You think you know Mexican cuisine? Okay, everybody has heard of tacos and tamales. But what about tacos de canasta? Or tacos al vapor? Or tacos Oaxaquenos? Or barbacoa de chivo? Or birria de cordero? Or Dori'locos. They are all on the menu at La Huasteca, a friendly little Mexican diner and take-out on Eat Street. Tacos al canasta - basket tacos - are a kind of tacos … [Read more...]
Prairie Dogs Hot Dogs & Handcrafted Sausage: tubesteak on the comeback trail
It's about time for the hot dog to make a comeback, and the opening of the new Prairie Dogs Hot Dogs & Handcrafted Sausage at Lake and Lyndale is a promising sign. For the past 90 years or so, ever since the first White Castle opened its doors in 1921, the hamburger has dominated the American fast food scene, meat-in-a-bun category, miles ahead of hot dogs … [Read more...]
New in LynLake: Tinto Cocina + Cantina
Mexican seems to be the hot new cuisine in town - specifically the slightly upscale but still affordable Mexican bistro. In the past year or so, we have seen the arrival of La Fresca, the Sonora Grill, Nico's Taco & Tequila Bar, and Lago Tacos (less trendy, but in the same ballpark.) Of course, the Twin Cities have had a lively Mexican food scene for many years, … [Read more...]
88 Oriental Foods – Best Larb in Town?
The business cards for 88 Oriental Foods boast that the little Asian market at 291 W. University Ave. in St. Paul has "The Best Larb in Town." That's a pretty bold boast, considering that there are at least half a dozen restaurants within a few blocks that offer some version of this specialty of Laos and northeastern Thailand. Larb, sometimes spelled laab, is the Lao/Thai … [Read more...]
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My Huong Kitchen on Eat Street: Vietnamese street food and French crepes
If you are a fan of the Wong family's Asian restaurants - Nina Wong's Chindian Cafe, and Tammy Wong's Rainbow Chinese Restaurant, you'll probably enjoy the family's newest culinary offering - Tracy Wong's My Huong Kitchen. I've written about this tiny (14 seat) Eat Street eatery before - when it was called, um, Eat Street Eatery, but since then it has gotten a new name and a … [Read more...]
Sonora Grill: Mexican with a flair
I was pleasantly surprised by my most recent visits to the new Sonora Grill at 33rd and E. Lake Street. I've been a fan of the original Sonora Grill counter inside the Midtown Global Market, but the new sit-down, table service restaurant (in the former Molly Quinn space, strikingly remodeled) offers a full bar, more variety, and a creative take on Mexican cuisine. The basic … [Read more...]
Now open: The Rabbit Hole; Coming soon: Sonora Grill, Freehouse, La Fresca and maybe Lutong Mekeni
UPDATED 12/12/2013 | Some exciting new restaurants have just opened or are opening up in the next few days, and Midtown Global Market is the incubator for two of them.The Left Handed Cook has closed its counter in the Midtown Global Market, 920 E. Lake St., Minneapolis, and has reopened in the same building as a sit-down restaurant, The Rabbit Hole. The new restaurant offers an … [Read more...]
Sex, pizza and dim sum: Umami by Travail, Wanderer’s Garden, and a culinary tour of Guangzhou
You know that saying about pizza? “Pizza is like sex. When it’s good it’s really good. And when it’s bad it’s still pretty good.”Well, that’s the way I feel about dim sum.I had a chance to try the dim sum at Umami by Travail last night, and I the dim sum at Wanderer’s Garden in Minnetonka last weekend. I have never had authentic dim sum at a tea house in Guangzhou, which … [Read more...]