A few years ago we discovered Kafe 421. We have eaten dozens of meals there since, our latest last night to celebrate Valentine's day. The food was outstanding, as it is consistently. There are standard dishes that stay on the menu (I especially like the lamb and the mezedes), but always something new and interesting. Last night it was carrot-parsnip soup.

Minneapolis has many fine restaurants. This is one that you will enjoy returning to time and time again - by yourself, on a date, or with a group.

Tonight was our second dinner at Kafe 421. It's a great place to dine when visiting our daughter in school at the U. We all found something to our liking--vegetarian included. The back room is warm and intimate, despite the tile flooring. The service is sharp and timely. The meal starts with warm French bread with olive oil for dipping. Entrees range from salmon to pastas to sandwiches. I had a wonderful bowl of chicken tortilla soup ($4.50) and the large Harvest salad (Bout $10 and so big, I had to share). We finished the meal with the freshly made Tiramisu ($7)--a square big enough for 4 of us to each grab a bite. What I really like about dining hear is the ability to have a fresh, quality meal at an affordable price while easily conversing.

We had theater tickets at the Orpheum and wanted to have a nice dinner before the show. We wanted to avoid the higher priced restaurants near the theater and wanted to go somewhere with interesting, delicious food, but that could still whip up a cheeseburger for our teenage son. Kafe 421 was just that spot.

Fee parking is easily found behind the restaurant. We made our reservation on Opentable.com

Bread arrived shortly after ordering. It was hot, tender, and delicious. The dipping oil served with it was nicely seasoned. We enjoyed a special appetizer plate with artichoke dip, pita bread, pork and chicken kebabs, a crab cake and some stuffed grape leaves. All were excellent.

Entrees were equally yumtastic. I had the bouillabaisse, my son (surprise!) a cheeseburger and the chicken corn chowder, and my husband had the trout special. My bouillabaisse was outstanding and arrived much prettier than the one pictured here on TA (and that's a pretty picture!). Filled with seafood, the flavors were wonderful. My son's cheeseburger was probably one of the best we've had in ages. It was huge, so we all got to share. The meat was fresh, amazing. A homemade bun was the perfect hand holder! The soup wasn't a big hit, hence the 4 stars. My husband's trout was gorgeous and really good.

We were getting close to curtain time, but wanted dessert, so we ordered Tiramisu and Key Lime Pie. The Key Lime was wonderful, but the Tiramisu was not the greatest. Both arrived beautifully presented.

We'll definitely go back again. The restaurant has a few things to work on or I'd give it 5 stars. The Tiramisu and soup were lacking. Only two servers for so many tables seemed a bit overwhelming. We did have to wait quite a while for a few courses and, although one seemed relaxed and calm when approaching our table, the other was quite frazzled. This didn't detract too much from our dining experience, but enough to keep us from giving the whole five stars.

It's usually difficult finding a worthwhile full service restaurant in a student area, but Kafe 421 fits the bill. This is a Mediterranean style restaurant. The variety of selection is excellent and the food was fresh and tasty. We had the mezedes platter to start which gave a sampling of the various appetizers, including spanikopita, gyros, crab cakes, a lovely artichoke dip with pita bread, and chicken skewers. The small was enough for 4 not too hungry people to share. The vegetable moussaka had layers of zucchini, eggplant, and potatoes covered with a fresh tomato sauce and was simply delicious. My dining partners had various other dishes that were all very good. Desserts were lovely - the cranberry creme brulee was outstanding and the baklava was a good representation of this dish. The atmosphere is comfortable and low key, and the service was excellent. Prices are reasonable for the quality and variety of food. If I lived nearby this would be a weekly ‘go to’ destination. As it is, I will definitely visit again when I’m in Minneapolis.