More than three years after it joined every other Minnesota restaurant in shuttering its dining room due to the state-mandated shutdown for COVID-19, Rainbow Chinese Restaurant is finally joining those that reopened.
As much as the news is a boon to the many regulars and fans of the 36-year-old restaurant, it's even more momentous to its owner and chef, Tammy Wong.
"It's like a brand-new opening," Wong said. "I feel like I'm going to have a baby."
Indeed, much is new about this Eat Street stalwart. A fresh coat of paint is only the start. Wong has updated parts of the interior with the help of a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The work included renovating a second-floor event space that may hold future pop-ups by guest chefs. There's an all-new front-of-house staff, a new drink program by cocktail maestro Marco Zappia, and a curtailed menu with a selection of classic dishes.
The hours are snug for now, too. Just Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 4 to 9 p.m. Reservations, capped at parties of six, are recommended (they're available online here). There also will be limited space for walk-ins.
The hours will grow in time.
"One of the things a friend, she consults, was saying, was 'Tammy, it's overwhelming, but it's like, think about eating a small bite of the elephant,' " Wong laughed. "We will get there."
Rainbow hosted a few pop-ups earlier this year to test the waters, including a sit-down dinner for Lunar New Year. Otherwise, only takeout was available — and it will continue to be available Wednesdays through Sundays.
