Katherine Harris
Mosaic Cafe
The custard flight will land you three flavors with two neato toppings for just $5.25.
What do you give to a neighborhood that already has a brewery/taproom (Harriet), some of the best Indian food in town (Gandhi Mahal), a spicy Latino dance groove (El Rodeo), and a solid sushi den (Midori's)? How about a good burger?
Nicely rounding out the scene on Minnehaha and East Lake is Mosaic Cafe, the smart and slick evolution of Glaciers Café. Owner Ben Smith hired young gun Bill Ruff away from Smack Shack, and sought a little advice from chef-at-large Pat Webber, to help make over his custard shop. It works. The small space is bright, the patio overlooking the undersung mosaic is comfortable and welcoming, and it's becoming a nice little neighborhood gathering space.
The fast-casual menu is food-forward, using grass-fed beef for burgers, offering Ferndale Market turkey on sandwiches, and putting up a tempeh sloppy joe that could tempt carnivores. And in the end, there's custard, a flight of custard if you'd like. It's substantially smooth and creamy with flavors such as sweet corn that hint at a playful kitchen. In fact, toppings such as salted caramel pretzels, candied Fritos, and spicy caramel corn make it even more fun. This is a good addition to an already well-flavored neighborhood.
3019 Minnehaha Ave. S., Minneapolis
612-746-1504
