Pad Thai has become as ubiquitous as the hamburger. But what flavors and traditions are yet to become mainstream?

We first met Yia Vang back in 2018. At the time, the St. Paul, MN, chef was garnering wide attention and acclaim for Union Kitchen, a pop-up restaurant specializing in his native Hmong cuisine. Yia’s back to tell us all about his dream to build Vinai, a brick-and-mortar restaurant that...

The Hmong are an indigenous people who’ve historically called Southeast Asia home. Following the ravages of the Vietnam War, many Hmong escaped to America settling in all places the Upper Midwest. In St. Paul, MN, Chef Yia Vang has been running Union Kitchen, a pop-up restaurant that specializes in Hmong...