Description
Parka, the new Longfellow coffee shop and restaurant, is brought to you by a trifecta of Minneapolis institutions: Dogwood Coffee, Rustica Bakery, and Victory 44. Taking the strongest parts of each business, Parka emphasizes carefully sourced ingredients, the subversion of expectations, and elaborate yet playful composition and presentation, all delivered in a casual setting. The result is both humble and high-end. Parka's interior is like a brightly accented lodge, updated for the modern age. Its food, from Victory 44 chef Erick Harcey, is classic Minnesota: goulash, chicken wild rice soup, even cranberry jello salad—but surprising at at every turn: Ham-and-pickle tots, rabbit meatballs (in the form of two little sandwiches with apricot-and-pistachio chutney), a take on chicken wild rice soup, which is as comforting as the original but tastes far more exotic, a meatloaf sandwich with bacon-tomato jam, and a fish fry with spicy (jalapenos) and sweet (pineapple) notes. Thanks to Rustica and strong in-house pastry talent, desserts here are no slouches, either, such as a deconstructed banana cream pie, and a selection of homemade bars and Rustica cookies that come with a flight of three local milks.
