There are plenty of lists and apps and maps telling you where you can go to eat and drink. I’m here to tell you why you should go there.
We’re going to start with L2 at Tii Cup. Tii Cup has several locations around the metro area, all family owned. They sell those fun and fruity teas. You can add popping bubbles or jellies, creams or syrups, make it hot or cold, whatever you can imagine.
But the location at 27th and Hennepin is a bit different. You enter what appears to be a normal tea shop. Then, head back to the unmarked door on the left, under the red light. Go in and follow the neon pointing characters up the stairs to “L2.”
Welcome to the adorable and very unexpected craft cocktail and snack bar. Grab a seat at the bar or a table or outside on their rooftop deck, which provides a great view of the always entertaining Walgreens parking lot.
The Drinks
They’ve collaborated with the Earl Giles distillery. That means they have access to the giant laboratory that Earl Giles has created to design bespoke drinks.
Together, they have created interesting and well-executed Asian riffs of classic cocktails. There’s a Thai tea infused gin Negroni and an old fashioned with black tea and Japanese Kokuto sugar.
No cocktail menu would be complete without some version of an espresso martini: theirs uses Vietnamese coffee. The cocktail geek in me loves the use of unique and premium spirits such as Thai rum and Vietnamese gin.
The value seeker in me loves that they’re all priced around $13 each. They’d easily be $17 or more in the North Loop. Other interesting ingredients like ube (a sweet purple potato), dragon fruit, yuzu and lychee are used as well.
The Food
Taiwanese street food. Crispy juicy popcorn chicken in a variety of flavors. Being a non-native Minnesotan, I like spicy food.
The spicy chicken is no joke. Face melting, mouth numbing heat. Don’t worry, there are non-spicy options, too. There’s also crispy tofu for your veggie loving friends.
The garlic noodles are sure to keep the vampires away. Wings, fries, green beans and a few other items round out the savory options.
Finish the meal with a sweet-topped bubble waffle or Biing (Taiwanese shaved ice). I should note that my wife, who was born in Taiwan, and rivals Mikey from Life cereal when it comes to Asian food in America, gives an enthusiastic two thumbs up to the food.
Just like the cocktail menu, the food prices are very reasonable, with most items being under $10.
The Verdict
L2 had a tough start, opening right when Hennepin Avenue was shut down for construction.
The drinks are good and the food is tasty. The prices are reasonable, the space is Instagramm-able, and the owners are super nice.
You can probably even walk or bike there if you get this newspaper. And that’s why you should go.
