The corner of Lake and Chicago in Minneapolis was a notorious crime-ridden intersection. The Allina Hospital now stands in this corner, and near it are the Sheraton Midtown Hotel and the Midtown Global Market. The construction of these new structures has dramatically reduced crime, prostitution and drugs previously so prevalent in the area. Less than 30 minutes from this corner, in St. Paul in Minnesota, are several different types of Thai restaurants, ranging from pure restaurants to one with a cooking school, and from a small restaurant with a simple menu to one with a long list of offerings.
Chef/owner Supatra Johnson conducts Thai-cooking classes at this restaurant. Among the recipes taught are for fresh spring rolls with shrimp, and pad thai with chicken, both of which are said to minimize a diner's consumption of gluten. The restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner, except on Sundays. It has a long list of beers that include gluten-free beers, Singha and Chang beer from Thailand, Saigon and Hue beer from Vietnam, and locally-produced Flat Earth and Lift Bridge beer. It has a patio, a happy hour, and lunch specials. Favorites in the 94-item menu include seafood with green curry and rice noodles, and thai-style duck.
Supatra's Thai Cuisine
289 East 5th Street
St Paul, MN 55101
651-222-5859
supatra.com
This Thai restaurant is open for lunch and dinner every day of the week. It is a small, cozy, and comfortable eatery, with modern seating, quaint tables, and bright orange and black and white accents. Pictures shown in its website show food presentation as one of its strong assets. The menu offers appetizers, soups, salads, desserts and beverages, with three curry entrees, seven noodle entrees, six other entrees and five types of fried rice. Tom Yum seafood is the most popular dish, with the mango spring rolls and pan-fried tuna salad not far behind.
Mango Thai Restaurant
610 Selby Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55102
651-291-1414
mangothaimn.com
Open every day for lunch and dinner from 11 am to 9 pm, this Thai restaurant has a laid-back casual atmosphere, serves beer, and accepts phone orders. It has a long menu that offers a wide variety of dishes. Its pad thai (Thailand's national dish) is offered as vegetarian, pork, chicken, beef, shrimp and squid. Fried rice comes as either thai fried rice, broccoli fried rice, pineapple fried rice or curry fried rice in shrimp, pork, chicken or beef. The different types of curry include masman, vegetarian, fish, chicken, beef, and roast duck. Soups include rice noodle, tofu, silver thread noodle, fresh egg noodle, and tom yum soup. A popular order is crab legs with hot chili pepper.
Taste of Thailand
1669 Selby Avenue
St Paul, MN 55104-6148
651-644-3997
no website found
