Restaurant review: Ike's Food & Cocktails

I like Ike's.

Ike's Food & Cocktails, the new bar and restaurant in downtown Minneapolis, has good food, reasonable prices and a lot of retro charm. Retro means a throwback or tribute to an earlier era, and in Ike's case, that era is pretty loosely defined: The menu typography comes from the '30s, the booths and bar are late '40s and the burgers and shakes date from the Eisenhower era, but the soundtrack covers everything from Frank Sinatra and Gene Pitney to Aretha Franklin and Kool and the Gang to mid-'80s funk.

The only false notes in the retro theme are the eight television screens and computer monitors mounted around the central bar (and two more in the men's room). A couple of sets might be necessary for the sports crowd, but I'd love to see the electronic jukebox screens replaced by an old-fashioned Wurlitzer.

One smart move for any restaurant contemplating a retro theme is making sure that your menu isn't too authentic, because the cuisine of those eras usually wasn't much to be nostalgic about. Ike's offers a few American classics, such as big, juicy hand-formed burgers ($7.95 lunch/ $8.95 dinner with lettuce, tomato, pickle, cole slaw and fries, plus cheese or fried onions at no extra charge), and an enormous slice of chocolate devil's food cake a la mode ($6.95).

But Ike's isn't limited to classic Americana. The small plates featured on the dinner menu span a big chunk of American gastronomic history, from a traditional supper club shrimp cocktail ($8.95) to such up-to-the-minute items as tuna tataki ($8.95) and baked Wisconsin goat cheese with roasted tomato salsa ($6.95). In homage to Charlie's Cafe Exceptionale, which closed its doors in 1982, Ike's offers a miniature version of the Minneapolis restaurant's signature kitchen sandwich, served on Charlie's original china (two for $8.95).

Best bets among the other small plates include fresh guacamole prepared tableside ($7.95), grilled balsamic-glazed asparagus ($6.95) and fresh spring rolls stuffed with rice noodles, shrimp and holy basil ($5.95). The four big seared day-boat scallops with a spicy Asian slaw ($7.95) had promise, but the preparation was a bit too contemporary for my tastes: They were nearly raw.

At lunchtime, a chef in a tall white toque stands at a carving station near the entrance, slicing roast beef ($8.95) and roast turkey ($7.95) for sandwiches. My friend and I hit a spot of bad luck when we tried to order these: At about 12:45 p.m., after a 10 minute delay, I was informed that the last of the roast beef had just been sold. I ordered a burger instead, for which I wasn't charged.

My friend was luckier, sort of: He got the last of the turkey sandwiches, which seemed to be scraped together from what was left on the carving table. It was a bit dry, but served in generous portion, and it was genuine turkey, which is rare these days. The instances seemed to be a matter of bad timing; next time I'll try to arrive earlier.

Three "big plates" are offered after 4 p.m., including a steak, daily blue plate specials such as homemade meat loaf and pork prime rib, and a mixed seafood broil, which includes mussels, shrimp, scallop and a chunk of high-quality ahi tuna. All include soup, a big side salad, a loaf of bread and a basket of plastic-wrapped crackers, just like in the old days.

Strip steaks are usually big boring chunks of meat too lean to have much flavor. But Ike's 16-ounce Kansas City strip, ordered medium rare and cooked to perfection, was juicier and tastier than many pricier cuts I've had elsewhere. For $13.95, I was skeptical that it could really be Prime Angus beef (as the menu claims), but after tasting it, I'm a believer. It came with deep-fried onion strings and Ike's excellent skin-on fries ($3.95 a la carte).

(Trivia: What's the difference between a Kansas City strip steak, a New York strip, a sirloin club and a Delmonico? There is none.)

Ike's is also a serious bar, with vintage cocktails and ice cream drinks (think pink squirrel and grasshopper), plus a good selection of beers and wines by the bottle or glass.

Starting Monday, Ike's will serve weekday breakfasts and brunch on weekends. And starting Tuesday, Ike's will feature Tuesday-night happy hour food and drink specials from 4 to 7 p.m., with dancing from 5 p.m. to closing.

RESTAURANT REVIEW

** 1/2

Ike's Food & Cocktails

Location: 50 S. 6th St. Minneapolis, 612-746-4537.

Hours: Lunch Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., dinner nightly 4 p.m. to midnight. Brunch Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. starting April 12. Breakfast Monday to Friday 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., starting Monday.

Service: Friendly and informal.

Sound level: Golden oldies at moderate decibels.

Recommended dishes: Kansas City strip, burger, balsamic glazed asparagus, fresh spring rolls, guacamole.

Wine list: Good selection by the bottle or glass, plus beers, vintage cocktails and ice cream drinks.

Price range: Lunch $7.95 to $8.95; dinner $8.95 to $13.95.

Credit cards: All major credit cards; no checks.

Smoking: Half of the restaurant and bar permit smoking after 2 p.m. No cigars.

Wheelchair accessibility: Completely accessible.

Parking: Ramp next door; valet parking starts soon.

Children: "Welcome, but it's really not a place for kids."

WHAT THE STARS MEAN

Jeremy Iggers is at jiggers@startribune.com.