Last night we went to Signature Cafe for a beautiful August evening dinner. Signature Cafe is a true neighborhood restaurant, in that it is situated on a residential street amongst houses and resides in a building that formerly housed a neighborhood grocery store. I remember the first time we drove up Warwick Street and saw the building. A shiver of anticipation went through me for what was assured to be a wonderful meal with a home cooked feel. We have eaten there several times since that first occasion and it never disappoints.
To our delight, we found out just before heading to Signature Cafe last night that Monday not only presents you with Signature’s regular dining menu, but you also have the choice of a tasting menu. We took one look at the tasting menu and immediately had to have it, as well as the wine pairing option. The menu started with ricotta ravioli, toasted and served with a light red sauce. The next course was a steak and gorgonzola crostini with a 50 year balsamic vinegar and a side of greens. The balsamic vinegar and gorgonzola were pure heaven. I made sure to get every last speck off my plate.
Despite how good the previous courses were, the third course was the star of the show. It featured pan seared scallops served with a side of udon noodles with vegetables and some red pepper flakes. Wow. Several hours later I could still taste those scallops. Actually, it was more than just the taste that I was still experiencing, but the feel of them in my mouth. The crispness of the peppery crust and the tender inside of the scallop. Wow. Again. For dessert we had a Meyer lemon bar with fresh strawberries and cream. Another great course, but unfortunately it followed the scallops that we were so in love with.
My only regret about this meal was that I did not take my camera (I had to return tonight to grab a quick picture of the exterior shown above) so I do not have any food pictures. If you haven’t tried Signature Cafe, you should definitely go in the next couple months. Ask for a table outside and enjoy…the food, the neighborhood and the experience.
Signature Cafe
130 SE Warwick Street
Minneapolis, MN
612.378.0237
Posted on August 26th, 2008 by katiejocannon
Filed under: Food
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