A native's informal guide to Minneapolis & St. Paul. Seventh of several.
In Prequel #6: Nicollet Mall and downtown, I covered Nicollet Mall from the Convention Center north through downtown.
This prequel will be about Eat Street, the city's touristy designation of Nicollet Ave. S from 14th St. to 29th St. (or so). This is my neighborhood, especially the southern end, and I will be talking about some of my favorite restaurants and places to go, and giving recommendations.
These recommendations are entirely subjective. If you feel I've left out a place or disagree with an assessment, you are encouraged to write your own blog entry. My out-of-town friends going to Netroots Nation are going to take a tour on my taste buds.
I'm going to divide Eat Street into four sections based on geography. From the Convention Center (or either of the hotels), the first two are within walking distance. The other two are on an easy bus trip, with a stop on the SW corner of Grant St. and Nicollet, two blocks west of the Convention Center and a half-block north of the Millenium. The #18 bus will go at least to Lake Street (30th) and the #17 bus goes to 24th St. before turning west to get to Hennepin Ave. Whether you have a bus pass (see Prequel #4: Public Transportation) or just pay an individual fare, the bus is $1.75/$2.25 rush hour and good for 2 1/2 hours transfer, which includes a return trip. Driving, best to go south on LaSalle (which turns into Blaisdell at Franklin ((20th))), a one-way street one block to the west of Nicollet.
The basic problem with Eat Street is that it keeps changing. So listings of Eat Street or Eat Street, Eat Street or even the larger entry on SW Mpls on a wiki are often out of date and sometimes just plain wrong. If you want to go to any place listed on a web site, call first.
You may trust my listings to be open... for the next five minutes.
Eat Street: Close to downtown
The upside of these places is that they're within easy walking distance of the Convention Center, and you can duck out for a comparatively quick lunch or dinner. The disadvantage is that they're pricier and you don't necessarily get all that much more bang for the buck.
The bar at Pings, in January (hence the holiday wreath)
Ping's Szechuan Bar and Grill, 1401 Nicollet (612) 874-9404 [Qualified recommendation]. I have a sort of love-hate relationship with Pings. Almost everyone likes the place better than I do. I think it's overpriced and salty. Still, I wind up eating there often when I'm going to the Convention Center because it's the closest place and it has a small but tasty lunch buffet 11am-2pm M-F, $8.75. It also has a nice fish tank and a decent bar (see image above). For large groups, make a reservation.
From the Convention Center, walk west to Nicollet, then a block south. Or, even better, go out the west (employee's) entrance to the Convention Center, jog left a little to walk down 14th St. Pings is on the SW corner of 14th and Niccollet.
Across Nicollet from Pings is doomed. The corner has seen restaurants come and go without lingering. Last I looked (the Thursday before Netroots Nation), a new place was being built. If it's open by the time the convention starts, go in.
I've never eaten at the 3 Monkeys Pub and Grub 1410 Nicollet or Market BBQ 1414 Nicollet or Salsa a la Salsa 1420 Nicollet. Haven't sampled The International Corner 1428 Nicollet either. Sorry.
Really, the only place besides Pings and several closed restaurants I have tried in this bloc is the Sambuza Grill 1424 Nicollet [Qualified Recommendation]. It's okay East African food (Somali/Ethiopian or thereabouts). Like most of these places, the staff is friendly, the food interesting (though salty) and they're very accommodating. Unlike most of the Somali places, it's in a small area and you have to pay close-to-downtown prices. Good if you just want to get a comparatively quick bite, but most of the other Somali restaurants in town are as good or better and generally a little cheaper.
15th Street Market. There's a military surplus store just south (an interesting place to visit) and you can see the International Corner across the street on the right.
Jerusalem's Restaurant 1518 Nicollet 612-871-8883 [RECOMMENDED]. A nifty Middle Eastern Restaurant in a nifty building. Jerusalem is a small, cozy, place, which sometimes has belly dancing. They don't require them, but for any large group (4+), I would recommend a reservation, or at least let them know you're coming. A short walk but, iirc, has a parking lot.
Eat Street: Between I-94 and Franklin Ave.
Mural facing north in a parking lot just south of I-94 on Nicollet Ave.
Now we're getting into a bit of a funky area. I don't know this section well; it's too far to walk and I generally drive down to the Convention Center. So I visited several places for this entry.
Oh, the sacrifices I make for Netroots Nation.
You have to go through the shop to the Akwaaba restaurant in the back
Akwaaba menu, lying on table, not even posted.
I scouted the area for restaurants I hadn't been to, and my girlfriend and I went to Akwaaba Restaurant 1823 Nicollet 612-872-4414 [Qualified Recommendation] It was easily the strangest experience I've had in a long time. We went in... and had to look around to find the restaurant. See above image. The single room was bare except for some African art on the walls. Tables were set up but no silverware was out. No one came to wait on us, so after a while I went back in the shop to ask. A nice lady named Traphie (from Liberia; the cook is from Senegal) came and took our order.
We ordered the Palava soup, Jollof Rice w/chicken, Spinach and 8 meat-on-a-stick Kabars. Entire cost: $38. We thought we were getting two appetizers and two main courses, but each could have fed one person and we wound up taking a lot of food home. Carole didn't like the Palava, a sort of herb-based soup, and we both agreed the Kabars were the best dish we ordered.
Traphie and Carole underneath one of the pieces of African art in Akwaaba.
We were the only ones in the place the whole time.
Akwaaba will deliver to the Convention Center.
We exited the on the other side, through a completely different restaurant.
Menu for Boolay Restaurant & Macmacaan, 1819 Nicollet Ave. 612-871-6410.
Since we didn't eat there, I'm not going to recommend it, but the proprietor (I'm guessing) saw us. With a big grin he kept saying, at "Eat lot, pay less". I snagged a card and left. East African & Mediterranean Foods.
Shops at 18th St. and Nicollet Ave. across from Akwaaba/Boolay/Gangchen. Haven't eaten in any of the places, but the hardware store is fairly large.
The next week, we continued our quest to sample previously unsampled restaurants.
Cook Thinley Gyasto and Baron Dave Romm at the Gangchen.
(Photo by Carole Vandal)
The Gangchen Bar & Restaurant 1833 Nicollet Ave 612-872-8663 [Qualified Recommendation]. The Gangchen ("Land of snow") serves Tibetan cuisine created by people from Tibet. The nondescript outside is a little offputting, but inside it's very nice. They serve more than just Tibetan, and have Chinese and Thai on the menu, but Carole and I went with foods we hadn't tried before. I had the Cranberry Curry w/Scallops (one of the most expensive things on the menu at $12.99) and she went with the Tibetan Traditions Momo (pictured), which is sort of a lean potsticker. Yum!
The only reason this is a Qualified and not a full Recommendation is because I've only gone the once. The Gangchen compliments nicely another restaurant I like but haven't explored, the Himalayan Restaurant 2401 E. Franklin Ave. 612-332-0880, which has a nice lunch buffet for $8.75, serving Nepali, Indian and Tibetan Cuisine.
The cook came out and spoke to us. Very friendly, and very proud of his cooking. Lots of hugs. They offer free deliver for orders over $25. Unlike the previous two restaurants, the Gangchen has a full bar and a happy hour 7 days a week.
The bar of the Gangchen.
There are no more restaurants until you get to Franklin (20th), where you can find a cluster of commercial enterprise including a CVS Drug store, a Starbucks, an independent coffee shop and a liquor store.
Upper Eat Street: 24th St. to 29ths St.
Ethel Grodzins Romm (my mother) at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts 4/26/11.
Minneapolis Institute of Arts 2400 3rd Ave. S 888-642-2787 [A DAVES FAVE] has an okay restaurant and a decent coffee shop, but that's not the reason to go. Free admission (though really, slip 'em a couple of bucks) and a very large permanent collection make for a great visit. Three blocks east of Eat Street on 24th.
Okay, now we're within walking distance of my home, and I'm quite familiar with this area. So a few observations:
All of the Pho/Noodle House places (Vietnamese/Cambodian style soups) are good. People have their favorites, based more on the ambience than the menu. If I don't mention all of them, consider them roughly equivalent in price and food value.
All of the Mexican/Latino places are roughly equivalent. These are newer in the area and I haven't tried them all, but I've generally liked the ones I've been in.
This section abounds with oriental groceries, Mexican panderas and such shops. It is beyond the purview of this diary to talk about them. Feel free to duck in to get some ramen noodles or kimchi or fresh bread.
At 24th and Nicollet is another commercial mini-district, with a McDonalds, A Slice of New York pizza place, Evergreen Taiwanese. Haven't eaten in any of these places in a long time, if ever.
The intersection of 25th and Nicollet features the Pho Hua, which has been several different restaurants before this one, and the Spyglass Espresso Bar and Gallery.
Halfway up the block you come to the Hudson's Map Company. Yes, those people who make the maps in your car have a home, and their small shop is worth a visit if you're in the area.
Across the parking lot is one of my favorite oriental groceries, with a good variety of ramen, herbs, meats and such. As noted above, several similar shops are in the next few blocks.
Continuing down the west side of the street are Cafe Kem 2524 Nicollet 612-208-0254, a bubble tea and coffee shop, and the Jasmine Deli 2532 Nicollet 612=870-4700, which makes very good Vietnamese/Cambodian sandwiches. In between is an interesting used clothing store.
Across the street, between 25th and 26th, is a chunk of restaurants.
Seafood Palace 2423 Nicollet Ave 651-968-8746 [Qualified Recommendation]. This used to be one of my favorite restaurants in town, but the owner/cook sold the place (and moved to Global Market) and the new ownership isn't quite as good. Still, their lunch specials are good and the seafood specials are likely to be worth it. Parking across the street.
Pho '79 2529 Nicollet 612-871-4602 and Caravelle also 2529 Nicollet 612-871-3228 are basically the same restaurant these days. The Caravelle's lunch buffet is only okay, and the restaurant's popularity eludes me. Still, several people have said that Pho '79 is their favorite pho place, and it's been okay when I've visited. They have their own parking lot.
Starting on 26th, the really good restaurants start popping up more regularly.
The Bad Waitress 2 E. 26th St (on the NE corner) 612-872-7575 [Qualified recommendation] is open at 7am weekdays (7:30 sat, 8 Sun) and serves breakfast all day. Odd little 50s decor, and you have to do your own ordering, but the food is generally good and reasonably priced, and the coffee is good.
The Black Forest Inn 1 E. 26th St. (on the SE corner) 612-872-0812 [Qualified recommendation] is a German restaurant many people like for the decor and the beer selection. Never one of my favorites, but it's been a fixture in the area for many years.
And I would be remiss if I didn't mention Little Tijuana 17 E. 26th 612-872-0578 [Qualified recommendation], another place almost everyone else likes more than I do. As the web site says, "In short -- A legendary nocturnal spot", a favorite with students since it's open Wed-Sun 6pm-3am. Okay Mexican food in an atmosphere that isn't nearly as good since they replaced the jukebox. Still, a decent place to get chips and dip very late.
Peninsula Malaysian Cuisine2608 Nicollet 612-871-8282 [Qualified recommendation]. I've eaten at Peninsula twice, and have been unimpressed... while everyone around me semi-raves or says "it was better the last time". Oh well, might be worth a shot if you like this kind of food (which I do).
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...
Christos Greek Restaurant
Christos Greek Restaurant 2632 Nicollet 612-871-2111 [A DAVE'S FAVE]. One of my two favorite Greek restaurants in the cities (the other being It's Greek To Me at Lake & Lyndale). The food is always excellent, the prices reasonable (especially for lunch) and they even have Greek wines. Parking across the street in the evenings.
Across the street is one of the better Pho places, Noodle Bowl 2647 Nicollet 612-872-8004 [RECOMMENDED]. A very large space and therefore kid friendly, and with a few other things on the menu.
Harry Singh's Caribbean 2653 Nicollet 612-729-6181 [RECOMMENDED]. Roti and curry, many with vegetarian options. Can be VERY spicy (though this is Minnesota, and he can make anything mild). Indeed, I recommend you buy some of his pepper-and-lime hot sauce to take home. Harry runs the show and can have idiosyncratic hours; best to call first. (His sister runs Marla's Caribbean Cuisine on 38th and Bloomington, which is also very good.)
Crossing 27th, we head south past my dentist and Shuang Hur Oriental Market (the largest in the area) we get to Quang Restaurant 2719 Nicollet 612-870-4739 [RECOMMENDED]. While most people like Quang's more than I do, there's no question it's a good Pho place and has enough other items on the menu for a large group. Good Vietnamese, with plenty of both tables and booths.
Rainbow Chinese Restaurant. Small parking lot on the right (south).
Rainbow Chinese Restaurant & Bar 2739 Nicollet 612-870-7084 [RECOMMENDED]. Fish tanks, a full bar, good food, reasonable prices. The Rainbow has been a favorite for many years; I used to go in and get a large wonton soup and a quarter duck appetizer, which would make a good, if greasy, lunch. They moved across the street, added the bar and went a bit upscale, but the food is still good.
Nora, the owner and cook at the Java, next to one of the buffet tables at the Java.
Java Restaurant 2801 Nicollet (with it's own parking lot) 612-870-7871 [A DAVE'S FAVE]. Nominally "Middle Eastern", the Java is Egyptian food, and has dishes that I haven't seen in other places, such as Pot Herb Soup or Rabbit. Their sandwiches (Gyros, Shish Kabob, Kofta Kabob, etc) have been a staple of my diet for many years. More recently, they added an all-you-can-eat buffet. $7.99 for lunch, $11.99 for dinner. Worth a bus trip.
The pandera across Nicollet is pretty good, and the Vietnamese grocery store behind the Java (just east on 28th) is good as well.
Haven't been in Old Arizona 2821 Nicollet 612-871-0050 in a long time, but they advertise a wine bar and a chocolate lounge.
Pho Tau Bay, with the mural on the back of KMart visible.
Pho Tau Bay ("Eggplant Soup") 2837 Nicollet 612-874-6030 [A DAVE'S FAVE] is my favorite of the pho places. (Closed Wednesdays, but ample parking). A wide selection of soups, other Vietnamese food, bubble tea and they often have the good Vietnamese pork sandwiches to go.
This is already a very long diary, so I'm going to stop here. Next up: The final Eat Street section: Lake and Nicollet (and nearby).
Let me leave you with a short video I did about the mural in back of the KMart, which starts pointing at the Lake Street side facing north. (Be gentle, it was my first FlipCam video...)