It’s not clear that 20.21, the Wolfgang Puck-controlled restaurant in the Walker Art Center, needed any more elegance or luxury, but, there you have it: They’ve added a simple but chic new patio lounge. The roughly 30-person dining area includes room for a bar area and overlooks either the Hennepin / Lyndale / highway traffic tangle (less charitable reading) or the Basilica of St. Mary and the Downtown Minneapolis skyline (more charitable reading).
Last night’s press event showed off the space under ideal conditions: It was 80 degrees and slightly breezy with a 100 percent change of exquisitely made Asian-themed appetizers and small, colorful, nicely balanced cocktails. Shumai topped with red peppers (and sitting atop mild but flavorful mustard) were a particular treat. Chef Asher Miller (below) was available for mingling when he wasn’t racing around his kitchen, appeasing the demands of a busy dining room.
did you ask them why it took 5 years to get this space opened?