Meet Tammy Wong - the Chef Behind Minnesota’s Best Egg Roll 2026

A Discussion with Chef Tammy Wong, Owner, Rainbow Chinese Restaurant and Bar

Chef Tammy Wong has been treating Minneapolis to innovative and delicious Chinese food for more than 30 years at Rainbow Chinese Restaurant and Bar. A staple on Eat Street at 2739 Nicollet Avenue S, she recently won Minnesota’s Best Egg Roll 2026. For the past five years, she has won major awards in this category. It’s safe to say that she knows a thing or two about egg rolls! We talked to Chef Wong about why her egg rolls are different and award winning – one reviewer says that “the egg rolls were the biggest I've ever had - about the size of my hand - and they were absolutely packed with filling. They were well seasoned, loaded with ingredients, and every bite felt worth the price.” You should already be making reservations to visit Rainbow Chinese. 

Q: You just won Minnesota’s Best 2026 for egg rolls – congratulations! After making them for decades, does an award like this still make you feel proud - or do you think, "Well, of course they won?”

A: I am so happy to receive the Minnesota's Best 2026 award for my egg rolls. Being recognized in this way, makes me happy because more people will try the egg rolls and may come see me at Rainbow Chinese on Eat Street at Nicollet Avenue and 27th Street. 

Q: What is the secret to an egg roll that is crisp and golden on the outside but still light and fluffy inside?

A: The technical part of rolling the egg roll with simple abundant ingredients is what makes our egg rolls great. Our rolling process packs in all the flavors, creating great taste. 

The way we make our egg rolls makes them delicious: First, we have thin layers of the wrapper so that when we cook it will remain crispy and hold all of the contents well. Second, we prep all the vegetables and combine these with the chicken, making sure we have all those tasty flavors. We use chicken to make the egg roll accessible to more people. Third, we roll the egg rolls very tight so that they will hold together well and not taste too oily. Last, we offer a spicy/tangy dipping sauce with our egg rolls.

Chef Tammy Wong

Q: Your egg roll uses chicken rather than the pork many people expect. Why did you make that choice - and was it always the plan?

A: When we started Rainbow Chinese in 1987, 90% of our customers were Asian and they did not order egg rolls. But as more people visited Rainbow Chinese, demand for egg rolls increased and we saw that most people that ordered egg rolls wanted chicken. We listened to customer demand – and now make the egg rolls only with chicken, which makes them more accessible to a greater number of people.

Q: You've been making this recipe essentially the same for about 30 years. Have you ever been tempted to change it?

A: We have not been tempted to change our egg roll recipe. However, we make small adjustments depending on the seasonal availability of vegetables. For example, sometimes the cabbage comes in and it is not as tender so we reduce the amount of cabbage and add more carrots instead.

Q: The restaurant’s logo is "Award winning, local farm supporting, delicious food." Can you tell us your thoughts on working with local farmers for your menu?

A: Since we first started Rainbow Chinese, I needed to learn about the local growing seasons and the availability of ingredients, and this pushed my interest and passion for supporting local farms and getting to know Midwest farmers as they are an essential part of our cooking. When I am at the Farmers Market, I find it fascinating what the vendors have to offer and it is interesting to know which products are available and the seasonal timing of that availability. It is often so different from what you see in the grocery store. We are passionate and driven to utilize offerings from local farmers so that we can use ingredients as they become available. We look forward to finding out what the farmers are picking for this week and the next. It is a fun part of the relationship, knowing what farmers are harvesting.

Q: Rainbow Chinese started in 1987. How has the Twin Cities' appetite for Chinese food changed since you opened?

A: Back in the 1980's there were not so many Asian grocery stores, so many ingredients were not available to create traditional Chinese food. Since then, we have many more choices for food from different regions of China. Over the years, we have been able to share with our customers the food and culture from these different regions. More and more people have enjoyed these diverse menu items from us but also from a number of restaurants and the choices and tastes that they offer. The local appetite for Chinese food continues to grow.

Q: Rainbow Chinese has become such an Eat Street institution. What does it mean to you to have watched that neighborhood - and Minneapolis - change around you?

A: Any neighborhood is a work in progress as we are working together to build up business in the neighborhood. We want people to come to our neighborhood. We have worked with our neighbors to improve our streets. Soon Nicollet Avenue will open further, which will invite even more people to Eat Street. We are ready now to welcome everyone to enjoy our businesses.

Q: When you look back at everything you've built at Rainbow Chinese, what are you most proud of that has nothing to do with food?

A: I have great relationships with an enormous community. These relationships are so important to me. I am so happy to be in the hospitality business and I am so grateful to meet longtime friends and new people that want to engage in our community. I am proud to have been and still be a part of revitalizing our neighborhood and Eat Street. Together, we celebrate each other, build and improve our community, and support each other.