Creative ideas at Kafe 421 in Dinkytown

Kafe 421 in Dinkytown just might be eligible for federal protection under the Endangered Species Act: It's an independently owned restaurant with imaginative cuisine, a modicum of charm and style, and all its entrees are priced under $15. That's an extremely rare species these days, and Dinkytown (near the University of Minnesota) happens to be one of the few Twin Cities neighborhoods that still provides habitat: It's also home to the Loring Pasta Bar and Mangia, both recommended. When the restaurant opened last year, owner Georgia Sander, a native of Greece, and her business partner, Russian-born Dina Tsypin, hired chef Hector Ruiz as their executive chef and menu consultant. Ruiz is a native of Mexico and has trained in France. The result is a multi-ethnic potpourri: Greek spanakopita (spinach pie), moussaka and Greek salad; a Russian borscht, and Latin/Caribbean influenced entrees such as a chuleta (stuffed pork chop) and a lechon sandwich of blackened roast pork tenderloin with grilled onions, roasted peppers, spinach and Brie. Much has changed in the past year: Tsypin became ill and had to sell her interest to Sander, and Ruiz now works full time at his own restaurant, El Meson, but still provides occasional menu advice. The new executive chef is Steve Beachy, who previously worked with Ruiz at Prima. Beachy brings his own creative ideas to the menu; an entree of chicken with black beans and Coca-Cola sauce was recently featured as a nightly special. Gastronomically, Kafe 421 is no match for upscale cafes such as Lucia's Restaurant or jP' s American Bistro, but neither are its prices. Entree prices top out at $14.95, but it's also possible to have an enjoyable evening and spend a lot less: The hearty sandwiches, accompanied by your choice of salad, soup or fries, are all priced at $7.95, and the pastas are all $12.95 or less. If you split three or four of the Mediterranean spreads, (hummus, taramasalata, eggplant or tapenade) with pita bread as a starter course, you may find that you don't have room for anything else. There's a nice selection of wines for $25 or less a bottle, and most of them are also available by the glass, for $6.25 or less. And special offers abound: On Monday and Wednesday nights, all wines are discounted 50 percent, and on weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m., the appetizers are half-price. The front of the cafe houses a deli counter and a few tables, but hidden away in the back is an intimate little dining room, with a simple decor of earth-toned walls, rough-hewn wood paneling and abstract oil paintings. A guitarist plays on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. I enjoyed many of the dishes I sampled at Kafe 421, and with a little tweaking, I would have enjoyed most of the others. My favorites included the grilled lamb sirloin, served in a savory red-wine demi-glace with slender haricots vert and a tomato-flavored risotto, and the pollo, an enormous breast of chicken with shiitake mushrooms, sauteed spinach and potato gnocchi in a saffron-flavored broth. One nightly special was memorable: a vertical presentation of polenta-breaded sea bass atop layers of tomato risotto and sauteed spinach on a pool of blood orange beurre blanc, all topped by a fresh lychee salsa. This all added up to one or two flavors too many, but somehow, the combination still worked. The caprese salad offers a tasty Greek twist on this classic salad of tomatoes, basil and fresh cheese, substituting feta for mozzarella. Other dishes were less successful. The combination of seared scallops with chive oil, mango salsa and a coconut risotto sounded promising, but the scallops were small and overcooked. The fried shrimp rolls with jicama apple slaw was a wonderful combination of flavors and textures, but very greasy, which made the accompanying saffron aioli seem like too much of a good thing. And the deep-fried calamari appetizer appeared to be a pre-breaded factory product, flavorless and limp. It would be foolish of me to argue with a Greek about how to make dolmades, but I thought the stuffed grape leaves could be improved by livelier seasoning and a stickier rice. I didn't miss the meat in the vegetarian moussaka, but I did miss the traditional topping of creamy bechamel sauce; the cafe's version is topped with a tomato sauce, which may be healthier, but is also a lot less interesting. The Key lime pie isn't bad, but the absolute don't-miss dessert is the galatobouriko, a creamy rice pudding wrapped in phyllo, accompanied by an orange syrup and sweetened whipped cream. The servers are young, friendly and enthusiastic, and owner Sander's enthusiasm and hospitality give an added warmth to the experience. . Jeremy Iggers is at jiggers@startribune.com. . RESTAURANT REVIEW 2 1/2 out of four stars Kafe 421 Location: 421 14th Av. SE., Minneapolis, 612-623-4900. Hours: Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday buffet brunch ($12.95 adults, $6.95 for children 10 and under) served 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meat entrees served after 5 p.m. Service: Young, casual and friendly. Sound level: Moderate. Live music on Wednesday evenings. Recommended dishes: Lamb sirloin, pollo, nightly fish specials, caprese salad, galatobouriko. Wine list: Decent table wines from around the world at very affordable prices; all bottles half-price on Mondays and Wednesdays. Price range: Starters $3.95 to $7.95; pastas $8.95 to $12.95; entrees $11.95 to $14.95. Credit cards: MC, V, AE. Smoking: At sidewalk tables only. Wheelchair accessibility: Completely accessible. Parking: Validated for one hour at the Dinkytowner lot around the corner on 5th Street, or at meters on the street. Children: Children's menu, high chairs and boosters available. WHAT THE STARS MEAN 4 stars - Exceptional 3 stars - Highly recommended 2 stars - Recommended 1 star - Satisfactory