East meets east at ChinDian Cafe
Brooke Ringdahl
Nina Wong of Chindian Cafe
Nestled in a quiet eastern slice of restaurant-heavy Northeast Minneapolis, charming Asian fusion eatery ChinDian Cafe stands out in an area dotted with warehouses and inundated by truck traffic. Although ChinDian does a brisk takeout business, opt for a dine-in outing to get the full experience. The A.V. Club runs down the need-to-knows.
In the kitchen: Chef Nina Wong, who spent nearly two decades at Rainbow Chinese Restaurant, decided to craft a new-style restaurant with her husband, Thomas Gnanapragasam, drawing on the Chinese and Indian mainstays that each grew up on. But both are keen on other cuisines as well, which is why they run a brisk catering business with a very international flair, touching on everything from Mexican to Italian to German.
The name: Thanks to its owners, some dishes are Indian, others are Chinese, and a couple of entrées blend the two—hence, it’s ChinDian.Eat this: It’s not on the menu, but ask for the garlic green beans if they’re available. A simple dish, the green beans are cooked perfectly, and the garlic isn’t strong enough to kill vampires for hours afterward. Wong, an ever-present force in the dining room, is full of suggestions for undecided diners, and is adept at gauging spice levels or even whipping up a vegetarian version of a meaty dish.
Drink up: There’s no beer or wine, so drink before or after you go. While there, though, don’t miss the ginger tea, a home-brewed concoction from Wong. She also sells the ginger syrup in bottles for those who want to replicate the zesty taste at home.
Mom, date, or pal?: Since it’s such a casual place, it’s more of a well-established-relationship kind of hangout than a date spot. But it’s ideal for a parental excursion, or an affordable, don’t-want-to-cook kind of jaunt.
Fellow gourmands: The place has a funky, Chinese-and-Indian diner vibe, with small booths, red lanterns, and Asian art. The feel is comfortable, and so are the diners, who range from university students to families. Since there seems to be more takeout than dine-in, particularly during the week, getting a table usually isn’t an issue.Economic impact: If you have $10, you can still eat heartily. The portions are heaping, especially the noodle dishes like mai fun or lo mein, and everything is made to be shared. For those with modest appetites, one entrée could serve two people.
Vital stats: 1500 E. Hennepin Ave., 612-676-1818, chindiancafe.com. Open Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., but only for dinner on Saturdays, 5 to 9 p.m. Don’t count on a Sunday brunch or dinner, though, since it’s closed completely that day. The East Hennepin location is a quick jaunt if you’re coming off I-35W—it’s not hard to spot if you’re looking, but the busy stretch of Hennepin might make parking tricky right in front, although there’s ample parking on the side streets.
