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You can argue whether globalization is good for the planet or good for workers, but when it comes to gastronomy, the influx of foreign flavors has definitely enlivened the local dining scene.
The new sign hasn't gone up yet outside the little cafe at 15th and E. Hennepin, but the former East River Market has been renamed the Chindian Cafe. The grocery shelves are gone, and the seating has expanded, from 12 seats to 20+. Chef-owner Nina Wong, who is ethnically Chinese, but born in Vietnam and raised in the US, has a new partner: her husband, Thomas Gnanpragasam, who is of Indian ancestry, but born and raised in Malaysia. "He's a foodie," reports Wong.