The Mill City Times Interview: PinKU Japanese Street Food

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos supplied by PinKU

Xiaoteng (X) Huang, Managing Partner of PinKU Japanese Street Food

The COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t diminish our desire to eat good food. Minneapolis is blessed with hundreds of restaurants still cooking and delivering delicious options for us. We talked with PinKU Japanese Street Food about their unique history and how to order their offerings in this time of restaurant shutdowns.

MCT: What is your earliest food memory? 

X: I grew up in a small town called Marshall which is three hours southwest of the Twin Cities. As you can imagine there are very limited ethnic food options where I grew up, so my family used to drive to Minneapolis weekly just to find authentic Asian restaurants to eat and a store to buy Asian groceries. This motivated me very early on to start an authentic Asian restaurant that is accessible, approachable, and affordable - even for residents of rural areas not very familiar with Asian cuisine.

MCT: Why did you establish your restaurant at its current location? 

X: We wanted to create a restaurant with not only authentic food, but also an authentic story. The Saint Anthony Main area is the birthplace of Minneapolis with a storied past and diverse residents. The space we found is small and narrow, which is representative of many of the restaurants we saw in Japan. We want our restaurant to feel casual but sincere, culturally authentic but fun and welcoming for everyone. Our current location at 20 University Avenue NE is the perfect mixture of what we were seeking.

MCT: What menu item do you wish more people would try? 

X: The Okonomi Pork Gyoza. Most people order our regular pan-fried gyoza, and we certainly appreciate that, but the deep-fried Okonomi version is so unique and flavorful because it's extra crispy and has some creative toppings such as bonito flakes, roasted seaweed, and Japanese mayo. The mixture of extra toppings makes it a surprising and delicious choice. Because it tastes best when it's hot, we offer it for carry-out only and not for delivery services.

Okonomi Gyoza and Crispy Shrimp on Rice

Wagyu Beef on Crispy Rice

MCT: How often do you revise your menus?

X: We change our menu every week by creating weekly specials. Some of our most popular weekly specials include Okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancake), Chicken Katsu Curry, Wagyu Ramen Burger, Tuna Poke Bowl with Tempura Egg, and so many more. These items are best eaten in the restaurant so we have not offered them for to-go and delivery services. Once business is back to normal we will definitely bring them back! We’re currently open Monday – Saturday 11AM-2PM and 5PM-8PM for carryout and delivery services only. Please call 612-584-3167 to order.

MCT: How do you communicate with customers? Do you welcome input from customers? 

X: We always directly communicate with each customer who visits our restaurant. We try to understand what they like so that they order something they’ll enjoy. We are not perfect and welcome input from all customers so we can improve ourselves! In fact, we have responded to every email and customer review on Yelp, Google, and TripAdvisor in the past 4 years (over 800 reviews and counting!). We care deeply about how our customers feel about us so we will continue to respond to reviews and take customers' input into consideration for as long as we're in business.

MCT: Who inspires you?

X: This has been the most challenging time we've ever encountered. We are inspired every day by all of our customers who have continued to order to-go and delivery services from us. Many of our guests come multiple times a week and we are inspired by them every week. Most importantly, we are inspired by our staff who have continued to come to work every day despite everything that is happening around us. We're grateful for them all.

MCT: Thank you, X. What social media channels are available for your restaurant?

X: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Seared Salmon on Rice Cake

Salmon Crispy Shrimp Speciality Roll

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About Becky Fillinger

I’ve been a resident of the Mill District only since July 2019, but have visited the Guthrie, the Farmers Market, restaurants and friends in the area for many years prior to making the leap to Minneapolis. I’ve lived in many places (and climates) in the US and can testify that our cultural events, bicycle and hiking trails, parks and green spaces, museums, diverse neighborhoods and wonderful restaurants put Minnesota and Minneapolis high on my best places list. I’m a member of the Mill City Singers and look forward to our choir practices and performances.

One of my main interests is community - a very broad concept. For me it means bringing people together with common interests to form meaningful relationships. I look forward to reporting on businesses and individuals in our neighborhoods. Feel free to drop me an email at becky_fillinger@hotmail.com with your thoughts and ideas for stories.