I’d thought I’d post this Twin Cities report on Thursday after getting back to Minnesota; but, thanks to a two-hour flight delay, it’s coming to you instead from Schiphol airport in Amsterdam where I have run out of things to do.

This report on lunch at our current favourite Thai restaurant in the Twin Cities, Hot Grainz, represents the end of my Twin Cities winter backlog. It’s not quite a current report, though. We ate this meal a week after returning from our spring travels in mid-June. It’ll probably take till mid-September, at least, before I’m fully caught up. Fascinating, I know.

This is my fifth report on lunch at Hot Grainz (see here, here, here and here for the preceding entries) and my third since they moved to their current location in the Schmidt Brewery Complex on West 7th St. in St. Paul. We had missed eating Thai food for several months while we were away and it was one of the first things we’d wanted to eat on our return. There wasn’t much doubt that we would head to Hot Grainz to eat it. I’d pronounced them our favourite Thai restaurant in the Twin Cities after our second meal there, and I am glad to say that this meal did not give me any cause to revise that judgment.

For a change, it was just the four of us. The restaurant still operates on the mostly casual format from our past visits. There’s a table-specific qr code you order and pay from on your phone. You get your own cutlery, condiments, water etc. from one end of their long counter. A staff member brings out the food as it gets ready. If there are certain things you want earlier or later than others, it’s a good idea to go up to the counter after putting in your order and letting them know. I know I’m old but I find the qr code system a real pain. Scrolling through a long menu on a phone and trying to keep track of things as you’re trying to put together a harmonious order is a pain—especially since for most items you have to select sides and sauces and heat levels in separate sub-menus. But these are the times we live in.

Speaking of heat levels, we kept things on the relatively mild side on this outing, getting nothing above the “one teaspoon” level. This is probably pretty hot by stereotypical Minnesotan standards. “Two teaspoons” is quite hot and “one tablespoon” is pretty painful. Well, whatever the heat level, the food is extremely tasty—and keep in mind that several dishes are meant to be mild. In other words, you should not deny yourself the Hot Grainz experience if you’re nervous about heat.

What did we eat? A number of favourites. To start, Northern Thai Larb with ground pork and sticky rice (I think you can also choose regular rice). This was rather good and not shy and retiring on the heat front at the “one teaspoon” setting. Next to arrive was the Crab Fried Rice, which was mild, extremely tasty and quite crabby. Also mild by design are the crisp and excellent Chicken Wings, which we got with sides of sweet red chilli sauce and chilli garlic mayo. Next to arrive was the Pad Pak Boong or stir-fried morning glory, which when paired with squid—as we did on this occasion as well—may be my favourite dish at Hot Grainz. It’s another that’s not hot by design. The KaNom Jeen Nam Ngiaw was the last of the savoury dishes. Kanom jeen is probably better when pretty hot and that’s the one dish we regretted not getting at the “two teaspoons” setting. No regrets about having got the nam ngiaw version with chicken feet, cubes of blood etc. Finally, in the place of dessert, Fried Bananas. I don’t think this is meant to be dessert per se but we quite enjoyed it as such.

For a look at the restaurant and everything we ate, launch the slideshow below. Scroll down to see how much it all cost and to see what’s coming next.

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With the qr code, semi-self service model there’s not a whole lot to say about service but everyone there is very friendly and happy to field questions and requests. Price? With tax, included service charge and tip, the total came to just about $140. That’s in line with our meal there last year. Yes, it’s not cheap; but, again, this was enough food for 5-6 people (we took leftovers home). It also seems like a fair price for the quality. We’ll probably be back again before the end of the year.

Before that though we’ll probably get back soon to Krungthep Thai, which was our previous pick for the best Thai restaurant in the Cities. But wherever, we eat at next, the next Twin Cities report will be of our next meal there/here in June: an anniversary dinner at Alma. That’ll go up next Wednesday. Before that, a report each from Seoul and New Jersey this week, and one more from Bombay next Tuesday.