Walker's 20.21 is as unusual as its setting

Last update: December 28, 2005 - 5:13 PM

When the Walker Art Center called on Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron to create a new signature building, the museum turned to Wolfgang Puck to forge an equally distinctive dining experience. Clever move.

The Los Angeles-based master chef drew upon his considerable resources to launch 20.21, a high-voltage restaurant unlike anything else in the Twin Cities. Chef Scott Irestone skillfully translates Puck's splashy, California-Asian fare, placing an electrifying emphasis on meticulously prepared seafood that is often as eye-catching as the Warhols on exhibit in the adjacent galleries.

Artful desserts, precise service and a pulsing, see-and-be-seen scene are other major draws. Talk about a smash hit: In the old days, the museum lured nighttime visitors with a once-a-month program called Walker After Hours. Now, 20.21 does the same thing, five nights a week.