Rice Paper Asian Fusion Restaurant

The coolest thing about the place is the secret door to the kitchen hidden in the bamboo mural on the back wall. But there’s a lot to like about this cozy green eatery a stone’s throw from Wild Rumpus bookstore in Linden Hills. (Note: Please do not throw stones at Wild Rumpus.) For instance, the spring rolls-fresh and crisp with a Thai-basil kick and served with a sweet peanut sauce. The menu isn’t huge-a dozen entrees, roughly, but it ranges through Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese offerings and doesn’t shy away from the unexpected. Next time we return-soon, probably-we’ll put in another order for the tamarind rice trio, a sweet-and-sour chicken dish with three scoops of rice topped with green-onion oil, coconut, and a reprise of that fine peanut sauce. Also good, if a bit less immediately appealing, is the bo la lot-beef rolls wrapped in grape-like la lot leaves, with mint and coriander to add a couple of extra layers of flavor. It’s also a nice touch to have a few unusual soft-drink choices-such as the surprisingly mild Ginseng-Up, like an orange cream soda, and the intriguingly named Soursop Juice.