Mint Cafe

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Lately it seems the power has been going out here in Shaker Heights every time the wind blows. Last night was another one of those instances. Striking right before dinner we had decided to vacate the premises and head to Mint Café for a little dinner, in hopes that the delicate power grid in our fair city would be up and operating by the time we got back.

It’s funny, Mint Café is one of those places that we’ve been meaning to get to, but for one reason or another never seem to go. Located in Coventry, the space actually takes up two units. On the side of the entrance there’s a waiting area and a row of tables, the other side is simply dining, with the kitchen in the back.

Specializing in Thai cuisine, Mint Café has a fairly extensive list of curries, noodles, rice, vegetarian, and what they call signature dishes. Depending on which Thai place you go to, some seem to be heavier on the heat than others. If I had to pick one, I’d say this menu is a little on the milder side (which I think most people probably prefer).

Regina ordered the SHRIMP FAIRY TALE Dinner ($11.95) which consisted of sautéed shrimp, onion, red pepper, mushroom, snow pea, scallion, pineapple chuck, cashew nut in honey lemon sauce. They didn’t skimp on the shrimp (Hey, nice rhyme) or the cashews. That being said, it wasn’t like they brought out monster Cheesecake Factory portioned plates either. For some, big portions are welcomed, but we’re partial to the more comfortably digestible sizes.

Typically when I try a Thai place for the first time I like to dip my toe in the spiciness pool so I don’t get burnt (literally and figuratively), for the price of the whole meal. I went with the CHILI DUCK ($13.95) Crispy half boneless roasted duck sliced and glazed with chef’s spicy sauce, with sautéed assorted fresh vegetables on the side. The dish was fantastic. The duck was deep fried, with a chili glaze that was not gooey or overpowering. I find that some of these glazes tend to be on the overly sweet side. This, however, had a very good balance of sweetness and spice.

Although we didn’t order any appetizers or dessert we left feeling completely satiated. Mint Café is right up there with Ty Fun (pronounced like Typhoon), Thai Charm, and Mekong River, in my opinion. Their service ran like a well oiled machine, and was very friendly and personable. There was quite a crowd waiting to get in as we left, but people seemed to get seated fairly quickly with the rapid turnover. This place has reasonable portions, at reasonable prices, with excellent flavor. We loved it, and will definitely be back.

Mint Café
1791 Coventry Rd
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
(216) 320-9915
www.mintcafecoventry.com