For the letter 'J', we escaped another, cold, Minnesota night to explore the culinary world of Vietnam. Jasmine 26 has a contemporary take on traditional Vietnamese cuisines; ranging from banana blossom salads, to noodle dishes, to ribs. This restaurant is just off Nicolett Ave. (eat street) in the bustling 'foodie district' of south Minneapolis. They have a full bar stocked with exotic cocktails, spikes bubble teas, a short wine list, and a few local (Surly), domestic, and international beers.
Although I typically pride myself on branching out and trying new things, when there are spring rolls on a menu, I can't seem to open my mind and palate to new foods. So, we ordered the spring rolls with shrimp. They were good, but nothing out of the ordinary. However, they were served sushi roll style and had a suburb peanut dipping sauce with just enough of a Sriracha punch to make us forget the cold!
Thinking that our entree portions might be on the small side (which they were not!), we decided on ordering the Empress Fried Rice with Chinese Sausage to share. Unlike a typical fried rice, where everything is mixed together, this dish had many of the ingredients separated on the plate for you to enjoy their individual flavors or mix them all together.
As salads were one of the things Jasmine 26 is known for, we ordered the Grilled Shrimp, Coconut Milk, Noodle Salad. It was very light and a combination of interesting flavors. The large shrimp were grilled and topped with chopped peanuts and served over the thick but airy rice noodles dripping in coconut milk. The actual lettuce, cilantro,and herb salad was served on the side of the noodles and came with a delicious Asian style vinaigrette.
Another one of their specialties is soup, and what could go better with our winter weather?! The Coconut Hot Pot was ordered! The tangy, spicy, refreshingly zingy, coconut milk broth was amazing! Immersed in the broth was a delightful combination of chicken, mushrooms, lemon grass, galangal, and dry chilies. The soup was also served with a side of white rice to add into the broth but I thought it was perfect without it.
The Jasmine Crepe was less like a crepe and more like an egg omelet. The crispy, turmeric rice, coconut crepe was filled with stir-fried pork and shrimp, bean sprouts, mung beans, and onion. It was served with a side of crisp lettuce, pickled carrot and a minty vinaigrette.The ambiance at Jasmine 26 is far superior to many of it's 'eat street' counterparts. The interior is dark, sleek, but simple and open. It was quiet the evening that we were there, making it easy to have a conversation, but I'm sure it could get quite loud when packed. Amongst the dark wood, there was a carved wooden Buddha that had made the journey from Vietnam to the U.S.
Other recommendations from our club that start with a ‘J’:
Jasmine Deli - the same owners as Jasmine 26; has a more casual deli atmosphere. Great sandwiches!
Jax Cafe- Fine American supper-club type dinning in Northeast Minneapolis
Joe's Garage- Fun roof top dining in the summer with great views of the Minneapolis skyline and Loring Park.
Next month’s destination – Koyi Sushi Too
Bon Appitte!
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