Popular chef Yia Vang is taking his favorite parts of family dinners and teaming up with area chefs to create a series of unique dining experiences at the St. Paul Farmers Market (290 E. 5th St., St. Paul).
The first dinner, on June 25, is a collaboration with Gustavo Romero of Nixta Tortilleria in Minneapolis.
The menu includes a variety of tamales (pork with salsa verde, rajas con queso and poblano rajas and quesillo) and salsas from Romero, as well as Vang's tri-tip steak with szechwan-peppercorn crust, khao sen rice noodles, grilled vegetables and Tiger Bite sauce.
And Vang's just getting started. Here's who else he has on tap:
July 9: Mateo Mackbee, Krewe Restaurant, St. Joseph.
Aug. 13: Marla Jadoonanan, Marla's Caribbean Cuisine
Sept. 17: Christina Nguyen, Hai Hai and Hola Arepa, Minneapolis.
Oct. 8: Gerard Klass, Soul Bowl, Minneapolis.
Buy tickets in groups of two, four or six for one — or all — of the dinners. Seatings are from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $55 each and available at bit.ly/VinaiAndCompany. (Don't think about it too long, tickets are going fast.) The cost doesn't include drinks, but a Saint Dinette-hosted cash bar will have curated beer, wine and cocktail options at the ready.
"We're really excited to bring people together again around the dinner table with each chef's unique take on the intimate experience of family-style dining," said Vang. "The whole thing is really meant to be a celebration of coming together. After being apart from each other for so long, what better thing to do than to gather around great food with great people."
The event is coproduced by Yang, the chef-owner of Union Hmong Kitchen and the upcoming Vinai, and Alton Consulting and is sponsored by the St. Paul Downtown Alliance. Full disclosure: the Star Tribune is also a presenting sponsor.
