by Jeremy Iggers | 4/27/09 • Four foodies showed up on Sunday for our outing to the Pagoda in Dinkytown, for the opening weekend of Pagoda’s new dim sum brunch. Among the four of us, we split about a dozen different dishes, ranging from beef balls and shark fin dumplings to sticky rice with chicken and Chinese sausage and tofu skin rolls stuffed with pork and shrimp.

Iggers Digest is the blog of Jeremy Iggers, the TC Media Alliance’s executive director. Jeremy is also the creator of TCFoodies, a local food networking site.

We barely put a dent in the overall selection, which one of the owners claimed is the biggest in the Twin Cities. (The owner claimed that there were around 90 different items, but the menu only lists about 75.) A grand time was had by all, and we all agreed that the Pagoda was worth a return visit. We committed the usual beginner’s mistake in ordering from the carts: we ordered too many dishes from the first cart that came our way, and later, when more tantalizing dishes showed up, we were too full to order more. Next time, I will be sure to leave room for the steamed scallop dumplings, the pan-fried meat and chive bun, the jelly fish and the five spice beef slices.

Cost is $2.75 for small dishes; $2.75 for medium, $3.95 for large, $4.95 for specialties (like the congee, and the sticky rice with chicken); and $5.95 for kitchen dishes, like chili crab or the crispy roast duck.

Dim sum is served Saturday and Sunday from 11 to 3. The dining room was nearly empty when we arrived at 11:30, but nearly full when we left at 12:45. There is free parking behind the restaurant.

Pagoda, 1417 4th St. S.E., Minneapolis, 612-378-4710

Author: Jeremy Iggers

Jeremy Iggers is a journalist, university instructor and social entrepreneur with interests that include food, philosophy and global-local connections. Previously, he was a staff writer for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and publisher of the Twin Cities Daily Planet. He lives in south Minneapolis with his wife Carol and two cats.