Chai's Thai

There is tiny and then there is teeny. And sometimes there’s teeny-tiny, which is the case at Chai’s Thai Restaurant. The place is blink-or-you-might-miss-it small (just remember, it’s located next to the Cedar Cultural Center), but once found, the hard part is over—the food is great, portions ample, and prices itsy-bitsy. Take, for example, the sensuous fried crab and avocado spring roll with sweet and tangy dipping sauce for $8, or seafood salad (also $8)—loaded with large plump shrimp, succulent bay scallops, and curls of calamari—fresh and swimming in an ocean of briny lime vinaigrette and spicy chilies, all on a bed of crunchy lettuce. More amazing is ginger-roasted duck: a generous portion of meltingly tender boneless duck nuanced with the namesake spice along with shiitake mushrooms, peppers, baby bok choy, and a hauntingly rich, sweet sauce ($10). This diamond-in-the-rough isn’t lacking in sparkle either, thanks to cute budget décor and surprisingly sophisticated food presentation.

414 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls., 612-339-9385