Hot Grainz - Thai Street Food

Super hole in the wall gem located in a multiple purpose commercial building. Parking lot in the back of the building (front faces University Av). Inside, you may miss the order window but look harder. Hours can be sketchy as we came one day and they closed several hours earlier than posted hours. We came back another day and were successful. Ordered thru QR code and sat down in their small but clean dining space. Papaya salad was delicious as well as the fried sour pork (tender and flavorful). Pad Thai was solid but did not blow our minds. Their specialty may be their selection of noodles. Tried the extra spicy egg noodle soup (forgot the name). Warning if you are sensitive to spicy, don't order spicy here. It's legit spicy.

Best authentic Thai foods we have in 2024! This restaurant is situated in the back part of plaza shopping mall. We were unsure we were at the right place since there was no sign outside the building. However we went through the back door next to the parking lot of the mall and it was right there! We had Khao Poon (vermicelli version of salted crab papaya salad), Khao Kha Moo, and deep fried bananas. Khao Poon was just like what we had in E-san, the northeastern region of Thailand. If Pla-ra (Thai style anchovy) is not your thing, there are many other options of papaya salads that look amazing on the menu. Khao kha moo is a bomb! The meat was so tender and juicy. We would order these 2 dish again next time! We ended the meal with deep fried bananas, you got a lot for $10. How it works: place an order through QR code and pay at the cashier/front desk of the restaurant. After completing payment, you will be assigned a table to sit. I would not recommend a party bigger than 4 based on the tables they have (takeout option is available). The restaurant is very low key and relaxed. You serve yourself water and utensils/napkins. Very friendly staff.

A real hole in the wall place. After ordering, there is a dining space with self service water and utensils. We got the Naem and Khao Soi. The Naem are a fermented pork rib. Super flavorful and sour! Khao Soi is one of my favorite dishes and they did not disappoint. The broth was well balanced and the chicken leg was succulent.

I only tried two salads but they were fantastic! Hot Grainz is a tiny spot tucked into a larger mixed use building. There is one or two tables, but it is really more of a takeout spot. It is not easy to find and if there is a sign outside, I did not see them. You will see a number of items that can be found at any Thai restaurant but also many unique items- and that is where they shine. Loved my salads- that perfect balance of flavors that make Thai food my favorite. When you look at the menu, it may appear there are few vegetarian items but I spoke with with staff and they said that you can make a request in your order to leave the meat out and they will honor it, and in some cases can add mock duck. Fun, not expensive and tasty. Definitely recommend!!

I've been drooling over the photos at Hot Grainz so I was ready to eat everything I went with some friends. After circling the building outside in lovely MN winter, we finally found the entrance in the back of the building. No signs, Asian speakeasy. It looks like mass chaos inside. People trying to figure out how to order from one machine and taking their sweet time. Signs everywhere to order from a QR code, along with their "rules." I already know what to expect when a restaurant has signs everywhere that start with "DO NOT...blah blah blah." Stuff like that is so unwelcoming, but I kinda get why they need to. If the food is AMAZING, I'm like whatever, par for the course. Most Asian places, servers won't smile at you or refill your water, you'll be lucky they're not talking shit about you. I'm Viet, they be talking about me until I respond back and they're shocked I'm Viet, then suddenly we're bff's. Sure, fine, as long as the food is on point. We ordered Naem, Raw Beef Larb, Khao Kha Moo, and KaNom Jeen NamNgiaw. It's a little after 1pm on weekend, we're dining in. We're the second group of four in the small dining room, it took like 40 min to get our food and damn, they brought each dish out one at a time, just torture. I was about to devour my 4 bags of O-tube chips I bought from the very convenient Asian market next door, I was so hungry. But, I was scared of the "NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR DRINKS" signs. I didn't want them to bring their little machine and charge me money and another 3% for using a credit card. I waited and felt my mental breakdown happening in slow motion as my body ate itself. Alright, close to 2pm and first dish rolls out piping hot, Naem. I'm so hungry it's like winning the lottery. I smash the first piece, I love the flavors of this dish, it's bright, bold, spicy, sweet, savory...but the pork is kinda dry, like chewing rubber. I wish the meat was tender and juicy cause this might be my favorite flavor profile on earth. Raw beef larb was good, but I'd skip any hint of bitter and it really needed acid, same with the KaNom Jeen NamNgiaw noodle soup. We asked for lime wedges and that did the trick in helping cut the richness in the larb, and the lime brought more depth to the broth in the soup.The Khao Kha Moo was the star. I would like buckets of this rice and ham hock, everything on this one plate was perfect. I would get this every time. If not for this dish I probably wouldn't come back. I'm coming back for this. I'd never dine in again though. Oh, my ass learned today. I will be ordering my ham hock to go each time and well in advance.

Hot Grainz makes some good Thai food! They're in the large building housing the Asian market. When you arrive you'll have to scan the code and order through their website. You can then grab a seat and they'll bring out the food. There's not many tables available so try visiting on an off hour. The pad kra pow is great but get it as spicy as possible. The spice level of one table spoon is what you should order if you like spice.

When you look up directions it will be confusing but it's inside the sunrise Market. Plenty of parking in the back which is a plus.You order the food first at the counter with the QR code and they'll give you a table number if you're dinning in. Small place with just a few table but it gave me a flashback similar to back in asia which was very cozy. Our food came out fast, there's plates and silverware and a water dispenser near the front and you basically help yourself. I ordered the yen the pho, boat noodles, papaya salad , chicken wings, pad grapao (not pictured), shrimp fried rice(not pictured). Overall food was good, I like mine on the sweet and salty side but there were condiments near the silverware that you can add so you can adjust the taste. Loved that they had so many food choices that's hard to find in the twin cities. Overall I would definitely go back, just wished seating was more expanded.

Tried this place as it has plenty of good choice from the menu. We dined in but the place only has 6 small tables (2-4 ppl/tbl). So take out might be your better choice. Anyway, though Naem is their signature dish (fermented pork ribs) we decided to order other dishes: Khoa kha moo and bha mee moo daeng and three milk mango sago for our dessert.

Nestled in the corner of a plaza market is a hidden gem of traditional Thai comfort and street food. The building itself is unassuming, but the restaurant is modern and quaint. The food, however, is stunning. We came specifically for the pork feet-- stewed in five spice. It was soft and tender and full of collagen. The pad krapow was flavorful but spicy (if you can't handle spice, don't get it!). It was definitely worth the drive.

This is the only place in the Twin Cities where I've been able to order pig's trotters similar to the way they do them in South Korea where I lived for 2 years. Before you say to yourself that you would never eat pig's trotters, let me tell you that most fatty cuts of meat in America are not done well. The fat on pig's trotters is melt in your mouth, and when mixed in with the meat it's to die for. As others have said, Hot Grainz does Thai food you won't find at your average Thai restaurant here. This is a must-try. It is somewhat difficult to find, but a little persistence pays off. Just drive around the back of the building and you'll find it. There is another restaurant in the same building, so don't be confused. Hot Grainz is the counter-service place in the hallway. Definitely check this place out.