EATER TWIN CITIES’ BEST DISHES OF THE MONTH: SEPTEMBER 2024

Welcome to Eater Twin Cities’ Best Dishes column. True, the heatmap is the best resource for intel on exciting new restaurant openings around Minneapolis and St. Paul — but here we’re tracking standout dishes at restaurants old and new. Here are the best dishes an Eater editor ate around the Cities in September.

Cha ca la vong (turmeric and dill fish) at Hai Hai

I have a habit of sticking to my favorites at Hai Hai: The water fern cakes, coconut shrimp toast, and mushroom banh xeo. A few weeks ago, though, I branched out and ordered chef Christina Nguyen’s cha ca la vong. This turmeric fish dish has a 130-year history in Hanoi, Vietnam: It was invented by the Doan family, who served it to Vietnamese revolutionaries during the French colonial era; the family later opened a restaurant called Cha Ca La Vong, and today a whole street in Hanoi is devoted to the dish. In Hai Hai’s rendition, flaky, mild cod is given the subtlest crust by pan-searing, and the turmeric’s natural earthiness is balanced with sweet, funky pineapple shrimp sauce that pools around the fish. Then there are the herbs: Lush, bright dill, basil, cilantro, and scallions, nearly running over the edge of the bowl. 2121 University Avenue NE, Minneapolis

The Kevin’s Kombo sandwich at Crossroads Deli

I’ve been doing a lot of caregiving this month, which inspired a craving for a gentle, nourishing bowl of matzo ball soup. I sought one out at Crossroads Deli in Minnetonka, and during my visit, happened across the Kevin’s Kombo sandwich. Prior to this meal, I’d have put my money on hot corned beef as Crossroad’s best sandwich, but the Kevin’s Kombo ups the ante with a layer of melted, creamy pepper jack cheese and folds of pepper-crusted pastrami. Don’t mind the gluten-free bun in the photo; usually this sandwich is served on caraway rye. 2795 Hedberg Dr, Minnetonka

Beef short rib with carrots and hash browns at the Creekside Supper Club

The Creekside is the closest thing to a Wisconsin supper club you’ll find in the Cities, and I love it for its dedication to facsimile. This beef short rib was massive — the bone itself was at least two inches across — the meat stewed to a melty, tender texture in a subtly tannic red wine pan sauce. The Creekside could easily serve this dish with textbook mashed potatoes, but the hash browns are crispy and satisfying and the ideal match for the sweet glazed carrots. Also pictured is a very cheesy, very-true-to-Wisco-supper-club French onion soup. 4820 Chicago Avenue, Minneapolis

Hmong sausage and rice at Diane’s Place

Of all the delightful breakfast and brunch dishes at Diane’s Place, I keep coming back to chef Diane Moua’s Hmong sausage, served simply with sticky rice, a fried egg, and herbs. Moua partnered with Lowry Hill Provisions, the restaurant’s next-door-neighbor in Northeast Minneapolis’s food building, to make this sausage: It has an almost crusty casing; inside it’s juicy, peppery, and studded with savory little morsels of fat. The restaurant offers both a sweet and sour sauce and a hot sauce; I went with the hot. This dish happens to be Moua’s favorite on the menu, and it’s mine too. 117 14th Avenue NE, Minneapolis

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