Description
If you've eaten your fill of saucy chicken wings—those slathered with Buffalo sauce, ghost peppers, barbecue, or teriyaki—look to the east to shift the way you think about this humble meat. The Hmong International Marketplace is St. Paul's best spot for the American-born to experience culture shock. The string of warehouses, tents, and open-air stalls feels like it's straight out of Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City, as vendors sell every manner of traditional costume, smiling Buddha statues, tiger balm, and sandals. Curious Caucasians may be as scarce as spoken English, but newcomers to the food court need only two things: a fistful of dollars and a finger to point. Look for the Hmong stuffed chicken wings, which pack the deboned appendages with vermicelli noodles, ground pork, cilantro, and green onion before they're broiled. The skin on these wing/egg roll hybrids crackles so spectacularly that you'll never miss the sauce.
