Food and restaurants

Royal Bangkok: Twin Cities' best Thai? Maybe. Best deal? Definitely.

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:41:42 +0000

Jeremy Iggers

Iggers Digest

Arguing about which is the best Thai restaurant in the Twin Cities is a favorite foodie pastime. Each of the Uptown Thai restaurants — Chiang Mai, Roat Osha, Amazing Thailand, Tom Rup Thai — seems to have its fan base, and so do Sawatdee, True Thai, Ruam Mit and all the rest.

If you have an opinion about which Thai restaurant is best, I have a poll for you - click here to vote for your favorite, and share your comments about local Thai dining options. (This is a bit of an experiment for me, since I have never used the Daily Planet's poll tool before.)

To be perfectly honest, I'm not really qualified to say which Thai restaurant is best, because I haven't been to most of them in years. A few years ago, I got a tip from a reader who had lived in Thailand, recommending the Bangkok Thai Deli, and when I visited, it was love at first bite. The flavors were lively and fresh, and the fact that the restaurant always seemed to be packed with Asian customers, seemed to vouch for its authenticity. As local Thai restaurants go, it seemed to be in a class by itself. In addition to the great Thai cuisine, it had a lot of funky charm - tucked away behind an Oriental supermarket, with Thai music videos playing non-stop on a television.

For a year or two, Carol and I regularly made the trek to the far end of St. Paul's University Ave. to dine at Bangkok Thai, until I discovered that the owners had opened a second restaurant, Krungthep Thai, at 2523 Nicollet, in Minneapolis. That ended the treks to St. Paul, as we became semi-regulars at Krungthep.

On our more recent visits, though, Krungthep hasn't seemed quite as good as it was when it opened, though still worth an occasional visit. And my most recent visit to Bangkok Thai Deli was also a bit of a disappointment - they had just relocated from their dilapidated back-of-the grocery to a former Burger King a few doors down at 333 University, and some of that funky charm got lost in the process. But one disappointing visit — really, just a couple of dishes — isn't much to judge by. I'd still rank Bangkok Thai Deli at the top of the local list.

But last week I discovered a new Thai-Cambodian-Laotian restaurant, Royal Bangkok, in the former Bangkok Thai location at 315 University Ave. A lot of the decor remains the same, including the old food photos and the TV playing Thai videos. And many of the same Thai dishes are still offered, along with some Cambodian and Laotian dishes (very similar to the cuisine of northeastern Thailand.)

On our first visit to Royal Bangkok, we had a bit of that same oh,wow experience that we had on our first visit to Bangkok Thai Deli. Though we only tried a handful of dishes, they were all excellent. I always order som tam - spicy green papaya salad with lime and chilis and fish sauce — in Thai restaurants, but Royal Bangkok offered a more intriguing option — spicy green mango salad with dried shrimp. This was milder than the typical som tam, and with a hint of mango sweetness, but just as lively.

The steamed curry fish custard in banana leaf (hor mok) was as savory as any I have had in recent memory, and the green curry with shrimp was intensely flavorful, with generous quantities of shrimp and bamboo shoots and Thai eggplant in a robust, spicy-but-not-just-spicy broth. (I won't deduct points for the use of Western-style broccoli - why should Asian chefs be restricted to an approved list of "authentic " ingredients?) My Cambodian sour beef soup flavored with tamarind and lemon grass had a very different flavor profile, but was equally enjoyable.

I have been back a couple of times since for their lunch buffet, which I have to rank as the best Thai buffet I have ever had - actually, the best lunch buffet of any kind I have had in recent memory. And the price is amazing — $3.99 for any five items of your choice. (It's not all-you can eat - you choose, and they serve. But the portion is ample.)

The selection included chicken laab (chopped chicken with lime juice and herbs, a traditional dish from Laos and northeastern Thailand), green papaya salad with chopped peanuts and tomato; green and red chicken curries, crispy pork with stir-fried vegetables, beef with lemongrass, ground pork with holy basil, Cambodian hot and sour soup, tofu with mixed vegetables, pad Thai, fried rice and more.

When I asked the owner's daughter how they could afford to offer the buffet for such a low price, she said that it was a way to introduce the restaurant to new customers, but that she expected that they would keep the price at $3.99 for a couple of months. The noodle soups are another great deal — from 4 to 7 p.m., it's buy one, get one free — either bring a friend, or come back for the second bowl of soup on the house. (Most are priced at around $5.99.)

At any rate, I don't know yet whether I would rank Royal Bangkok with the best in town, but it's definitely worth a visit.

And if you have an opinion about the best Thai restaurant in the Twin Cities, be sure to take our poll. I'll keep it open for a couple of weeks.

At any rate, I don't know yet whether I would rank Royal Bangkok with the best in town, but it's definitely worth a visit.

And if you have an opinion about the best Thai restaurant in the Twin Cities, be sure to take our poll. I'll keep it open for a couple of weeks.

Our Savior's Community Services serves 'Beer for a better world'

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:06:47 +0000

Dale Connelly

KFAI Radio

Our Savior’s Community Services is woven into the mission in the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis, meeting the needs of those people who are facing homelessness, giving helping hands to the immigrants and refugees. The independent non-profit, which started as a community outreach effort to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, helps with English classes and preparation for citizenship, and provides an emergency shelter and transitional housing for those without a place to stay. In a new wrinkle, Our Savior’s mission will harness the social power of beer to promote the work of the organization and raise some funds.

KFAI’s Dale Connelly talked with Our Savior’s Community Services grants specialists Kathleen Olsen. [Audio below]

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St. Paul: Urban Growler second brewery to set up shop in south St. Anthony Park

Kyle Mianulli — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:39:38 +0000

Another brewery will set up shop this fall in St. Anthony Park. Proprietors Jill Pavlak and Deb Loch have signed a lease for the 6,200-square-foot space at 2325 Endicott St. to serve as the future home of Urban Growler Brewing Co.

Located less than a mile from the coming light-rail station at University and Raymond avenues and only blocks from the University of Minnesota Transitway bike trail, the brewery will be easily accessible to the community, Loch said. The light-industrial area will also be easy for trucks to reach the business, as the space will eventually be a packaging and distribution center serving the greater Minnesota area.

With six to eight beers on tap and a small kitchen serving simple artisanal food that pairs with beer, Loch and Pavlak say they hope the space will be a community-gathering place. They are looking to connect people and communities beyond the taproom too.

“We hope that our brand instills the idea of community and how we are all connected,” Loch said. “It’s a social, community-based beverage and it usually brings about a lot of good feelings too.”

A “Plough-to-Pint” series will be part of this community-oriented approach. Partnering with Minnesota farms, Pavlak and Loch plan to bring local farmers’ ingredients and stories into the beer, Loch said.

There are also plans to bring things even more local by tapping some of their customers—which they call “urban growers”—for ingredients. Initial talks with local communities that have urban gardens have been promising, Loch said.

In addition to traditional beer offerings like Urban Growler’s IPA, which won a Minnesota State Fair blue ribbon, local ingredients like rhubarb and honey will find their way into some of the brewery’s flavored beers like their spring rhubarb witbier.

Offering flavorful beer also plays to another of Urban Growler’s goals—to make craft beer more approachable to women.

“We want to be appealing to women but not to the exclusion of men,” Loch said.

Thinking women have been forgotten in an industry primarily geared toward men, the brewery is looking to a number of ways to bring female customers into the rapidly expanding craft beer fold.

From the look of the brand itself to the flavor and alcohol content of the beer, even simple things like offering half-pint sizes or having shorter tables that are more conducive to conversation in the taproom will help the brewery reach out to women, Loch said.

Located only steps away from the forthcoming Bang Brewing Co. at 2320 Capp Road, Urban Growler is joining a burgeoning brewery scene along the Central Corridor. Burning Brothers Brewing plans to open this summer at 1750 Thomas Ave. in the Hamline-Midway area to the east, and Surly Brewing Co.’s new multi-million-dollar mega brewery will be a short jaunt to the west, in the Minneapolis Prospect Park neighborhood.

Though the breweries might be in competition for beer drinkers’ palettes, the destination effect that will come from the cluster of breweries will be mutually beneficial, Loch said.

“I look at it sort of as Northeast [Minneapolis] was a while ago and how that area has just had a cluster of breweries, and they are packed,” Loch said.

Urban Growler will be offering founding memberships to help raise money to get beer flowing. Though details are still developing, Pavlak said “our founding members will be near and dear to our hearts for a lifetime. And we will never let them forget it.”

Kyle Mianulli is a freelance journalist and former editor of the Badger Herald at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Offering flavorful beer also plays to another of Urban Growler’s goals—to make craft beer more approachable to women.

“We want to be appealing to women but not to the exclusion of men,” Loch said.

Thinking women have been forgotten in an industry primarily geared toward men, the brewery is looking to a number of ways to bring female customers into the rapidly expanding craft beer fold.

Though the breweries might be in competition for beer drinkers’ palettes, the destination effect that will come from the cluster of breweries will be mutually beneficial, Loch said.

“I look at it sort of as Northeast [Minneapolis] was a while ago and how that area has just had a cluster of breweries, and they are packed,” Loch said.

Kyle Mianulli is a freelance journalist and former editor of the Badger Herald at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

After six months of winter: Green!

Tue, 21 May 2013 01:41:12 +0000

Amy Doeun

After what has literally been a 6 month winter it is so great to get out there and see green. Even better that soon some awesome food will be coming from our fields, (luckily we already have eggs which are awesome with the green added to our chickens diet). We did have some asparagus come up but it got frosted out, hopefully more will be coming.

Anyway here are some pictures of the green just bursting with life.

Strawberries--probably shouldn't have led with this but I am so excited! They survived. Maybe we will have strawberries the first week. I hope so. So tired of frozen berries.

Trays and trays of goodness waiting to go the field. We have started planting finally. Can't wait for these greens and onions. We had a storm yesterday and it was amazing how all that energy in the atmosphere translated to plant growth.

In addition to awesome weather we are blessed with awesome neighbors and friends. This aged manure is from our neighbors donkeys. It is so old it is basically dirt again and will do wonders for our field. We are so excited to see lots of earth worms in the soil again. Last year believe it or not we had hardly any. But with a winter in cover crop and the addition of organic matter and a big ole welcome sign saying "Welcome earthworms!" (not really) they have made themselves right at home. Translates to more green.

Some great new friends who have owned their land since 1944 just gave us this disk since they didn't need it anymore. We have 2 tractors so this will really help. We plan to go no till but there are still instances where we need to break the soil. Just more help. Things are coming together nicely.

Crazy Boy Farm

Improving access, easing hunger

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:46:38 +0000

Colleen OConnor...

Encouraging some people in poverty to access assistance programs like food support (formally the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP) can be tough. This is especially true of senior citizens. While about 65 percent of eligible Minnesotans participate in SNAP, only 41 percent of eligible seniors do. The reasons for this disparity are plentiful: stigma, lack of awareness, the desire for independence, and the challenges of applying, to name a few.

One recent change will lower that last barrier. Minnesota recently introduced a streamlined application for seniors age 60+ that consists of only two pages. The standard SNAP application for most participants is eight pages long plus seven pages of instructions. (The standard application also screens for health care and cash assistance, which is convenient if you want to apply for multiple programs but cumbersome if you only need one.)

Once someone submits their SNAP application, they must go through an interview with a county benefits determiner. Minnesota offers a phone-interview option, meaning that homebound seniors can still easily apply. They can even designate another person (like a family member or care aide) to do their grocery shopping for them.

Minnesota’s eventual plan is to offer a shorter SNAP application for people of any age, which would be a terrific step towards ending hunger in Minnesota. Increasing SNAP investment is a smart move, especially considering that it’s paid for with federal dollars, not state. Studies show that every $5 in new SNAP benefits generates up to $9 in economic activity—and since benefits are spent at local grocers, local communities reap the rewards. Improving access to nutritious food also lowers health-care costs. Every time we make it easier for people to utilize the benefits for which they are eligible, we make a better Minnesota.

Hindsight

Minnesota 2020

Shabelle Grocery's secret Ethiopian restaurant now offers a lunch buffet

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:55:46 +0000

Jeremy Iggers

Iggers Digest

The little Ethiopian restaurant hidden away inside the Shabelle Grocery used to be one of the best-kept secrets in the Seward neighborhood—until recently, there was no sign outside to indicate that Shabelle was more than just a grocery store. Finally, last week, they put a sign in the window announcing their new $8.99 lunch buffet, served Monday to Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This is not one of those 100-item strip mall mega-buffets. When I visited, there were only about half a dozen items to choose from, mostly vegetarian: red lentils, yellow split peas and stewed black-eyed peas, collard greens, linguine in a beefy tomato sauce, seasoned rice, a Greek salad and injera, the traditional spongy sourdough flat bread. What struck me was how fresh and flavorful everything tasted.

There's lots more on the a la carte menu, ranging from kitfo (Ethiopia's version of steak tartare) and rice with goat meat (both $10); Middle Eastern dishes like felafel, gyros, and chicken kabobs; and even a Buffalo chicken wrap and a hamburger (most items $5.99). The breakfast menu includes foule (refried seasoned fava beans, $6), scrambled eggs ($4.99), sambousas (stuffed pastry triangles, 50 cents apiece), and fatira (pita bread cooked with eggs, green peppers, onions in olive oil, $5).

Also read Ethiopian flavors spice up Shabelle Grocery and restaurant in Minneapolis (Stephanie Fox)

La Alborada Market brings Mexican food, culture, and history to Minneapolis's Corcoran neighborhood

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:55:12 +0000

Stephanie Fox

Global Groceries

Recently I've enjoyed finding new ethnic markets in the Twin Cities suburbs—but with the price of gasoline spiking, I needed to find an ethnic grocery a little closer to home. I headed up Chicago Avenue toward the Lake Street, then turned east keeping my eyes open for some place interesting. That’s how I ended up at La Alborada Market at the corner of Lake and 19th, a mostly Mexican grocery owned by the Cruz family.

The store was crowded and the parking lot filled—both good signs. Coming here, is seems, is an event for whole families, from little kids to their grandparents. The store is a color festival. It’s painted, inside and out with murals and brightly colored signs. Dozens of piñatas hang from the ceiling. The place is fun.

La Alborada is family-run. It was opened in 2007 by Orlando Cruz, Sr., who already owned Los Gallos money transfer service. Sunday was the older Cruz’s day off, but Orlando Cruz Jr. was there, grabbing a quick lunch from the tiny restaurant that’s part of the store.

Cruz (the son) was born in Mexico City, moving with his family to Minneapolis when he was five years old. The store is a hands-on family business, and except for a short stint working retail at an electronics store, the younger Cruz has become a dedicated businessman, learning the business from his dad.

“My favorite thing about working here is that I get to meet new people every day,” he said. “The meats and the bakery bring customers in. They’re both in-house. We try to keep a little of everything here, but it’s mostly Mexican food.”

The meats include fresh cuts of pork, beef, chickens, and even fresh seafood. You can also get spiced cuts or meat to make Mexican specialties, fresh-made sausages, pig’s feet, and containers of lard. Fresh-baked pastries, sweet and savory, are ready to grab for breakfast or for a quick snack.

You can reach into bins to scoop up your choice of bulk dried beans in canary yellow, black, red, or purple, dried red chili peppers, rice, tamarind pods, and dried white corn. In the produce section are neon orange colored hot and sweet peppers, bright green sprigs of hierbabuens (mint,) limes, guavas, and giant carrots.

Check the freezer for whole banana leaves, frozen red plums, and giant Kool Pops in colors not found in nature. Pick up frozen fruit punch ingredients the next time you make a traditional Mexican ponche de frutas (which can be made with or without alcohol).

While some of the employees speak English, many don’t. Still, they were happy to try to answer my sign language assisted questions. "Is this pepper hot or sweet? [I pretend to bite one and then pant and fan my mouth.]" "Ah! Si! Hot!" The ladies behind the deli counter couldn’t come up with the English word when I pointed to a tray of cooked meat, shaking their heads when I asked, “Pork? Beef?” I made my hands into horns and said, “Meeeeeeh—goat.” They laughed and nodded.

Two very large paintings, one of Mexican revolutionary and working class folk-hero Emiliano Zapata, hang high on the store’s wall. Until last year, a bronze statue of the general, carrying a rifle and wearing an ammunition belt, stood overlooking the store’s restaurant, a gift to the City of Minneapolis from the Mexican state of Morelos. Considered by some Twin Citizens to be too violent for a park, La Alborada gave it a home until the City decided to reclaim it. The statue is now in storage at a public works building a few blocks away. The plan is to move the statue to Plaza Centenario, a public square to be opened sometime this summer.

“A lot of people would come to see it,” said Cruz. “The City told us they were going to put it in a park. But, if they don’t use it, we want it back. It was a big part of our store.”

Even with Zapata gone, groups still come to La Alborada. “Next week a group from General Mills is coming to the store. They come every year but we’re going to try to get them to come in once a month. We may not have Zapata’s statue, but they can enjoy our paintings.”

“A lot of people would come to see it,” said Cruz. “The City told us they were going to put it in a park. But, if they don’t use it, we want it back. It was a big part of our store.”

Peppermint Twist Drive-In: A Delano institution for good reason

Mon, 20 May 2013 04:28:14 +0000

Amy Rea

Now that spring has arrived--as far as I can tell--it's time to think about eating outdoors. Recently for work, I've been spending a lot of time in the town of Delano, west of the Twin Cities metro. I've driven by this place dozens of times, but never at the right time to stop, until this week.

Peppermint Twist Drive-In, a local institution for over 30 years. With its bright pink color scheme and teddy bears everywhere, you really can't miss it.

Obviously it's a great place to take kids. Besides the uber-kid-friendly menu (exactly what you'd expect from a drive-in--burgers, chicken tenders, and ice cream), it has a big park out back, with a playhouse for the tots.

I went with the burger special of the day: a double cheeseburger with fried onions, fries and drink.

Nice soft bun, juicy burger, lots of pickles--just the way I like it. Don't worry, that raw onion is not a sign they screwed up my order; that was how my burger with its fried onions was marked as opposed to the burger with no onions that my brother ordered. Because he really doesn't know how to properly eat a burger. I mean, c'mon, if fried onions are offered...

I've heard that Peppermint Twist is known for its raspberry shakes. I meant to try one, but by the time I finished eating this sizable burger and most of my fries, there was no room. I guess that means I should go back. Because it would be a crime to not try the signature item, right?

Peppermint Twist Drive-In

115 Babcock Blvd W

Delano, MN

Flyover Land

Eat for Equity dinner May 25 to support Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:07:00 +0000

Jeremy Iggers

Iggers Digest

Eat For Equity is a wonderful volunteer-led organization that organizes fundraising dinners. Every month, they pick a different worthy cause to support, and for this month, they chose the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness. (The Twin Cities Media Alliance had its turn last year.) Eat for Equity events draw a fun group of people, mostly in their 20s.

The menu for Saturday's dinner, to be held at a private home in Plymouth, includes woodfire pizza, a spring salad and a surprise dessert, plus homebrew and more. (Wine and beer are usually available.) To see the address for this Saturday's event, go to their Facebook event page.

The cost is very reasonable: a suggested donation $15-$20. Because all of the labor and most or all of the food is donated, most of the proceeds go to support the beneficiary organization. You don't have to pay in advance, but RSVPs are requested; click here to let them know that you are coming.

Also coming up this summer: an Eat for Equity Festival on July 20 at Lily Spring Farm in Osceola, Wisconsin. Check the Eat for Equity Facebook page for updated information.

Also read Minnesota's Eat for Equity project goes national (Sheila Regan, 2012)

Also coming up this summer: an Eat for Equity Festival on July 20 at Lily Spring Farm in Osceola, Wisconsin. Check the Eat for Equity Facebook page for updated information.

Also read Minnesota's Eat for Equity project goes national (Sheila Regan, 2012)

What to do about moldy strawberries and slimy lettuce

Thu, 16 May 2013 22:30:23 +0000

Mary Turck

News Day

I hate throwing away food, but sometimes ... I bought the lettuce and strawberries with the best intentions in the world, but we didn't get a salad made and they migrated to the bottom of the produce drawer and now — YUCK!

So I pick through the rest of the produce drawer contents, wash what's salvageable, and disinfect the drawer. My slimy lettuce and moldy strawberries become part of what Eureka Recycling says is an average of $96 worth of food per household that hits the garbage bin or compost pile every month.

This Saturday, May 18, at Minnesota Goes Green, Eureka will present a report on the financial, environmental and social impact of composting.

Minnesota Goes Green, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., The Saint Paul Union Depot

In a phone call today, Eureka spokesperson Dianna Kennedy told me the report is about more than composting — they want to focus on prevention first, helping people like me get better at actually eating the food we buy, rather than letting it end up in the compost pile. Eureka has just launched a website (Make Dirt, Not Waste) with tools and tips to help.

According to a press statement:

Last year, Eureka Recycling provided the City of Saint Paul with a proposal for a comprehensive composting program—including education for prevention and returning compost to improve Saint Paul soils. The City wanted to conduct a public process to hear directly from residents before making decisions for the 2014 budget. .

That public process includes a not-yet-released report by Wilder Research and online feedback in the Open St. Paul Forum. (The time period for comments on the forum is now over.) According to Kennedy, in the Open St. Paul Forum, "60% of the folks chose composting as their first or second highest ranking from the choices provided. Of all the people who left comments, 3/4 of them are supportive of composting."

Re-use is also a big part of the Minnesota Goes Green gathering, with a clothing swap called Alter/Nation — check out the rules here — and a repurpose contest, "Fix it, don't nix it," and more.

You can go to Minnesota Goes Green for free - click on the website to download a free Metro Transit pass. If you go in the morning, take along a bag and buy some FRESH lettuce at the St. Paul Farmers Market. Stop in at Black Dog Cafe and Wine Bar on your way home, and enjoy good coffee (or a glass of wine) and the satisfaction of doing your part to go green.

This Saturday, May 18, at Minnesota Goes Green, Eureka will present a report on the financial, environmental and social impact of composting.

Minnesota Goes Green, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., The Saint Paul Union Depot

According to a press statement:

Last year, Eureka Recycling provided the City of Saint Paul with a proposal for a comprehensive composting program—including education for prevention and returning compost to improve Saint Paul soils. The City wanted to conduct a public process to hear directly from residents before making decisions for the 2014 budget. .

Re-use is also a big part of the Minnesota Goes Green gathering, with a clothing swap called Alter/Nation — check out the rules here — and a repurpose contest, "Fix it, don't nix it," and more.