Is there anywhere that you'd like to see me try?
Let me know and I'll go there!!
Also- if you have suggestions or more info you'd like or how I could improve my deep dive into Thai food in the Twin Cities- let me know!!
adventuresinthaifood@gmail.com
THX!
SukieC
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Krua Thailand
I was looking forward to trying Krua Thailand in St. Paul after a friend recommended it as her favorite Thai restaurant. I was even more excited when I saw how close it was to Bangkok Thai Deli...could there be two great places in that area??
After my dining companion and I adjusted to the 100 degree temperature, we started out with an Egg-Roll Salad (sliced cucumber, sliced tomato, fine shredded carrot, sliced lettuce and corn served with sauces). The menu had pictures of every item, which was really convenient and this looked like an interesting take on egg rolls. This dish was delicious- a good variety of flavors and textures, but definitely not spicy (that was ok!).
For an entree, my companion ordered Basil Fried Rice with chicken (Basil, carrot, green bean, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, straw mushroom and white onion). He absolutely loved it (even though it was NOT spicy at all) and I thought it had good flavor. We both really enjoyed the presentation of all of the food- notice the carrot slices and cucumber- very attractive!
I ordered the Pineapple Fried Rice with Tofu- spicy (Pineapple, egg, tomato and mixed vegetables). When it first arrived I was quite disappointed because it wasn't spicy at all and I had asked for extra spicy. Boo! With a little help from the spice tray, I got it to optimal level and then it was delicious and had a lot of good flavor.
The real winner for the night was our dessert- Cinnamon Banana Rolls, which we picked out from the picture immediately. These hot, pastry rolls were filled with delicious, sweet, melted banana and covered with cinnamon sugar. They were a real treat!!
Although my food wasn't spicy, the owner really won me over with his pleasant demeanor and I can't wait to go back and try something else...I'll ask for extra-extra spicy!
St Paul, MN 55103
After my dining companion and I adjusted to the 100 degree temperature, we started out with an Egg-Roll Salad (sliced cucumber, sliced tomato, fine shredded carrot, sliced lettuce and corn served with sauces). The menu had pictures of every item, which was really convenient and this looked like an interesting take on egg rolls. This dish was delicious- a good variety of flavors and textures, but definitely not spicy (that was ok!).
For an entree, my companion ordered Basil Fried Rice with chicken (Basil, carrot, green bean, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, straw mushroom and white onion). He absolutely loved it (even though it was NOT spicy at all) and I thought it had good flavor. We both really enjoyed the presentation of all of the food- notice the carrot slices and cucumber- very attractive!
I ordered the Pineapple Fried Rice with Tofu- spicy (Pineapple, egg, tomato and mixed vegetables). When it first arrived I was quite disappointed because it wasn't spicy at all and I had asked for extra spicy. Boo! With a little help from the spice tray, I got it to optimal level and then it was delicious and had a lot of good flavor.
The real winner for the night was our dessert- Cinnamon Banana Rolls, which we picked out from the picture immediately. These hot, pastry rolls were filled with delicious, sweet, melted banana and covered with cinnamon sugar. They were a real treat!!Although my food wasn't spicy, the owner really won me over with his pleasant demeanor and I can't wait to go back and try something else...I'll ask for extra-extra spicy!
Decor: Cutesy with a waterfall
Prices: average ($10-15)
Spice level: needs work
Spice level: needs work
More information:
Krua Thailand
432 University Ave WSt Paul, MN 55103
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Bubble Me
Bubble Me is a "Bubble Tea & Snack Bar" that recently opened up in Uptown. As I drove by the other day, I saw an advertisement for curry and added them to my short list.
Although I was quite disappointed, I feel compelled to give Bubble Me a little bit of leeway because they have only been open two weeks. Given that, they should probably stick to the bubble tea and stay away from trying to cook Thai food.
I ordered Green Curry with Chicken, which is one of four Thai items on the menu (other items on the menu include Japanese cuisine and sushi). This meal was LITERALLY green curry with chicken. The curry was very brothy, which is traditional of Thai curry, but its main flavoring was salt. This food was super boring....not horrible enough that I had to throw out...but soo boring.
I definitely don't intend to stop here in the near future for Thai food, but I hope that by the time I'm back they will have soaked up some knowledge from some of the many great Asian restaurants in Uptown.
Decor: best for take-out
Prices: super cheap
Spice level: does salt equal spicy??
More information:
Bubble Me
1404 W. Lake Street
Minneapolis, MN 55408
www.mybubbleme.com
(this website isn't actually up yet- its under construction- but they advertise it on their flyers!
Although I was quite disappointed, I feel compelled to give Bubble Me a little bit of leeway because they have only been open two weeks. Given that, they should probably stick to the bubble tea and stay away from trying to cook Thai food.I ordered Green Curry with Chicken, which is one of four Thai items on the menu (other items on the menu include Japanese cuisine and sushi). This meal was LITERALLY green curry with chicken. The curry was very brothy, which is traditional of Thai curry, but its main flavoring was salt. This food was super boring....not horrible enough that I had to throw out...but soo boring.
I definitely don't intend to stop here in the near future for Thai food, but I hope that by the time I'm back they will have soaked up some knowledge from some of the many great Asian restaurants in Uptown.
Decor: best for take-out
Prices: super cheap
Spice level: does salt equal spicy??
More information:
Bubble Me
1404 W. Lake Street
Minneapolis, MN 55408
www.mybubbleme.com
(this website isn't actually up yet- its under construction- but they advertise it on their flyers!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Bangkok Thai Deli
Yowzer!!
Bangkok Thai Deli had been recommended to me by my sister's friend who studied in Thailand with her. Knowing him, I figured this wouldn't be quite as nice as most places I've dined, but aesthetics are secondary to food anytime! He was SOO right. They do an amazing job in their
deli/convenience store/restaurant. The tables are set with red and white picnic table cloths and the language barrier can make asking questions difficult, but the food is breathtaking.We started with Stuffed Chicken Wings (silver thread noodle, onion, carrot, water chestnut, grounded pork, grounded chicken) out of mere curiosity. When they arrived...they were still pretty odd looking (especially the inside!!) but they were pretty tasty!
For dinner, my dining companion ordered Red Curry with Beef, but alas the waiter brought her Green Curry with Beef (coconut milk, kaffir lime leaf, green curry paste, eggplant, sweet basil). Although it was insanely spicy (she could barely eat it), it was by far the best green curry I've ever had. It was really soupy and broth-like and had the most savory flavor. I didn't even need the rice, vegetables or meat- I just wanted to lick all of the curry up!!
I ordered Pad Kee Mow/Spicy Noodle with pork (noodle, egg, sweet basil, onion, green onion, tomato, green Thai chili pepper). I'm not usually a big pork fan, but my little sister has been badgering me into trying it. She was right! On Urbanspoon, one user reviewed the restaurant as really spicy and recommended not asking for extra spicy (my usual order!)- boy was he right! This dish was really spicy (gotta love a little bit of a runny nose) and had great flavor and consistency.
Even though we were quite full, I've been aiming to try more Thai desserts, so after looking at our options at the deli counter (hard to tell what the heck anything was), we ordered the ugliest looking thing I've ever seen- Thai Custard with Sticky Rice. The tag line for this restaurant is "Thai Food and Thai Dessert and Cake" so I was determined to try something. As you can see from the picture, off-white custard on white rice is weird looking, but holy moly it was so delicious!! I would definitely recommend giving it a try. Very different from American desserts, but tasty!All in all, I was absolutely blown away by Bangkok Thai Deli. I am VERY eager to return!!
Decor: Not exactly somewhere to take a date
Prices: inexpensive
Spice level: hot! ask for mild if you need to!
More information:
Bangkok Thai Deli
315 University Avenue W
St. Paul, MN 55103
No website- we suggested that they create one and they were basically like...."um, no thanks!!"
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Ruam Mit Thai
Blah...that's how I'm going to describe Ruam Mit Thai in St. Paul. I hate writing negative reviews...but tonight was just not good at all. The restaurant is located in downtown St. Paul (so cute), but I probably won't be back soon... I was anxious to go there after reading a review by Minneapolis & St. Paul Restaurant Critics, which specifically mentioned the Pad Thai, but maybe they were having an off day?
I ordered take-out and wanted to try Curry Puffs (three hand-made pastries filled with coconut curried potatoes, chicken and onions, deep fried to a golden brown. Accompanied with a fresh cucumber salad topped with fresh peanuts) because I had tried them at King & I and although good, I thought I could possibly find something even better. Unfortunately, they were not good...at all. As I ate one, I tried to decide if it tasted more like dessert or bad mashed potatoes or what? All I know is the flavor was sweet and I would not have been able to tell you that there was chicken or onion in there!
Next I moved on to Pad Thai with chicken- extra spicy (By far, our most popular dish! It perfectly compliements any of our other entrees or is delicious alone. Stir-fried rice noodles, egg, bean sprouts and green onion; garnished with crushed peanuts and a wedge of lemon). Although the dish was quite spicy, which I love, it was lacking on flavor and had these huge chunks of flattened chicken...so weird that I had to pull them all out (yucky chicken makes me want to be a vegetarian again). I ate a little more without the weird chicken, but the lack of flavor bored me, so I tossed it.
Me not saving leftovers is a statement!!!
St. Paul, MN 55102
www.ruam-mit-thai.com
I ordered take-out and wanted to try Curry Puffs (three hand-made pastries filled with coconut curried potatoes, chicken and onions, deep fried to a golden brown. Accompanied with a fresh cucumber salad topped with fresh peanuts) because I had tried them at King & I and although good, I thought I could possibly find something even better. Unfortunately, they were not good...at all. As I ate one, I tried to decide if it tasted more like dessert or bad mashed potatoes or what? All I know is the flavor was sweet and I would not have been able to tell you that there was chicken or onion in there!
Next I moved on to Pad Thai with chicken- extra spicy (By far, our most popular dish! It perfectly compliements any of our other entrees or is delicious alone. Stir-fried rice noodles, egg, bean sprouts and green onion; garnished with crushed peanuts and a wedge of lemon). Although the dish was quite spicy, which I love, it was lacking on flavor and had these huge chunks of flattened chicken...so weird that I had to pull them all out (yucky chicken makes me want to be a vegetarian again). I ate a little more without the weird chicken, but the lack of flavor bored me, so I tossed it.
Me not saving leftovers is a statement!!!
Decor: Looked okay- I got takeout
Prices: average ($10-15)
Spice level: good
Spice level: good
More information:
Ruam Mit Thai
475 St. Peter St.St. Paul, MN 55102
www.ruam-mit-thai.com
Big Bowl Fresh Chinese and Thai
Tonight I rounded out the weekend with a third Thai restaurant, Big Bowl Fresh Chinese and Thai. Many people immediately dismiss Big Bowl because it's a chain and chains can't be good. Well, don't be fooled- some chains do it right!
To start, my dining companion and I enjoyed Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps (seared tender beef, thai herbs), which is absolutely delicious. It comes with peanut sauce and although it isn't spicy (I'll live) it has so much flavor and the beef is so tender. I would highly recommend it.
My companion ordered Chicken Pad Thai (Thailand's famous dish, ours has the clean bright taste of fresh lemon and herbs with rice noodles, basil, eggs, sprouts and peanuts - mildy spicy), which we both love! It is a very dependable choice at Big Bowl and anyone who loves Pad Thai would love their version.
I ordered my usual, Panang Chicken Curry- extra spicy (chicken, light peanut-coconut curry, peas, snow peas). I order this dish almost every time I'm at Big Bowl...I actually ate curry once on Friday and for all three meals on Saturday, so I wasn't sure I'd be able to have curry again...but I just couldn't resist!! This curry is less sweet than most, which I love and has an extremely rich flavor.
Big Bowl's service was great and the ambiance is almost always nice (sometimes the kiddies at Roseville can get a titch noisy!). When it comes to chains, Big Bowl is at the top of my list!!
Roseville, MN 55113
http://www.bigbowl.com/
To start, my dining companion and I enjoyed Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps (seared tender beef, thai herbs), which is absolutely delicious. It comes with peanut sauce and although it isn't spicy (I'll live) it has so much flavor and the beef is so tender. I would highly recommend it.
My companion ordered Chicken Pad Thai (Thailand's famous dish, ours has the clean bright taste of fresh lemon and herbs with rice noodles, basil, eggs, sprouts and peanuts - mildy spicy), which we both love! It is a very dependable choice at Big Bowl and anyone who loves Pad Thai would love their version.
I ordered my usual, Panang Chicken Curry- extra spicy (chicken, light peanut-coconut curry, peas, snow peas). I order this dish almost every time I'm at Big Bowl...I actually ate curry once on Friday and for all three meals on Saturday, so I wasn't sure I'd be able to have curry again...but I just couldn't resist!! This curry is less sweet than most, which I love and has an extremely rich flavor.Big Bowl's service was great and the ambiance is almost always nice (sometimes the kiddies at Roseville can get a titch noisy!). When it comes to chains, Big Bowl is at the top of my list!!
Decor: Nice ambiance...even if it's in a mall!
Prices: average ($10-15)
Spice level: No scale, but they do a good job!
Spice level: No scale, but they do a good job!
More information:
Big Bowl Fresh Chinese and Thai
1705 Highway 36 W.Roseville, MN 55113
http://www.bigbowl.com/
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Zen Asian Contemporary
Today, I decided to try Zen Asian Contemporary in Uptown, which features Chinese, Japanese and Thai cuisine. The restaurant is located in the cute, Lyn-Lake area and has a really gorgeous interior.
Zen had amazing lunch specials, so my dining companion and I both ordered combination platters. The combination platters came with rice, a side salad tossed with house vinaigrette and Zen's delicious eggroll. She ordered the Mixed Vegetables and Fried Tofu (She had steamed tofu with bell peppers, bean sprouts, carrots and pea pods, stir-fried with teriyaki sauce). She loved it, which is great, but spice-wise it was a little dull for me!
I ordered the Red Curry with Chicken- extra spicy (chicken in a coconut based red curry sauce with sweet potatoes, bell peppers and onion) and it was just AWESOME. The curry was spicy and thick and had a really rich flavor. The egg roll was also very flavorful and went great with sriracha sauce.
Zen had amazing lunch specials, so my dining companion and I both ordered combination platters. The combination platters came with rice, a side salad tossed with house vinaigrette and Zen's delicious eggroll. She ordered the Mixed Vegetables and Fried Tofu (She had steamed tofu with bell peppers, bean sprouts, carrots and pea pods, stir-fried with teriyaki sauce). She loved it, which is great, but spice-wise it was a little dull for me!
I ordered the Red Curry with Chicken- extra spicy (chicken in a coconut based red curry sauce with sweet potatoes, bell peppers and onion) and it was just AWESOME. The curry was spicy and thick and had a really rich flavor. The egg roll was also very flavorful and went great with sriracha sauce. The service was a little slow...especially considering that we were the only ones there. Oh and our poor waitress dropped EVERYTHING and so the cooks had to remake both of our lunches.
Decor: Beautiful with greens and purples- very well done
Prices: low! lunch specials for $7.95
Spice level: right on!
Spice level: right on!
More information:
Zen Contemporary Cuisine
3016 Lyndale Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55408
Friday, October 16, 2009
King & I Thai
Absolutely scrumptious!
I was really looking forward to trying the King & I Thai in Loring Park after seeing tons of positive feedback on other blogs and boy were they right!! Although it was basically in a basement, it was huge and had a really nice ambiance. We started with Curry Puffs (Delicate
pastry filled with curried potato and chicken with spicy sriracha sauce for dipping). They were good, but anything dipped in sriracha sauce is just to die for!For a main course, my dining companion chose the Combination Raad Na-spice level 4 (Wide rice noodles in savory sauce with pork, calamari and shrimp). Although it was good, it was not spicy at all and it was hard to distinguish between the huge chunks of calamari and the wide rice noodles...
I ordered the Chef's Special Curry with chicken- spice level 5 (today's: yellow curry with brocolli, carrots, potato and peanut) and it was AMAZING!! It was savory and spicy and was thicker, which is the way I prefer (although research has told me traditional Thai curry is thinner). The portions were huge and the curry was so delicious I just kept eating....yet I still have at least two cups of it left!!!Other blogs said the service was spotty, but our waitress was great- knew a lot about the food and was quick to refill water (it's not like I'm ever thirsty, right?!)
Although this was definitely a more expensive choice than the places I normally frequent, I will definitely be back soon!! Oh and make a reservation!!
Decor: Great- very spacious, but with lots of little nooks
Prices: high ($18-$30)
Spice level: perfection
More information:
King and I Thai
1346 Lasalle Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55403
www.kingandithai.com
Weekend Plan
I am really excited for a Thai-filled weekend.
Friday
After reading about King & I on the Minneapolis & St Paul Restaurant Critics blog and on Twin Cities Eats (the curry is spicy!!!), I am salivating at the thought of enjoying their favorite Thai place in all of Minneapolis. I'm also interested to see if the service is as spotty as they say....
Saturday
I'll be somewhere new for lunch...undecided at this point!!
Sunday
I'll be at Big Bowl...don't squirm at the idea of a chain- their Panang Chicken Curry is literally bowl-lickin' good!
Friday
After reading about King & I on the Minneapolis & St Paul Restaurant Critics blog and on Twin Cities Eats (the curry is spicy!!!), I am salivating at the thought of enjoying their favorite Thai place in all of Minneapolis. I'm also interested to see if the service is as spotty as they say....
Saturday
I'll be somewhere new for lunch...undecided at this point!!
Sunday
I'll be at Big Bowl...don't squirm at the idea of a chain- their Panang Chicken Curry is literally bowl-lickin' good!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Roat Osha
I have been living in close proximity to Roat Osha for months. Every day as I arrive home from work, I am overpowered by the savory aroma of curry- it haunts me! After driving to Ban Thai in White Bear Lake and discovering it was closed (death in the family), my dining companion and I decided to go to Roat Osha for a visit (I hadn't been there since I started this blog).
We started our late dinner off by sharing a Green Papaya Salad- spice level 5 (Green papaya, carrots, cherry tomatoes, dried shrimp, lemon juice, roasted peanuts, long beans and Thai seasoning. Served with cucumber and a wedge of lettuce) . We rolled the salad up in the lettuce leaves to enjoy as lettuce wraps. It was scrumptious and quite spicy. A very good start to the meal and a solid first time enjoying this salad for my companion.
After that, we moved on the our main dishes. She ordered the Massamun Curry with chicken- spice level 5 (Massamun curry is a spectacular dish from the southern part of Thailand. This dish combines potatoes, onions, peanuts with your choice of meat). She orders this dish a lot! She really liked it- nice and thick sauce, but the 5 was not spicy....although our Papaya Salad was spicy?!
I ordered Mee Kah Teeh with chicken- spice level 6 (Red curry with rice noodles, egg, peanuts, garlic, and bean sauce. Served with bean sprouts, fried chilies, scallions, cilantro, and lime). The server poured the curry on the noodles in front of me- fun presentation! Roat Osha's spice levels are 1-5, but 5 never seems to be very hot, thus I ordered a 6. This dish was a little low on flavor and EXTREMELY low on spice. Maybe a 2?? Although Roat Osha generally does a good job with flavor, combinations, meat, and so on, they consistently have inconsistent spicy-ness and it's driving me crazy!!
Overall- a decent experience, but they need to get this spice thing figured out FAST!
Decor: Great- almost luxurious
Prices: average-high ($12-$20)
Spice level: who knows?! It's a guess!
More information:
Roat Osha
2650 Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408
no website! yeah...craziness!
We started our late dinner off by sharing a Green Papaya Salad- spice level 5 (Green papaya, carrots, cherry tomatoes, dried shrimp, lemon juice, roasted peanuts, long beans and Thai seasoning. Served with cucumber and a wedge of lettuce) . We rolled the salad up in the lettuce leaves to enjoy as lettuce wraps. It was scrumptious and quite spicy. A very good start to the meal and a solid first time enjoying this salad for my companion.After that, we moved on the our main dishes. She ordered the Massamun Curry with chicken- spice level 5 (Massamun curry is a spectacular dish from the southern part of Thailand. This dish combines potatoes, onions, peanuts with your choice of meat). She orders this dish a lot! She really liked it- nice and thick sauce, but the 5 was not spicy....although our Papaya Salad was spicy?!
I ordered Mee Kah Teeh with chicken- spice level 6 (Red curry with rice noodles, egg, peanuts, garlic, and bean sauce. Served with bean sprouts, fried chilies, scallions, cilantro, and lime). The server poured the curry on the noodles in front of me- fun presentation! Roat Osha's spice levels are 1-5, but 5 never seems to be very hot, thus I ordered a 6. This dish was a little low on flavor and EXTREMELY low on spice. Maybe a 2?? Although Roat Osha generally does a good job with flavor, combinations, meat, and so on, they consistently have inconsistent spicy-ness and it's driving me crazy!!Overall- a decent experience, but they need to get this spice thing figured out FAST!
Decor: Great- almost luxurious
Prices: average-high ($12-$20)
Spice level: who knows?! It's a guess!
More information:
Roat Osha
2650 Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408
no website! yeah...craziness!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Sawatdee Bar & Cafe
Sawatdee Bar & Cafe was full of disappointment as I tried to celebrate a birthday and hopefully future engagement of one of my favorite dining companions. I promise as part of this journey to try the other locations and go back to this location a few more times, but I am definitely not looking forward to it.
I chose to order Kapi Thai Rice with tofu (Aromatic fried rice with shrimp paste, mangoes and green onions. Fresh Thai chilies on the side. Vegetarian, Chicken or Tofu, Shrimp). This dish was marked as *new* online and I thought- shrimp plus mango....that sounds pretty different- let's take it for a whirl. Well, ladies and gentleman, they were out of mango so instead of telling me that, they brought be shrimp paste rice AND there were no chilies on the side. I would compare this to ordering Pad Thai and then when you get it- there aren't any noodles! I mean, shrimp paste and mango- two ingredients, if you're out of one....say something!!! Oh and I said extra spicy and she gave me a judging look like "yeah, you can't handle our extra spicy." Well listen up- that wasn't spicy!!
My dining companion ordered Rice Noodle Soup (Chicken or Tofu, Beef, Shrimp) and she loved it. She asked for them to add vegetables and they did a really good job with that direction- cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, etc. Unfortunately she has a cold and I wasn't willing to risk it to taste it, so we will take her review!
After we had started our meals, voila!, our appetizer arrived (yeah, we were confused too). Either I'm really over spring rolls, or these were just super boring. We had Sawatdee spring rolls (Two Beef-filled spring rolls stuffed with silver-thread noodles, Chinese mushrooms, carrots & bean sprouts).
I left Sawatdee Bar & Cafe completely unsatisfied. I am so disappointed.
Decor: Fine- definitely a bar layout
Prices: average ($10-$15)
Spice level: blah
More information:
Sawatdee Bar & Cafe
118 N. 4th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55401
www.sawatdee.com
I chose to order Kapi Thai Rice with tofu (Aromatic fried rice with shrimp paste, mangoes and green onions. Fresh Thai chilies on the side. Vegetarian, Chicken or Tofu, Shrimp). This dish was marked as *new* online and I thought- shrimp plus mango....that sounds pretty different- let's take it for a whirl. Well, ladies and gentleman, they were out of mango so instead of telling me that, they brought be shrimp paste rice AND there were no chilies on the side. I would compare this to ordering Pad Thai and then when you get it- there aren't any noodles! I mean, shrimp paste and mango- two ingredients, if you're out of one....say something!!! Oh and I said extra spicy and she gave me a judging look like "yeah, you can't handle our extra spicy." Well listen up- that wasn't spicy!!
My dining companion ordered Rice Noodle Soup (Chicken or Tofu, Beef, Shrimp) and she loved it. She asked for them to add vegetables and they did a really good job with that direction- cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, etc. Unfortunately she has a cold and I wasn't willing to risk it to taste it, so we will take her review!After we had started our meals, voila!, our appetizer arrived (yeah, we were confused too). Either I'm really over spring rolls, or these were just super boring. We had Sawatdee spring rolls (Two Beef-filled spring rolls stuffed with silver-thread noodles, Chinese mushrooms, carrots & bean sprouts).
I left Sawatdee Bar & Cafe completely unsatisfied. I am so disappointed.
Decor: Fine- definitely a bar layout
Prices: average ($10-$15)
Spice level: blah
More information:
Sawatdee Bar & Cafe
118 N. 4th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55401
www.sawatdee.com
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Kindee Restaurant
Tonight, I went to Kindee, "a modern Thai restaurant in the heart of the Mill District" with 9 of my closest dining companions (yes, 9). We were excited to try a variety of things, but in the end, really bad Pad Thai ruined our overall dining experience, even though many of the other dishes were great.
I ordered Drunken Noodles with tofu- extra spicy (Stir-fried flat rice noodle with Chinese broccoli, bell peppers and Thai basil Your choice of chicken, tofu, beef or shrimp) at the recommendation of our server who like me, likes his food to tingle the taste buds. Several of my other dining companions ordered this entree as well and we all loved it. The flat rice noodle held tons of flavor and there were plenty of vegetables (and spice for me!)
Many other diners ordered Stir-Fried Vegetables (Assorted vegetables stir-fried Served with brown or jasmine rice), which they loved. Some even ordered extra spice...gotta love the Minnesotans! Another ordered Pad Se Ew Noodle with chicken (Stir-fried flat rice noodle, dark sweet soy sauce, Chinese broccoli, egg Your choice of chicken, beef or tofu), which I would definitely try again! One of my regular companions ordered Red Curry- she didn't like it as much as Massamun, but I thought it was very tasty. We also had a dear friend order Fried Rice. She said it was only okay...but it's Fried Rice?! My expectations would never be that high....
Lastly, my newly married friend ordered Pad Thai, probably the most popular Thai dish. Unfortunately, this Pad Thai was TERRIBLE. I know it sounds like I'm being over-the-top harsh, but really....if your Pad Thai is bad...I'm over you! The noodles had no flavor and were gummy and not at all spicy. Barely any vegetables...no aroma coming from the plate...ugh...she had to return them and get something else (more Drunken Noodles!) and let me tell you, we are not dinner-returners! Sorry, Kindee, but I'm worried for you!
On a lighter note, as we were enjoying our dessert (Coconut Ice Cream- so-so and Fried Bananas- YUM) we did have the opportunity to chat for a moment with Bobby Bruiniks and one of his buddies. One of my companions graciously thanked him for our educations....oh my!
All in all, I am not looking forward to going back to anywhere that can't make a decent Pad Thai....
Decor: It was fine...the restrooms were a touch creepy
Prices: average ($10-$15)
Spice level: Good
More information:
Kindee Thai Restuarant
719 S. 2nd St.
Minneapolis 55401
www.kindeethairestuarant.com
I ordered Drunken Noodles with tofu- extra spicy (Stir-fried flat rice noodle with Chinese broccoli, bell peppers and Thai basil Your choice of chicken, tofu, beef or shrimp) at the recommendation of our server who like me, likes his food to tingle the taste buds. Several of my other dining companions ordered this entree as well and we all loved it. The flat rice noodle held tons of flavor and there were plenty of vegetables (and spice for me!)
Many other diners ordered Stir-Fried Vegetables (Assorted vegetables stir-fried Served with brown or jasmine rice), which they loved. Some even ordered extra spice...gotta love the Minnesotans! Another ordered Pad Se Ew Noodle with chicken (Stir-fried flat rice noodle, dark sweet soy sauce, Chinese broccoli, egg Your choice of chicken, beef or tofu), which I would definitely try again! One of my regular companions ordered Red Curry- she didn't like it as much as Massamun, but I thought it was very tasty. We also had a dear friend order Fried Rice. She said it was only okay...but it's Fried Rice?! My expectations would never be that high....
Lastly, my newly married friend ordered Pad Thai, probably the most popular Thai dish. Unfortunately, this Pad Thai was TERRIBLE. I know it sounds like I'm being over-the-top harsh, but really....if your Pad Thai is bad...I'm over you! The noodles had no flavor and were gummy and not at all spicy. Barely any vegetables...no aroma coming from the plate...ugh...she had to return them and get something else (more Drunken Noodles!) and let me tell you, we are not dinner-returners! Sorry, Kindee, but I'm worried for you!
On a lighter note, as we were enjoying our dessert (Coconut Ice Cream- so-so and Fried Bananas- YUM) we did have the opportunity to chat for a moment with Bobby Bruiniks and one of his buddies. One of my companions graciously thanked him for our educations....oh my!All in all, I am not looking forward to going back to anywhere that can't make a decent Pad Thai....
Decor: It was fine...the restrooms were a touch creepy
Prices: average ($10-$15)
Spice level: Good
More information:
Kindee Thai Restuarant
719 S. 2nd St.
Minneapolis 55401
www.kindeethairestuarant.com
Monday, October 5, 2009
Sen Yai Sen Lek
Sen Yai Sen Lek, "Big Noodle, Little Noodle" was worth the terrible drive through traffic and the pouring rain. I called as I left my house to order take-out and asked the server what he recommended. He suggested Po Pia Tod and Pad Bpai Gra Pow. I said....sure, just make sure it's spicy!
The Po Pia Tod (crispy spring rolls with mung bean noodles, wood ear mushrooms, shredded carrot, cabbage and ground pork. Served with sweet chili sauce) was good with the sauce being the real winner. Usually sweet chili sauce it pretty bland to me (remember that sauce with the Australian Battered Potatoes at the State Fair?!), but this sauce had some real kick and made my lips tingle with delight.
For my main dish, I had the Pad Bpai Gra Pow with chicken (Thai basil stir fry with ground pork or chicken, garlic, chilies and long bean. Served with steamed rice, topped with a fried egg). In addition to this being recommended, my friend at work also thought it looked tasty AND my sister used to eat rice with a fried egg on top almost daily in Thailand. This was also delicious. The menu says that one of their guiding principles is cultural authenticity, which intrigues me since I've never seen ground meat on a Thai menu before. I will do some research and follow-up! Although I loved this, I wish I would have asked what the curry special of the day was since after all, I am a curry girl at heart! Maybe next time.
I am excited to go back...and I just LOVE the cute restaurant name (although I think the owner had a crush on the Noodles and Co. look!)
Decor: eek- I just ran in for a second AND was on the phone....
Prices: average ($10-$15)
Spice level: Just right!
More information:
Sen Yai Sen Lek
2422 Central Avenue NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418
www.senyai-senlek.com
The Po Pia Tod (crispy spring rolls with mung bean noodles, wood ear mushrooms, shredded carrot, cabbage and ground pork. Served with sweet chili sauce) was good with the sauce being the real winner. Usually sweet chili sauce it pretty bland to me (remember that sauce with the Australian Battered Potatoes at the State Fair?!), but this sauce had some real kick and made my lips tingle with delight.
For my main dish, I had the Pad Bpai Gra Pow with chicken (Thai basil stir fry with ground pork or chicken, garlic, chilies and long bean. Served with steamed rice, topped with a fried egg). In addition to this being recommended, my friend at work also thought it looked tasty AND my sister used to eat rice with a fried egg on top almost daily in Thailand. This was also delicious. The menu says that one of their guiding principles is cultural authenticity, which intrigues me since I've never seen ground meat on a Thai menu before. I will do some research and follow-up! Although I loved this, I wish I would have asked what the curry special of the day was since after all, I am a curry girl at heart! Maybe next time.I am excited to go back...and I just LOVE the cute restaurant name (although I think the owner had a crush on the Noodles and Co. look!)
Decor: eek- I just ran in for a second AND was on the phone....
Prices: average ($10-$15)
Spice level: Just right!
More information:
Sen Yai Sen Lek
2422 Central Avenue NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418
www.senyai-senlek.com
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