One of the gems in the crown of the Irvington neighborhood, The Legend offers a mix of down-home and uptown in a chic setting.

Families stroll over for the restaurant's famous mac and cheese, couples head in later for dates, which now can take place in a revamped patio area that includes great landscaping on one side and people-watching on the other.

Owners John and Kim Robertson lived in the neighborhood 13 years "and suffered with everybody else without having a place to have dinner" before deciding to open the casual restaurant in 2003.

The Food

The Legend offers a short menu of low-priced dishes, many of which echo those from Grandma's table (meatloaf and mashed potatoes, crunchy chicken) and others with trendier touches, like the ginger sauce for dipping the spinach wrap appetizer ($5). Inside the wrap, smoked salmon, asparagus, curly endive, cucumber and the lightest smear of wasabi mayo.

The feta cheese torta ($5) holds flavored layers of feta and is served with slices of fresh-baked breads.

One of the day's specials, tipsy chicken ($12), meant a thick chicken breast topped with a sneakily sweet sauce of bourbon cider and mushrooms. A side of steamed broccoli filled out the plate.

Crisp pan-fried walleye ($15) was topped with a dollop of dilled butter, but the fish itself was so fresh and flavorful that I scooped off the butter and never missed it. The fish came with wild rice and mixed vegetables -- sauteed zucchini, yellow squash and onions -- that were still firm but almost sweet enough to have come during the dessert course.

But, no, The Legend offers honest-to-goodness sweets. We tried a big, chewy chocolate-chip peanut butter cookie ($1), and a cube of dense carrot cake ($4) dressed thickly in cream cheese frosting.

The Service

We got the kind of attention I always hope for but rarely receive, and it came from a vibrant, capable server. She was working without a helper, however, and was a bit overwhelmed later in our meal, when the dining room brimmed, surprisingly, on a Tuesday evening.

The Atmosphere

The Legend has personality oozing from every fixture. An art deco border styles up the walls, which serve as gallery space for local artists. The small, high-ceilinged room eats up the low-volume music and amplifies conversation when the seats fill up.

The Price

$62.38 for two adults and a toddler, including tax, tip, and a beer -- not a fair representation of the restaurant, since we'd ordered two of the most expensive entrees on an otherwise low-priced menu.

Next Time

I'll be stopping in for The Legend's new Sunday brunch, maybe for a build-your-own quiche, fresh-baked biscuits, Norwegian pancakes or one of John's weekly specials.

-- By Tracy Cumbay / Star Correspondent