In the Before Times I used to post a quarterly round-up of the top 5 dishes we’d eaten in the Twin Cities metro in the previous three months. I don’t think I posted any of those last year—it’s hard to remember through the pandemic fog. But here is a new edition that covers the first quarter of 2021. Through the pandemic I have damped down my normal critical impulses and have focused on the positives of all the meals we’ve eaten. This hasn’t actually required any fudging of the facts—all the meals we’ve eaten over the last year and change have been very tasty and very much appreciated. And so to continue to show our appreciation for these meals, this edition of the list is not simply restricted to the top 5 dishes but includes my two favourite dishes from each of our pandemic takeout runs so far this year.

In reverse order, these dishes were eaten at the following places. You can read the full reviews of the meals by clicking on the links. God knows there were more than two dishes we liked at each meal.

1. Trieu Chau (St. Paul)
2. Grand Szechuan (Bloomington)
3. Thai Cafe (St. Paul)
4. Gyros Grill (Bloomington)
5. Godvari (Eden Prairie)
6. El Triunfo (Northfield)
7. Bangkok Thai Deli (St. Paul)
8. Fasika (St. Paul)
9. Pho Everest (Lakeville)
10. Kabob’s (Bloomington)
11. Nawal (Burnsville)
12. Indian Masala (Maplewood/Woodbury)
13. Grand Szechuan (Bloomington)

To see what my top 2 dishes from each meal were, launch the slideshow below. Scroll down to see what you might expect in the second quarter of 2021.

What can you expect on the next version of the list? Homi, for sure. We picked up a great meal from them yesterday (full review on Tuesday). We’re also hoping to get back soon to Peninsula in Minneapolis and to Bull’s Horn for some more ramen. You may also have noticed that it’s been more than a month since our last Indian outing. There’s a new(ish) North Indian place in Bloomington we might give a go soon. As for the rest, dare I dream that there might be some in-person dining represented next time? By the end of June most people in Minnesota will have been vaccinated (I get my second shot in a few days, the missus got her first shot yesterday) and hopefully things will be at a point where dining in will not seem like a dubious proposition. Let’s hope for the best!