Counter Intelligence: Economic slowdown? Not in restaurants

The husband and wife team of Nuntanit Charoensit and Kong Tiyawat are putting finishing touches on Kindee Thai Restaurant (719 S. 2nd St., Minneapolis), across the street from the Guthrie Theater; they hope to open by the end of the month, serving lunch and dinner daily. The couple, both first-time restaurateurs, initially spied the location when they were shopping at the nearby Mill City Farmers Market last year, "and we fell in love with the neighborhood," said Charoensit, who is happy to finally be putting her culinary school training to use after working as an industrial engineer. "We're going to serve the food I grew up eating," said Charoensit, a Bangkok native. "It's the food that I crave."

In Lyn-Lake, Aronas Restaurant (610 W. Lake St.) is open for business -- just in time for the next round of the seemingly interminable Lake Street reconstruction project -- in the charming storefront that was briefly home to Vino 610. Menu items include pan-fried soft-shell crabs with a walnut-garlic sauce, broiled prawns with steamed greens, a short list of beef, lamb and pork cuts and a daily fish special, along with beer and wine. Top price is $18.

Kobe Japanese Restaurant opened its doors this week in Plymouth (15555 34th Av. N.). A quartet of owners -- Nancy Feng, Virginia Ng, Sunny Ma and Ren Qiu -- are serving up sushi and sashimi as well as Kobe-style beef cooked tableside on hot rocks. Lunch is served weekdays, and dinner is served daily.

There's a new quick-service restaurant inside CurryUp Foods (13601 Grove Dr., Maple Grove, www.curryupfoods.com). The extensive menu includes a variety of popular northern and southern Indian favorites, at very affordable prices (nothing over $10), along with a daily lunch buffet.

"Coming soon: Himalayan Restaurant serving Nepalese cuisine" reads the sign hanging over the door at 2401 E. Franklin Av. in Minneapolis. That's the tiny former home of El Gaucho Argentine Steakhouse and before that Big Olaf's Family Restaurant and Cafe Selam.

A prized Tuna Surprise

It doesn't get much more Minnesotan than this: the fourth annual Hotdish Revolution (4 p.m. Sunday, 2339 Central Av. NE., Minneapolis). Enter your own recipe in the competition -- categories include Spicy, Vegetarian, Tater Tot Excellence and Darn Good, along with an age-16-and-under contest -- or just bring your appetite and graze. Cost is $5 for those entering the competition and $10 for everyone else, with ages 5 to 15 paying $5; those under 5 are free. Questions? Call 612-781-2299.