Anodyne Cafe

Rating:

A lively neighborhood coffeehouse that moves far beyond double mocha lattes, cooking up a surprisingly large and varied menu of quick, fresh, creative fare. Breakfast, served all day, includes a fantastic oatmeal cooked in apple cider and loaded with wild rice, raisins, cranberries, pecans and pears poached in maple syrup. There are eggs, from hard-boiled to semi-scrambled (cleverly fluffed by the espresso machine's steamer), even paired with grilled slices of Minnesota's classic canned meat, Spam. A pair of busy waffle irons crank out crisp Belgian waffles along with an ingenious grilled-cheese sandwich made on a whole-grain bread and slathered with Dijon mustard. Other tasty sandwiches include meat loaf, tuna salad and a curried turkey salad. Pair any of them with the hearty vegetarian chili, a bowl of soup or a green salad. Sweets include a large stock of muffins, scones, doughnuts and outstanding cookies, along with sold-by-the-scoop ice cream by Sebastian Joe's.