Dotted with restaurants, Northeast Minneapolis’s Hennepin Avenue is the place to find chic bars and restaurants. Kitty-corner to Nye’s Polonaise is the Thai fusion restaurant, Gingerhop, a popular destination for both afternoon and evening outings. Where East meets Northeast, Gingerhop fits perfectly with its surrounding restaurants with a menu that entails all aspects of everything Thai.

Upon entering Gingerhop, rich mahogany columns surrounding the bar and checkerboard-tiled flooring. The dome-vaulted ceiling is lined with paddle-shaped fans as the square-shaped moldings cover the ceiling to create a British tavern atmosphere.

The restaurant area accentuates Asian décor with red glass candles and overhead lamps fitted with linen circular shades. The warm-colored walls makes the room feel cozy while the plants convey a Japanese garden.

After two updates, the menu maintains its traditional Thai entrées, which vary from satays to curries. Their walleye satay gives a Minnesota twist to the blend of Asian skewer and walleye coupled with a mild green sauce starts off the meal with an Asian-American blend.

Gingerhop’s popular dishes include the sweet green curry, available with either chicken, shrimp, tofu, or vegetables. For those who enjoy spicy food, more vegetables add a little kick and make a great alternative to mild entrées. Pineapple-fried rice is another mild approach for those with with smaller appetites for spicy foods and can either be accompanied by tuna or pork loin.

Their dessert menu ranges from traditional ice cream to chocolate cake, making dessert hard to pass up. Their Guinness chocolate cake closes the meal with a grand finale as the combination of cream cheese frosting and cake, with a hint of Guinness, is paired with vanilla ice cream to perfectly balance the rich flavor of the chocolate cake and the Guinness.

While Gingerhop can be a place for small gatherings, they also accommodate large parties and groups. Gingerhop’s back room can hold 40 for a sit down dinner or 50 for a social gathering. On Wednesdays through Saturdays, DJs are brought into the bar-lounge area to liven up the late-night crowd.

With reasonable pricing from $2.75 for an appetizer to $15.95 for an entrée of basil scallops, Gingerhop will surely not disappoint you or your wallet and will ensure a well-enjoyed meal.