This beloved Thai and Lao restaurant has moved into a fresh and airy new location, but the classics remain classic. (Joy Summers/Star Tribune)
Pha ram long song with shrimp at Ruam Mit Thai + Lao Cuisine
Greenery and florals drape from the ceiling, moving gently as customers pass in and out of the newest location of Ruam Mit, bringing a welcome rush of cool air.
After moving through four decades, three addresses and different owners, the Thai and Lao restaurant is now under the stewardship of Nia Rasavong and Mark Khaopraseuth in what was once downtown St. Paul’s Dunn Brothers. With floor-to-ceiling glass in the dining room and a new shady-in-the-evening patio out front, it’s a tempting evening draw.
While much has been refreshed, the menu still has classics for longtime fans. That evening we ordered dish after dish of spicy, citrusy and herb-heady dishes, but the standout had to be the pha ram long song with massive shrimp ($19). The curry is a longstanding Ruam Mit staple, a red curry with coconut milk so rich and deep it’s a nutty and smooth sauce, and the barely wilted spinach makes a delicious blanket to wrap the shrimp. It can be ordered with chicken, mock duck or other options, but this classic is my classic for a reason. (Joy Summers)
We got a preview of Scenic 61's new State Fair savory eclairs. (Sharyn Jackson/Star Tribune)
Bánh mì éclair from Scenic 61
The Star Tribune Taste team was meeting and greeting readers at the Taste of Minnesota in downtown Minneapolis last weekend, and I couldn’t not break away for a few minutes to sample the food. Scenic 61, the food truck version of Duluth’s renowned New Scenic Cafe, was on the scene with a lineup of éclairs with both sweet and savory fillings. I had a hunch that such a culinary mash-up would be a natural for their State Fair 2024 menu, and that hunch was correct. I’ve now got a one-bite head start on our State Fair opening day eating expedition.
I selected the bánh mì éclair, a puffy-yet-sturdy choux pastry swiped with chicken liver pâté before being loaded up with savory pork confit, cucumbers and pickled carrot and daikon to cut through the saltiness, and a drizzle of Sriracha mayo. I‘m thrilled I’ll get to try their other flavor, “the lobstah,” later this summer at the fair (prices not available). The play on a lobster roll was a popular pick with many who visited our booth. And speaking of those visitors, thanks to everyone who stopped by and gave us restaurant recommendations! (S.J.)