Early Valentine's Day Dinner - Bank Restaurant Minneapolis

Dale and I had an early Valentine's Day dinner tonight at Bank Restaurant in downtown Minneapolis. The restaurant is located in what was formerly the grand lobby of the old Farmers and Mechanics Bank.

The building is so stately and the inside so beautiful I feel compelled to provide a little background information. The following is information regarding the bank from Wikipedia:

"The 1942 Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank building in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, is a former bank building that is now the home of a Westin Hotel The building is an example of the Streamline Moderne phase of the Art Deco movement and is notable for its bold relief sculptures of a farmer and a mechanic framing the main entrance. The sculptures were designed by Warren T. Mosman, who headed the sculpture department at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. The structure was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006."

"The walnut-paneled main banking hall of the building is now the lobby of the hotel. The taller wings of the building once held offices, but now house 214 hotel rooms. The hotel conversion preserved several historic features of the bank building. The main banking lobby with a 34 foot high ceiling, marble staircase, and carved wood emblems have been retained. The original bank vault on the lower level is a conference room, while the former safety deposit vault is now a wine vault and the entire bank has been made in to a restaurant, called B.A.N.K. The restaurant kept as much of the original woodworking from the actual bank as possible. Former offices now serve as private dining rooms and the teller counter now serves as a bar."

We arrived a little early and got drinks at the bar. I had a Bombay Sapphire martini and Dale had white wine. For dinner I had the Five Onion Soup and Dale had the ceasar salad. We both had the pan roastedpork tenderloin as entrees. For dessert I had a chocolate waffle with maple ice cream. Dale had the cookies and milk.

This amazingly grand space evokes a bygone era and easy to get lost in while dining.

The bar at left is the former teller counter of the old Farmers and Mechanics Bank.