Vinai
Day 2: 5-Course Honoring Hmong Heritage Tasting Series
Fresh off its one-year anniversary (it opened July of last year), Northeast Minneapolis' Vinai has already become a national darling, with spots on New York Times’ “50 Favorite Places in America" List, Esquire’s “America’s Best New Restaurants” List, and Eater’s “14 Best New Restaurants in America” List. and Time Magazine’s “World’s Greatest Places” List of 2025. (And that's not even to mention their 2025 James Beard “Best New Restaurant” Semi-Finalist nod!) Chef/Owner Yia Vang, building on his work at Union Hmong Kitchen, created Vinai as a deeply personal tribute to his parents, naming the spot after the Ban Vinai refugee camp where his parents met (and he was born). Appropriately, he and his protégé, hosting CDC Timmy Truong (himself a culinary force with two projects, SoulFu and Chelas under his belt), are channeling modern Hmong family traditions through dishes like the Braised Beef Rib with sour bamboo and mushrooms, sizzling Catfish with market vegetables, rice noodles, and nam prik, and Roasted Eggplant with garlic, cilantro, chili, and purple sticky rice. "After enough time, I really felt like my culinary understanding of food expanded," MSPMag wrote after their visit there. We can't wait to feel the same!
About the Host:
Timmy Truong
Chef de Cuisine
Born and raised in the Twin Cities, Chef Timmy Truong became fully immersed in the restaurant industry during his early childhood, lending a hand at his family’s small Vietnamese restaurant, Jasmine Deli. A graduate of the Le Cordon Bleu Bakery School, he opened SoulFu in 2019 and Chelas in 2022 before joining Chef Yia Vang as Sous Chef for Union Hmong Kitchen in 2023. He now serves as Chef de Cuisine at Vinai.
The Lineup
All courses will be individually plated. This menu will be Mushroom Free. For the list of restrictions Chef is accommodating, scroll to the bottom of this page.
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Shrimp & Pork Toast
texas toast, apricot chili
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Laab Carpaccio
toasted rice, pickled vegetables, thai chili aioli, purple sticky rice, fresh herbs
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Sticky Ribs
black garlic, caramelized fish sauce, soy chili, pickled vegetables, toasted peanut, fresh herbs
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New York Strip & Greens
grass fed beef, mama vang hot sauce, hmong mustard greens
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Passion Fruit Cheesecake
passion fruit coulis, cinnamon sugar rice cracker
Vinai
1300 NE 2nd St
Minneapolis, MN 55413
Event FAQs
- Do guests need to be of a certain age to attend this event?
- Yes. All attendees must be 21+ to gain entry.
- Does this restaurant allow BYOB?
- No. This restaurant is a non-BYO establishment. Outside alcohol will not be permitted at this event.
- Will this event be handicap acccessible?
- According to the restaurant, this event is handicap accessible. If applicable however, please email support@tastingcollective.com with your needs to ensure proper accommodations.
- What is the event ticket cancellation/refund policy?
- Restaurants purchase the food for our events 14 days before the event date, at which point we are on the hook for the cost of your ticket. As such, we are not able to offer refunds (or credits towards future events) for any cancellation requests submitted within 14 days of the event date. We will, however, issue full refunds for all cancellation requests submitted at least 14 days before the event date. All cancellation requests must be submitted via email to support@tastingcollective.com.
- What dietary restrictions/food allergies can be accommodated at this event?
- Due to the large-format nature of our events, restaurants are not able to accommodate all dietary restrictions/food allergies or make any menu adjustments based on food preferences (e.g distaste for specific ingredients/flavor profiles). This restaurant will be offering substitutions exclusively for the following restrictions/allergies: Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Dairy, Gluten, Fish, Shellfish, Nut. They are NOT accommodating restrictions related to the following ingredients: Garlic (cooked), Garlic (raw), Onion (cooked), Onion (raw), Scallion, Shallot. If you have any of these restrictions/allergies, please make sure to note this in your profile (in the “Event Preferences” section) either before or right after purchasing your tickets so Chef can prepare accordingly.
