January 6, 1999
We went to the Red River Cafe for dinner Saturday night because they would take a reservation. It was wickedly cold and windy, but inside it was cozy, and the menu was outstanding. Saturday night specials included an appetizer of Oysters Rockefeller. The choice of entrees included Roasted Pheasant ($15.99), Salmon Topped with a Riesling Wild Berry Sauce ($15.99), Prime Rib with Lobster ($25) and Hazelnut Crusted Lamb Rack ($18.99).
In addition to Saturday night specials, the regular menu listed a page of starters, a full range of homemade pizza, salads, sandwiches and regular dinner entrees ranging in price from $10.99 to $14.99.
Once we were settled, it was decision time for me and my companion, Fannie Gershman (FG). We both ended up ordering Curried Penne with Shrimp ($12.99). We had a choice of soup or salad and chose salad, which was pretty good. I would put it at 8 on a scale of 10. It had a variety of ingredients, including alfalfa sprouts and round croutons. I counted at least six shrimp in my entree, and FG and I agreed they were done just right. The pasta was tasty, with an extra spicy curry sauce and an interesting texture created by chopped fresh red pepper and onion, Greek olives and scallions.
The pasta was enough to serve a family of three or four, and we left much of it on the plate. That was partly because of the appeal of the good, warm sourdough bread and butter served with the entree.
Then, of course, there was no room for dessert such as Cafe Cheesecake, Chocolate Beyond Reason or Magnificent Seven. The Red River Cafe offers some fascinating desserts, and it makes me think of going there some afternoon for coffee and sweets.
I would give the Red River Cafe high marks for providing a cozy setting, although another time on a cold winter night, I would make sure to find a table away from the door. While our service was good overall, we did have to ask for water and ended up saving our fork from the salad course for the entree.
However, it was an upscale dining experience because of the creative menu and the setting. This included background music—not too loud—of blues and jazz. Our waitress was Anna Bergland, a UND student who was both pleasant and efficient. She was knowledgeable about the menu. She was around when we needed her, but she left us alone to visit without interrupting our conversation to ask if everything was OK.
Julie Conneran opened the restaurant with her brother, Brian Conneran, after the flood. The decor of the Red River Cafe includes used brick wainscoting up to the 54-foot 11-inch level, showing how high the floodwaters rose. There also is a wall of photographs showing how it looked when downtown Grand Forks was submerged in muddy water and ravaged by fire.
Julie says dinner business has become most important since the streets were reopened downtown. When the area was closed off for construction, there were some lean and worrisome times inside the cafe. Time will pass, and our city will heal, it says on the menu, but the strength and courage of its residents will never be forgotten.
Red River Cafe has closed.