanted to try it the night before), Megan the mussels which was in a curry style stew with pork belly and winter vegetables, and Jane and I both had the meatloaf, served with mashed potatoes, winter vegetables, and mushroom sauce.

I was hungry enough that I tucked in straight away to my plate, and it took me about halfway before I was actually thinking about what was happening in my mouth.  The meatloaf was pleasant; it had some bite to it unlike the meatloaf I'm accustomed to which (while it might taste good) has very little texture beyond mush.  The potatoes were soft and warm and harmless, same with the winter vegetables.  I think the standout on my plate had to be the mushroom sauce, as it was earthy without being to funghi-y, unctuous, and with pieces of mushroom that had exactly the texture you want cooked mushrooms to have (slightly chewy without being rubbery, but with at least a little of that crumbly aspect that raw ones have).

 
I failed to taste Megan's or Brian's plate, but the way I see it that gives me an excuse to go back, as they were both totally happy with their dinners.  Megan commented on the way home that she wasn't expecting so much coconut milk in with the yellow curry broth that the mussels were served in (along with pork belly, by the way, which is always a huge mark in the YES column for me) but it was really tasty. 

Brian selected the chocolate pot de creme for dessert, mostly because we were all waffling and our server described it as "really fancy chocolate pudding", but all the same it was perfect for the four of us to have a few bites each of the sweet dark pot.  I was proud of myself for being able to detect the orange essence as an ingredient, but after I picked that up it was all I could taste so it was easy for me not to eat too much.

I walked out of there feeling full and warm and happy, which is exactly the way to end a meal.  I know it had a lot to do with the company and my reveling in the affordability of eating out in Minneapolis vs. northern California (the bill before tip was in the $120s... that's for 4 full meals, 7 glasses of wine, and a dessert),  but the Modern is comfortable and familiar, hip without being pretentious, and most importantly, the food tastes good.  I will go back.

Note:  After Megan and I had started in on our first glasses of wine, but before Jane&Brian got there, as I was musing over the affordability of the wine list and admiring the note at the bottom of the menu stating The Modern's commitment to using local, sustainable, and organic ingredients when possible, Megan said, wouldn't this be the perfect time to start your food blog?  So it was. 

*2008 Tortoise Creek Pinot Noir, France 8/32
**2009 La Fiera Pinot Grigio, Italy 7/28