Becca’s Breakfast Guide and Jade Dynasty
The Churn for Friday, February 7, 2025
“Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.”
Adelle Davis, LET’S EAT RIGHT TO KEEP FIT
In this week’s edition of The Heavy Table’s Churn newsletter, we do some heavy duty breakfasting and review the newly opened Jade Dynasty at Lyn-Lake. Heavy Table exists solely because of the support of subscribers like you - thanks for making our work telling the stories of food and drink in the Upper Midwest possible.
BEHIND THE LENS: BECCA DILLEY
I’ve known Becca Dilley for more than 25 years, been married to her for a bit less than 20, been working with her on books and stories for more than 15 and been collaborating with her on Heavy Table since its founding.
And while you can call my objectivity into question - you probably should, since we’re raising kids together - I owe her a massive debt of gratitude and hope to settle at least a fraction of it by introducing her feature in today’s edition of the newsletter.
Becca has an incredible gift when it comes to photography: She strives to capture people, places, and things as they actually are, as opposed to how we would want or expect them to appear.
Her documentary eye is a complement to everything I try to do as a writer for Heavy Table, which is to approach each story with love and optimism, but to let my writing record, as accurately as possible, the actual state of the world as I found it.
She’s also a tremendously holistic photographer, which means that when she’s shooting she’s thinking about all the various wheels within wheels: the subject, the light, the story, the publication, the readers, the universe as a whole. The image doesn’t exist in a lab, to be perfected - it’s a reflection of people, and culture, and history, and as such can be complicated, or mystifying, or challenging. This makes her a lot of fun to work with, because the way she thinks about photography informs and improves the way I think about interviewing, writing, and storytelling.
Becca also loves hash browns, like, a lot. I don’t think that was the entire impetus for her magisterial breakfast restaurant roundup in this edition of the Churn, but it was certainly a factor. I hope you enjoy her words and photos, and get at least a couple of good brunches and pastries out of the bargain, too. — James Norton
HEAVY TABLE’S HOT FIVE
#5 Chocolate Pecan Pie at Cecil's Delicatessen | St. Paul
The chocolate pecan pie at Cecil's Delicatessen may have been created in a lab to perfectly appeal to my taste buds—it combines my two favorite pies, pecan and French silk. There's a tender, no-nonsense crust, a base of chocolate pudding laced with the sugary custard of a pecan pie, and then a layer of caramelized, crunchy pecans. It's topped with a solid inch-and-a-half of whipped cream, which seems excessive at first glance but actually serves to balance out the richness of the filling. Do yourself a favor and get a second slice to take home. – Stacy Brooks
#4 Beef Pho at Pho 49 | Burnsville, Minn.
The beef pho at Pho 49 totally blew me away! I was at the Saigon Asian Food Market in Burnsville for the first time and had no idea there was a little restaurant inside. The variety of pho is extensive, differing significantly based on its place of origin. In my bowl, the basil, lime, and sliced jalapeño really stood out. The broth was packed with a mix of flavors including anise, cardamom, coriander, cloves, fennel, and maybe a bit of cinnamon. It was rich and very fresh at the same time. Served with basil and bean sprouts, it was the perfect warm meal for a chilly January day – definitely worth the drive from Minneapolis! – Brenda Johnson
#3 Trout Spread at Russ Kendall’s Smokehouse | Knife River, Minn.
With a creamy mouthfeel, this cheesy spread from Russ Kendall’s Smokehouse is a joy on crackers and in tortillas. There's a subtle undertone of trout flavor -- sweet, slight fishiness, perhaps -- within the orange-colored spread. The combo of sweet fish, cheddar cheese, and creamy spread is nearly as delectable as the salmon spread at Kendall's, but it's a bit of a toss-up on which I prefer -- they're both incredible. – Louis Livingston-Garcia
#2 Okonomiyaki from At Sara's Table Chester Creek Cafe | Duluth, Minn.
Despite the Japanese moniker, At Sara's Table Chester Creek Cafe's savory cabbage and potato pancake is topped with a housemade kimchi and sambal aioli, and the fact that it's adapted to be vegan and gluten-free feels very American. I promptly negated its vegan-ness by adding a sunny side-up egg, which I highly recommend—the richness of the runny egg yolk balances out the vegetable-heavy pancake and complements the umami notes of the shiitake mushrooms. All in all, a delicious way to eat your vegetables. – Stacy Brooks
#1 BBQ Beef at Dong Yang | Hilltop, Minn.
If you’re a regular Heavy Table reader, you likely already know about Dong Yang, the little rough-hewn Korean truckstop-style bistro buried in the back of the supermarket of the same name. But you might not know that their barbecue beef entree is both quite tasty (tender, savory, delicious with rice and/or banchan) and a remarkable value: $17 gets you a massive pile of meat that could feed two lumberjacks or four regular people looking for a soulful hot lunch. – James Norton
BREAKFAST BY BECCA
Photographer Becca Dilley is a breakfast fanatic; here are 14 of her current favorite spots.
By Becca Dilley
A version of this story originally appeared on BeccaDilley.com.
We all need a breakfast plan: mine includes a sense of place, food that is a little indulgent, a neighborhood to walk around in, and good coffee. These are breakfast suggestions for when your friends come to town for your wedding, your family visits, or you just need a new place to try out with your sweetie.
Isles Bun and Coffee (Uptown, Minneapolis)
This tiny storefront is a world champion cinnamon roll powerhouse. There might not be a place to sit down, and there will be a line. Order the puppy dog tails (cinnamon twists) and a coffee, get the extra cream cheese frosting, and walk around Uptown or the Lake of the Isles. Make sure you get extra napkins, too.
Black Walnut Bakery (Uptown, Minneapolis)
This bakery makes a croissant loaf that is worth the trip all on its own, but also has lovely breakfast sandwiches and modern takes on classic french pastries.
Farmers Kitchen & Bar (Mill District, Minneapolis)
This classic breakfast fare is notable for two reasons: the location (by Mill Ruins Park in downtown Minneapolis) and because it is owned and supplied by local farmers. The eggs are local, the produce is local, the vibe is local. Afterwards, walk down by the Stone Arch Bridge or Mill Ruins Park for the views that made me fall in love with Minneapolis.
Hi-Lo Diner (South Minneapolis)
This is a modern restaurant that looks like an old diner – the menu is part hipster boozy milkshakes and part really good hashbrowns, and it’s a very cool place to grab breakfast. There might be a wait and they specialize in fancy things served on top of doughnuts (called “Hi Tops”). I generally just get eggs and hashbrowns, but definitely save room for a banana malt (or order off their bar menu!)
Hola Arepa (South Minneapolis, weekends only)
People serious about having fun with their food started Hola Arepa as a food truck years before, and their South Minneapolis restaurant is lively and fun, featuring Venezuelan-style takes on casual dining. Most of their food happens to be gluten-free, and they open for brunch on weekends at 10am.
Guavas Cuban Cafe (South Minneapolis)
Excellent Cuban food, featuring an excellent breakfast. You can complete your meal with a side of maduros (plantains), pastelitos, and a cafe con leche.
Porzana (Downtown Minneapolis, weekends only)
Porzana is an Argentinian steakhouse by the same restraunteur for some of my fave dinner spots Colita and Martina. For brunch, this is a gorgeous space for sharing abundant dishes (often with burre blanc or other indulgent ingredients) with friends. They also take reservations which can mean easier dinning with out of town family and friends.
Al’s Breakfast (University of Minnesota Campus)
Someone had the great idea to roof over a 10-foot-wide alleyway in the Dinkytown area of the University of Minnesota. Thus: Al’s was born. The restaurant has 14 stools facing a flat top range, some of the area’s best pancakes (yeasty but chewy), and a no-nonsense approach to everything.
Best bet is arriving before students are up, bringing only a couple friends at most, and enough cash to cover the bill - no credit cards here. The first time I ate at Al’s, we sat next to a student and his parents (who had met in college there decades before). The parents remembered they had left a credit at Al’s (where many people prepay in an old fashioned coupon book system) and the staff were able to find it and apply the remaining $2.41 to the bill.
Other worthy diners around here include Ideal Diner in Northeast Minneapolis and Our Kitchen (above) in South Minneapolis. Both are fantastic and offer excellent hashbrowns and great service.
Chimborazo (Northeast Minneapolis and St. Paul) (weekends only)
The restaurant making the best Ecuadorian food in Minneapolis also has an excellent brunch – flavorful South American favorites blended with American fare (French toast, please!). I’ve never had a bad meal here, and their outdoor patio is excellent.
Honey and Rye (Saint Louis Park)
Hit this storefront bakery for world-class pasties including some of the best morning buns (croissant dough cinnamon rolls) in the known universe.
Claddagh Coffee (Saint Paul, Two Locations)
I’m kind of a coffee snob, so I was not expecting to like this full range of flavored latte offerings at Claddagh. They make all their own syrups from scratch (coconut is so good) and keep things coffee forward (like, not a Frappuccino sugar bomb). They also offer breakfast sandwiches at their West 7th location, and pastries at both. Perfect for picking up a little coffee and bite on the go.
Hot Hands Pastry and Pie (Saint Paul)
Hot Hands offers cinnamon rolls, hearty pastries, and biscuit plates. It’s suitable for a casual brunch, takeout hand pies, or a little coffee and roll introspection moment.
Rose Street Patisserie (Saint Paul)
The perfect spot if you want to impress your jet setting friends with an authentic French baguette or fruit tarte but you also want a casual “let’s just stop in for coffee and a pastry” vibe. The pastry chef/owner is internationally recognized as a master of French pastry, and has chosen to call the Twin Cities home. Notable: all the fancy tarts, almond croissants. Space is tight, so get cozy or arrive early.
LAKE STREET’S NEW DYNASTY
A sprawling new Chinese-American restaurant brings an ambitious concept to Lyn-Lake
Eli Radtke
A new shock of color has appeared near the Lyn-Lake intersection, announcing the opening of Jade Dynasty in the former Fuji-Ya space. The first thing many will notice about the restaurant is the bright pink electronic tree that shines out of the front. The piece is as eye-grabbing as the restaurant’s wall of windows and sleek interior - the space balances form and function alike.
But the critical thing to note about Jade Dynasty isn’t its design; it’s the people behind it. Veteran restaurateurs Chuen Sai “Paul” Wu and Eric Zeng (formerly of Mystic Lake Casino and Hong Kong Noodles respectively) bring serious chops to the new spot, with Zeng in particular catching our eye - when Hong Kong Noodles was hot, it was among the liveliest and most reliable spots in the metro for Chinese and Chinese-American fare.
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