Cafe Maude

Address
5411 Penn Ave. S., Mpls., 612-822-5411, cafemaude.com

The Scene
The strip that formerly housed Connor’s Bakery & Delicatessen in south Minneapolis has been dramatically transformed from a frumpy storefront to a pulsating, colorful, multipurpose venue. Judging from the animated, casually dressed crowds of all ages that have packed the place since it opened in early June, the neighborhood has enthusiastically embraced first-time restaurateur Kevin Sheehy’s gathering spot concept comprising a small bar, a shoehorned configuration of comfortable tables and banquettes, and a corner set aside for nightly live performances or DJ music. The attractive design includes walls sponge-painted in Mediterranean hues, an interesting collection of artwork, and Middle Eastern lamps. All in all, it’s a notably functional and comfortable spot.

Our Take
Chef Aaron Slavicek is yet another of the numerous young disciples of the master Tim McKee who are spreading their wings in the community. Slavicek’s compact menu is reflective of the Mediterranean small-plate style of Solera and the moderate pricing is respectful of the neighborhood clientele. The most expensive item—a well-prepared, but budget-quality hanger steak with grilled-onion–cognac sauce—is only $12. A few of the chef’s flights of fancy, such as a “chorizo hash” (chunks of sautéed sausage, unevenly sautéed potato slices, and grilled baby octopus) or the bland, starchy, golf ball–sized rice-and-Parmesan croquettes topped with lemon and hazelnut sauce should be jettisoned. Although a couple of the items deserved praise—notably citrus-accented crab cakes and a trio of skewered, smoky grilled jumbo prawns—it’s mostly middling fare. The flatbread concoctions need the most work: The supporting wafers tended to sodden quickly from runny (and excessively sweet or strong) toppings. On my first visit, the kitchen was clearly struggling to keep up with the challenge of overnight popularity, but a week later things were greatly improved. Our service tended toward the stiff, but proper.

Rough Run-Up
Although the Armatage neighborhood appears to be warmly embracing Cafe Maude, good vibrations weren’t much in evidence last summer. In the initial series of meetings that proprietor Sheehy held with the community, NIMBY-types massed in force to oppose a liquor license—for what is arguably the only restaurant in the entire neighborhood. The debate culminated this spring in a standing-room-only meeting that ended in a compromise. In exchange for approval to serve demon rum, the restaurant agreed to shut down at 10 p.m. during the week and by midnight on Friday and Saturday. So far, Sheehy and company are proving to be the responsible neighbor he promised to be and he respectfully describes the exhausting process as “wholesome democracy in action.”