Hai Hai

There’s been a lot of buzz around town since Hai Hai opened in Northeast Minneapolis last fall. It is owned and operated by the people that also own Hola Arepa, another popular eatery in South Minneapolis. We tried to arrive early on a Saturday afternoon to beat the crowds, but everyone else had the same idea we did. We just added our names to the wait list and enjoyed a drink while we waited. They do not take reservations and it is not that large of a place, though the back patio will make it quite a big bigger once the weather improves. So, be prepared to wait. We waited about 45 minutes I think.

MSG Margarita So Good 

bar

Lychee Keen

We started with fried wontons filled with cream cheese, chicken liver pate and a side of passion fruit dipping sauce. The chicken liver pate made the flavor very rich and meaty.

Next up, were the water fern cakes. I wasn’t sure what we were ordering here, but I had heard these were a must try. They are steamed rice cakes with mung bean, ground pork, crispies, scallion oil, nuoc cham and Thai chili. Essentially, these are rice in a bowl, with a bunch of stuff on top and they are quite delicious. The toppings add a ton of flavor and texture and overall it is a light and flavorful snack. They really are a must try item!

Next up was the fried Brussels sprouts from the vegetables section of the menu. They are cooked with nam jim herb vinaigrette, roasted green chile paste, pork belly and puffed rice. The pork belly added an earthy flavor to the fresh and flavorful brussel sprouts. These were excellent and not spicy or anything, just very flavorful.

Next, we went with the sugarcane shrimp under the assembly required section of the menu. These are shrimp mousse cooked on sugarcane skewers with lettuce, herbs, rice noodles, peanuts and nuoc cham. Somehow, I missed the fact that this was shrimp mousse and not whole shrimp. The shrimp mousse ended up tasting a bit fishy. This wasn’t my favorite item of the night.

We really enjoyed Hai Hai and thought it was a fun dining experience with new and interesting foods, to us anyway. The cocktails are excellent and we found the service to be willing to offer menu suggestions and help whenever needed. The place is mobbed and busy, so I don’t imagine lingering is encouraged, but we didn’t feel rushed at all. The busy atmosphere ended up feeling fun and festive. I think we need to return and try a few more items on the menu like the crepe and the fried rice.


Hai Hai
2121 University Ave NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418
Phone: (612) 223-8640
https://www.haihaimpls.com/