Sushi Do
July 9, 2009 at 9:33 pm | Posted in Asian, Japanese | Leave a commentTags: lunch, Minneapolis, skyway, sushi, Sushi Do
three out of four walleyes
The employees at Sushi Do are incredible. So much so, that I feel uncomfortable just stopping in to take a look at the food, since I’ll invariably be approached by one of the sweet, fresh-faced ladies working there, who will immediately offer me a sample of something tasty and tell me how much I will enjoy one of their excellent sushi sets. So eventually I was persuaded to buy a dragon roll, which I was told would “melt in my mouth.” And it was indeed some fantastic sushi. Very well made and and packaged. I especially liked that it came with a little dish to put my soy sauce in. A nice touch. If only this place weren’t so expensive! I paid $7 for my eight pieces of sushi and was still a bit hungry afterwards. It’s also not a place where I’d ever want to stay in and eat. There’s only counter seating, and the store is so small and crowded at rush hour, you’d always have other customers milling about right next to your back.
Price: A little on the high side. Most sushi boxes are around $7 and a side salad (seaweed or squid) is $3.
Speed: Very fast, since most of their food is pre-prepared. You just grab and pay.
Seating: Just 10 counter benches squished around the front of the store.
Large groups? No, there’s barely enough space for you to even come with a single buddy.
Check ‘em out: 733 Marquette Ave. (at 7th & Marquette), (612) 338-5191
Canton Village
July 7, 2009 at 6:33 pm | Posted in Asian, Chinese | 2 CommentsTags: Canton, Canton Village, Chinese, lunch, Minneapolis, skyway
three out of four walleyes
This is not fine cuisine, but I don’t think Canton Village is really trying to hit that demographic. What they do, they do very well: quickly serving decent Chinese food at ridiculously low prices. I ordered the spicy vegetables & chicken, the honey chicken, and white rice. As soon as I took a bite I realized that when they mark food as “spicy” or “sweet,” they mean it. The vegetables did indeed have quite a kick, and the chicken was dessert-level sweet. But I found that if I mushed them together, they were great! Sure, there were a couple of pieces of chicken that had some gristle in them, but I’m not complaining. The staff at Canton Village were enthusiastic and friendly, and the seating area, though simple, was clean and bright and even had a nice view, something you don’t often get in a skyway restaurant.
Price: Crazy cheap! Lunch plates with one or two entrees and rice are all $4. Add a drink for a dollar more. Discounts offered at non-rush hour times.
Speed: very fast! The place was well staffed, with a couple employees scooping out plates and another fellow at the cash register.
Seating: Quite a lot – probably around 40 seats, though it’s a bit tight and would be awkward to fit in a large group all together
Check ‘em out: 501 Marquette Ave, (612) 340-1282
Sawatdee
July 7, 2009 at 5:16 pm | Posted in Asian, Thai | Leave a commentTags: express, Minneapolis, Sawatdee, skyway, Thai
two out of four walleyes
Someday I’d like to try out one of Sawatdee’s sit-down restaurants. I hear tell they’re outstanding. The Sawatdee express in the skyway is perfectly fine, but it doesn’t quite live up to its illustrious parent’s reputation. This tiny little place is too small and congested for dining, but its friendly and efficient staff makes this a great place for take-away. I had pad thai with mock duck (one can also have tofu or chicken as a protein topper), and it was alright, but nothing great. Though the fresh scallions and bean sprouts on top were a really nice touch, but the noodles themselves were bland. I had a spring roll on the side, which was more impressive. Full of fresh veggies with a delicious sweet peanut sauce to douse it in.
Price: Totally reasonable
Speed: Very fast & efficient
Seating: A whopping 5 seats at two small tables
Large groups? Oh no no no
Check ‘em out: http://www.sawatdee.com/
733 Marqutte Ave #211, Tel: 612-455-6056
Royal Orchid
July 1, 2009 at 9:38 pm | Posted in Asian, Thai | Leave a commentTags: curry, lunch, Minneapolis, review, Royal Orchid, skyway, Thai
three out of four walleyes
Royal Orchid looks awful. The location, while certainly visible, sideswipes a busy hallway with the dining area and the ordering area immediately adjacent to the stream of businessmen charging by. There’s no decor to speak of, just simple, ugly wooden chairs and tables next to an ordinary buffet counter. And the food itself just looks like trays of differently-hued glop. But in spite of all this (and I hope you’re still reading!), I left Royal Orchid thoroughly impressed and eager to return. The colored goo is actually part of a very clever system for delivering Thai food in a way that is both speedy and retains its all-important texture and flavor. First the freshly made white rice goes on the plate, then your protein of choice (mainly just chicken or tofu), and then the sauce on top. Looks awful, tastes fantastic. And there are quite a few different sauces to choose from. I had the Panang curry, which was savory and peanut-y and delicious. They even had a couple of curries-of-the-day, just in case you get sick of their standards. I had the very good value lunch combo, with pad thai as my second entree. Not quite as impressive as the curry, but still tasty. And all lunches come with a side of veggies. The drink selection here is a little odd. No soda fountain, just cans. And most of the cans are unusual Asian drinks that I’d never heard of, but that didn’t stop me from thoroughly enjoying my pink guava punch. I really wish Royal Orchid could improve its atmophere and appearance; these seem to be the only things stopping them from being a really great lunch venue.
Price: Very fair – Lunch combos range from $5-7
Speed: Quick and pleasant
Seating: There’s always plenty of empty chairs, around 30
Large groups? Sure, if you don’t care about atmosphere. There are several tables for 4 and one that could seat up to 10, but it’s not a great place to hang out or chat.
Check ‘em out: 623 Marquette Ave, (612) 436-9099
Asian Max
June 30, 2009 at 10:15 pm | Posted in Asian | Leave a commentTags: Asian, Chinese, Japanese, lunch, Minneapolis, rice, skyway
Four out of four walleyes
Asian Max has a very unusual cuisine concept. It’s not any particular part of Asia — rather, they have lunch combos representing Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Malaysian cuisine. There’s also daily specials and some tasty looking appetizers, like spring rolls, egg rolls, wontons, and sushi. I ordered the Malaysian lunch combo, with coconut-fried chicken, spicy green beans, and white rice. When the server asked if I wanted teriyaki or ginger sauce on the rice, I almost declined either, thinking that a spoonful of soupy water couldn’t possibly be very interesting. But that spoonful of ginger sauce gave my rice just a hint of flavor, and it went wonderfully with my deliciously tasty chicken and green beans. The only part of the meal I didn’t love was the sauce for the chicken, which seemed to be just pineapple and coconut juice combined. But it was still a great meal: tasty but not too heavy. The service at Asian Max was fast and friendly, and I thought the pitcher of ice water set out by the cutlery was really a nice touch.
Price: Slightly pricier than some of the other take-out Chinese places ($6 for a lunch combo, $3.60 for a side salad), but the extra dollar is definitely worth it!
Speed: efficient and quick
Seating: Plenty of seats, mostly at tables for four, but larger groups could probably shove a couple together
Check ‘em out: http://www.asianmaxrestaurant.com/
120 S 6th St
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Ah Sa Wan (Pillsbury Center)
June 22, 2009 at 8:21 pm | Posted in Asian, Chinese | Leave a commentTags: Ah Sa Wan, Chinese, lunch, Minneapolis, restaurant, review, skyway
one out of four walleyes
Ah Sa Wan seemed to be very busy, and the line was clipping right along, which seemed encouraging, so I went right in. The prices here are impressively fair, and they do have a fair number of choices, including ones that are listed as “lighter fare.” I had a little trouble deciding what I wanted, and while the young man scooping up my food was very patient, the older women (his mother, perhaps?) was not pleased with my dilly-dallying and rushed me through my ordering and paying. Feeling dishevelled, I almost dropped my big styrofoam take-away box while trying to balance it with my briefcase, wallet, receipt and drink as the surge of hungry businessmen pushed me towards the drink dispenser. But eventually I got myself together and sat down to enjoy what looked like a fairly interesting lunch combo of beef with green beans, pad thai with shrimp, pork dumplings, and rice. Sadly, only disappointment awaited. The pad thai was beyond bland; strangely, even the shrimp was entirely bland. The green beans were fine; they at least tasted like green beans. It had just a couple small strips of beef with them, and one of them was gristle-y. The high point of the meal was the pork dumplings, though the sauce that came with them had an unpleasant, sickly-sweet taste to it. In the end, I threw away half of my meal — it just wasn’t that appetizing. However, Ah Sa Wan seems to be getting plenty of business, so some people must like it, and the prices are reasonable, which is something.
Price: Very reasonable – $6-7 for most lunch combos, $2 to add an “appetizer”
Speed: very speedy – they just plop it on your plate you’re good to go
Seating: Over 90 seats, most tables are for 4 people
Large groups? No problem. Long rows of tables could easily fit up to ten people.
Check ‘em out: 200 6th St S, Pillsbury Center, 612-338-2366
Kikugawa
June 20, 2009 at 5:55 pm | Posted in Asian, Japanese | 2 CommentsTags: Japanese, Kikugawa, lunch, Minneapolis, skyway, suhsi
three out of four walleyes
While waiting in line at Kikugawa, I saw an adorable little girl peeking out from behind the curtain. She was shy, and would alternatively come out to spy on the customers and head back inside where she seemed to have some toys. Clearly this little place is a family affair, run by a very efficient couple that clearly understands good Japanese food. There is a parent restaurant that I’ve never been to, which I’m sure has a much more extensive menu, but if you like anything on offer here, this is a good place to get it cheaply and quickly. Sushi is made to order, and while the choices weren’t extensive, it’s prepared with style and looks great. I had the gyudon, marinated beef, vegetables, and noodles on rice with a side salad. It was highly flavorful and authentic, and the portion was huge – much more than I could eat at lunch. The prices are shockingly reasonable, especially considering that much of your food is prepared individually, not just scooped out of a warming tray that’s keep there for hours. There aren’t many drink options though – no soda fountain, no ice, just cans, and half of them were Roundy’s, a brand I’d never heard of, but it was good nonetheless.
Price: Very affordable – entrees start at $4, though you could end up spending a lot if you get the fanciest sushi
Speed: fairly quick, and some sushi rolls and the tempura have been pre-made
Seating: Just 4 seats inside and 6 outside, all at little 2-person tables
Large groups? Definitely not
Check ‘em out: inside the Rand Tower
Zen Box
June 19, 2009 at 9:58 pm | Posted in Asian, Japanese | Leave a commentTags: dumplings, Japanese, lunch, Minneapolis, restaurant, review, skyway, Zen Box
three out of four walleyes
It’s easy to walk right past this tiny, scrappy little place with a fairly limited menu. The first time I came here was at the height of the lunch rush-hour, and there was no way my colleagues and I would be getting one of their very few seats. This place is incredibly tiny, and there isn’t really a good place for a lot of queuing people to stand. But thankfully the folks at Zen Box kept up a really brisk pace, and I was at the front of the line before I’d even had a chance to fully read the menu (which isn’t even all that long). My friends always get the gyoza (dumplings), which come filled with chicken or veggies. Both are delicious and come with rice and a simple cabbage salad. I’ve also had their tonkatsu (pork cutlets with oily cheese), which was crispy and hot, but not as fun and flavorful as those wonderful dumplings. But if you do get tired of them, there are a few other things on offer: potato croquettes, chicken curry, fried shrimp, and sushi. All bento boxes come with tea or a soda.
Price: Relatively cheap, $4.19-7.19 lunch boxes
Speed: usually lightning fast, unless what you order isn’t yet prepared
Seating: A meager 12 seats at 4 little tables. Be prepared to share if you’re only using half a table.
Large groups? Nope, not here. The best you can squeeze in is 5 people at one table, but even that will be tight.
Check ‘em out: http://www.zen-box.com/
601 Marquette Ave, # 204, Tel: 612-341-3313
And they even Twitter! How cute is that? http://twitter.com/zenbox
Blog at WordPress.com. | Theme: Pool by Borja Fernandez.
Entries and comments feeds.
