Farewell to an Old Friend: Princess Garden

When we moved to St. Paul 25 years ago, we discovered that the Como neighborhood wasn't exactly a restaurant mecca. But one of our early discoveries was a nondescript Szechuan restaurant in a strip mall near Rice and Larpenteur: Princess Garden. Over the years, our family (along with friends and relatives) has eaten many dozens of wonderful takeout dinners from PG. We were guilty of not being very adventurous in trying new menu items... but once we were hooked on our favorites, why change a good thing? Kung pao chicken with a nice kick; the droolworthy plum sauce slathered on thin moo shi pork pancakes; and some of the best eggrolls ever. To top it off, there was Maria, one of the co-owners--a whirling dervish hustling between the kitchen and tables, and one of the most gentle, courteous hosts imaginable. When I called in my phone orders, she rarely had to ask my name. I was surprised when I called in an order last week and Maria didn't answer. I was more surprised when I drove up to the restaurant and saw a "Grand Opening" sign. Inside, I learned that Maria and her husband had retired and turned PG over to new owners. Of course I wish the new owners well, although it'll never be the same. And certainly I wish Maria and her family the best in a well-deserved retirement. But mostly, I'm trying to figure out how to move ahead without Princess Garden's stand-bys (and Maria's hospitality) to look forward to, especially on winter evenings. So, although PG wasn't a University Avenue business, Christian and I offer a BARF-SUAVE salute to Princess Garden's decades of service to hungry patrons.

Trung Nam French Bakery

Yeah, Joel's right on: the Hurricane fencing, the recycled fast-food building, excellent croissants and an iced coffee that will put hair on your chest. Those croissants. When I moved from Belgium to the Twin Cities more than 20 years ago, in St. Paul there was one good bakery (Napoleon's), one place where you could get a good cup of what I call coffee (espresso at Dunn Bros.) and nary a place where a Belgian could buy a decent beer. When Napoleon's closed I almost cried. Things have changed, for the better, mostly. Beer is no longer a problem, Minnesotans have finally learned to brew something other than "lite." Coffee (as opposed to "flower coffee," as my grama used to call the stuff through which you can see the flower pattern at the bottom of your Meissen china cup) is abundant (though I still like Dunn's best), and ther is the Trung Nam's French Bakery. Croissants so fluffy and light, crisp on the outside and slightly chewy within. Just the right amount of filling, not to overpower. And by all means, have the iced coffee, early on a hot, muggy July morning. You'll be awake to taste the croissants.
--Christian

Trung Nam French Bakery, July 5

Christian and I did a quick visit to Trung Nam French Bakery in Frogtown on July 5, 2010. OK, so the ambience leaves a bit to be desired. A restaurant surrounded by chain link fencing doesn't have the most appealing street presence. Reminds us of those years we spent in the gulag, but we try not to dwell on that. And, perhaps it's time to take down the "Popeye's" sign from the side of the building, left over from the building's previous fast food tenure. But this Vietnamese-French bakery has a long history in St. Paul. Years ago, it was in a sad little strip mall near Minnehaha Bowling Alley; Christian thinks it was also on Lexington Ave., just off University Ave. This restaurant survives because it knows how to make a great croissant. It has a few other menu items, including banh mi (a pork sandwich that I recall from a past visit was tasty) and pho, but today we stopped just for croissants and coffee. The filling in the strawberry croissant was minimal, but Christian assures me this is the French tradition. Good bakeries are hard to come by, and University Avenue has lost some over the years--we're hoping this one stays. We'd gladly do forced labor within the confines of this site's fenced perimeter if our daily reward was a meal of Trung Nam croissants. Joel