• May 11, 2012 - 2:23 PM

Thanks to the religious institutions that sponsored a wave of immigrants in the 1970s and '80s, the Twin Cities has enjoyed a delicious influx of Southeast Asian restaurants. Tang Truong opened Caravelle at University and Avon Avenues in 1983, and 24 years later, his son Hai re-christened the space as Ngon Vietnamese Bistro, where he inserts a locavore's mentality into his family's cooking heritage. The results, coupled with a stellar craft beer list, are truly exceptional.

• 799 W. University Av., St. Paul
• 651-222-3301
• ngonbistro.com