What’s Up
Not even a devastating fire could keep down the ambition of Eric Pham, part restaurant kid who grew up in Quang, his mother’s legendary Vietnamese spot in Minneapolis, part fine dining protege who begged for a job cooking at Spoon and Stable at age 19. Khue’s Kitchen is named after his mom, Khue Pham (pronounced “qway”), who serves as both inspiration and an extra chef during her frequent appearances at her son’s St. Paul restaurant. This newly opened spot doesn’t fit neatly in the category of either Quang or Spoon and Stable, and that’s part of what makes it so exciting. Pham is a survivor: His pop-up at Bar Brava ran for a year while he raised money to open his own place. As he prepared to launch in the former Ngon Bistro space in St. Paul last year, a fire destroyed the building just days before the grand opening, forcing Pham to start over in an underused space inside MidCity Kitchen near Highway 280.
Photo by Kevin Kramer
What’s Cooking?
The menu is classic Vietnamese cooking through the lens of a Generation Z Minnesotan. Pham told me he wanted to shine a light on classic dishes that are often championed by Vietnamese kids at home, but not for a larger audience. Maybe no dish signifies that more than the Bánh Mì Xíu Mai ($15): a giant pork meatball with little pieces of bread as binder, served alongside toasted bánh mì. Khue’s slowly formed, rich tomato sauce with chili oil and scallions is packed with subtle, non-showy technique. Same with the humble Chicken Salad ($15), bright and acidic thanks to a fabulous fish sauce vinaigrette. You’re going to get the Spicy Chicken Sando ($17), which went viral during the pop-up days, and you’re not going to regret it. Impossibly crunchy, thanks to a buttermilk brine and corn and potato starches, then topped with a chili crunch and a bright-green herby aioli. I loved the Sticky Jicama Ribs ($20): a wild concoction of marinated tofu and fried jicama, glazed with a bright red soy sauce. You’ll like the very traditional Grilled Sirloin ($37), as well—ours was perfectly cooked to medium-rare and drenched with a slightly sweet Vietnamese marinade.
What’s the Vibe?
The wine list features largely natural and orange wines, which play nicely with the herbaceous funk in Pham’s food. Inspired by Quang, food comes out quickly here. This is not a two-hour tasting menu vibe: It’s casual, it’s chill, but the execution in the kitchen is clearly on a different level. Bring a couple friends and try everything on the menu. Open Wednesday through Saturday for dinner only.
693 Raymond Ave., St. Paul, khueskitchen.com
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