(Images: Jason Suss)
I hope you enjoyed the awesome summer kids’ edition. Now I’m back with your next place to go. But before we get there, let’s talk about a few new things in the hood.
New in the Neighborhood
The former Daisy’s, previously Cowboy Slim’s, on Hennepin and Lagoon is going to be Harold’s Chicken Sports Bar. I’m not exactly sure what sports the chickens will be playing. I can only assume it’s some sort of high-stakes head-on car racing, but I’ll have to check it out and see when it opens.
Troubadour Wine Bar is hosting an open mic and spoken word event one Sunday a month called The First Draft. It was a packed house this past Sunday.
In fact, a bicyclist coming from the north was so distracted trying to look into the bar and see what was going on that he crashed into a bicyclist coming from the south. Fortunately, they were both OK. They really should make those bike lanes bigger.
Another new addition is Tom’s Thai. It’s in the space that was previously Matriarch for about two Scaramuccis, Pinoli before that, and most well known as Amore Victoria before that.
From my research, the plan is for it to be a Thai and Asian restaurant with a tiki bar. They are currently softly open, but with food only. I can only assume that they are waiting on their liquor licensing, which the city processes once every fifth month on the second Tuesday that falls on an odd two-digit prime number. Ask Brownstone Jazz Club for more info on that.
And speaking of Thai food, let’s talk about one of the original Uptown gangsters of the cuisine: Amazing Thailand.
Almost 20 Years In
Amazing Thailand has been open for almost 20 years. In fact, they are already planning their 20th anniversary block party next year, so be sure to watch for that. That’s a really long time in restaurant years.
I asked them why they think they have lasted so long. The answer: the neighbors. They have a loyal customer base that has continued to support them through all the challenges the area has had.
That’s no surprise, because the food is good and the owners are also very supportive of the community. They also do a lot of delivery, to-go business and catering.
They have been regularly donating food to those in need and been strong supporters of the relatively small Thai community in the Twin Cities.
What We Ordered
The space is nice too. It has a lot of traditional Thai decor, wood carvings on the wall, statues, artwork and the like. There’s even a cute outdoor patio area.
My wife joined me on my visit, for a few reasons. First, she’s Asian and loves Asian food. Second, it meant we would be able to order more things to try.
We started with the Tod Mun, an item from the “new Thai street food” section of the menu. They are shrimp cakes with pork, curry, green beans and kaffir lime leaves served with a sweet and sour sauce. They were hot, tasty and a great start to the meal.
My wife was excited to see boat noodles on the menu. It’s a very common Thai dish but not found as often in the United States. It has a five-spice beef broth, noodles, pork meatballs, liver and rinds, served with chili sauce, bean sprouts, lime and basil.
“I asked them why they think they have lasted so long. The answer: the neighbors.”
I was told that traditional boat noodles also include either pork or beef blood in the broth, which may explain why it’s not as common in the U.S., where that might not be well received. She said it was great and would absolutely order it again.
I opted for the more common Pad See Ew. It’s stir-fried wide rice noodles, Chinese broccoli, egg and your choice of protein in a rich and savory sauce. I enjoyed that as well.
We shared a Thai iced tea, a lightly spiced creamy version of iced tea. It’s made from black tea, hence the sharing, so we’d be able to sleep that night.
I chatted with our server a bit and learned that the original owners are still around and do most of the cooking. That has helped keep the food consistent and authentic over the years.
I also learned that “only one rock” was thrown through their window during the Uptown unrest, while many neighboring businesses sustained much more substantial damage. I’m not quite sure if that shows the respect for the immigrant-owned business, or the sadly lowered bar we have for things these days.
They are open until 8 p.m. most nights and 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, which still leaves you plenty of time to check out the new books at Magers & Quinn and grab a nightcap glass of wine at The Tasting Room.
Why Go?
Hot, fresh, authentic Thai cuisine. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. A happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m.
And they offer delivery and catering, so you can still have their delicious food even if you don’t “go.”
Jason Suss spent 15 years in tech before leaving the corporate world to pursue his passion for cocktails. For the past 12 years, he has worked on both sides of the bar at local restaurants. He now lives in Lowry Hill and owns @AProperPour.
