Nestled between the Sheridan and St. Anthony West neighborhoods in Minneapolis lies a new, exciting restaurant called Diane’s Place. It is a quaint, modern restaurant serving classic Southeast Asian plates, leaving anyone from friends and family to even first dates full and satisfied. With around 20 tables and 10-15 bar seats, Diane’s Place is cozy, lively, and a great new restaurant in Minnesota.
The Ambiance at Diane’s Place
Diane’s Place features three distinct seating areas: small tables with a wall for booth-style seating, large family-friendly tables, and a bar area.
Diane’s Place Menu
Diane Moua, the executive Chef and owner, is quite famous in Minneapolis. For over 10 years, she served as the executive pastry chef for the Soigné Hospitality Group, the management company of some of my favorite restaurants, including Spoon & Stable and Bellecour. Diane’s debut restaurant’s menu is inspired by her Hmong heritage, with savory dishes and some sweet surprises.
Pastries
Like most people, I immediately started reviewing the delicious list of pastries on the menu. My sights were set on the Green Scallion Danish with Garlic Butter. The moment the first bite reached my palate, the buttery pastry layers and the sharpness of the scallion and garlic came to the forefront. Once the scallion and garlic coat the palate, the sea salt kicks in, and it’s one of the best pastries I’ve had in a very long time.
I’m writing this a couple of days after visiting the restaurant, and I can confirm: This pastry is now my Roman Empire.
Brunch
I arrived at 10:45 a.m., and brunch was still available. I looked at the menu and was pleasantly surprised to see the unique plates available. I got the Thai Tea French Toast, which is made with croissant bread, vanilla whipped cream, and fresh fruit. Typically, I worry that brunch will be too sweet. I have a savory tooth, but I was pleasantly surprised to taste the two large cubes of buttery-layered bread infused with orange Thai tea.
Side note: It’s also a great leftover for breakfast the next day!
The woman sitting next to me ordered Diane’s Hmong Sausage and admitted to coming every other week to get this dish. The sausage occupies half the circumference of the plate, and there is a large portion of white rice. The smell was magnificent, and she added an over-easy egg with Hmong hot sauce.
What will I get next time?
Getting into this new restaurant will take a while, but the dinner menu is the perfect transition from day to night. The next time I go, I will try to get the Sticky Fried Rice. I love veggies, rice and a sunny-side egg. The other option that sounds great is the duck stew. The combination of eggplant, lemongrass, garlic, herbs and rice truly encompasses most of my favorite food groups.
My Overall Review of Diane’s Place?
Is Diane’s Place restaurant unique among Minneapolis restaurants?
I would say so since Diane’s Place’s dishes are different enough from other Southeast Asian restaurants in Minneapolis, like Lat14 or Gai Noi. With its simple design, many of Diane’s dishes are far superior. With local produce and a superb culinary team and front-of-house staff, I can confidently recommend this restaurant.
Does Diane’s Place serve all food restrictions?
This is the one, if not the only, drawback of Diane’s Place. I can’t have pork, and most of the meat on the menu is swine. There are several vegetarian options. However, depending on the dressing and sauces, many of these dishes could meet vegan standards.
One of my favorite things about the Twin Cities is the variety of restaurants, diverse cuisines, and the restaurateurs. Diane’s Place may seem niche, but it fits the patchwork quilt that makes Minneapolis one of the best restaurant scenes in the United States. As another James Beard winner for Best Chef, Diane has a lot to celebrate, as this restaurant is already becoming a staple in the famous eateries of the Midwest.