by Michael P. Coleman

After a decadent Halloween, I was glad I’d made the commitment to go out for dinner, and my innards were glad to consume some veggies and a protein source other than the peanut butter in a Reeses Cup.  I settled on Mint’s, at the recommendation of a friend.  It was a great choice.

As an appetizer, I talked myself out of my usual calamari and went with the Kamikaze Rolls (with smoked salmon, hot spicy tuna and hot pepper, wasabi and ginger soy sauce).  Sound warm to you?  It was – gloriously so.  The wasabi was some of the hottest I’ve ever had.  If spicy’s not your thing, they offer the milder Spider Roll (with fried soft-shelled crab) and Scorpion Roll (with grilled prawns, mango, and green papaya).

I passed on soup and went with my main course, the excellent Tangy Prawns, with glazed walnuts, pineapple, green onion and sweet and sour sauce.  The dish came to the table very hot, so if you order it, be careful.  After a cool down it proved to be worth the wait.  The prawns were tender and not over-cooked, and had I not been deprived of real food for most of the day, the portion size was more than enough to have warranted a take-home bag.

I also sampled the excellent Thai Crab Meat Fried Rice.  Well, ok…it was more than a sample.  I almost needed a shovel after the first taste.  The dish included dungeness crab, shitake mushroom, egg, and shallots.  I was raised on shrimp fried rice, and have migrated to chicken as an adult, so this was a new experience.  It is one that will absolutely be repeated.

Dessert’s not on the menu, but ask for it and you may get it for free.  Several varieties of ice cream are offered, including vanilla, mango, and green tea.  I chose coconut.  After the massive dinner, I was happy for the small portion, but found myself disappointed there wasn’t more after I tasted it.

Michelle, the restaurant’s owner, was on hand and graciously took care of our every whim.  The ambiance was as enjoyable as the food itself.  All menu items are very reasonably priced, so Mint’s allows for a dinner with the family without breaking the bank.  Check them out the next time you’re in Rancho.

Mint‘s Euro-Asian Cuisine (mintsasia.com) is at 11088 Olson Drive, Suite A in Rancho Cordova.  They are open Monday-Friday 11am-2:30pm & 5pm-9pm, and Saturday 5pm-9pm.  If you‘d like to make an advance reservation, call 916-635-2744.

 

Michael P. Coleman is a Sacramento-based freelance writer.  Connect with him at michaelpcoleman.com, mikelsmindseye@me.com, or on Twitter:  @ColemanMichaelP

 

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