Cloud 9 Asian Bistro is open

Paul Lundgren Jun 19, 2014 16 Comments

Cloud 9 Asian Bistro opened on Monday in the Canal Park spot formerally occupied by Thia Krathong — 308 S. Lake Ave. It’s owned by the Wang family, the same folks behind the Duluth Osaka Sushi Hibachi Steakhouse in the Burning Tree Plaza. If last night was any indication, Cloud 9 a very quiet place to eat, and the food is excellent.

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16 Comments

Paul Lundgren

about 10 years ago 



And, of course, we're always excited at PDD when there's a new entry in the "Field Guide to Duluth Apostrophe's."

aluminumpork

about 10 years ago 

That place looks beautiful inside!

bluenewt

about 10 years ago 

Are there TVs in the dining area, or just in the bar?

Paul Lundgren

about 10 years ago 

Just behind the bar, and they were either on low volume or muted. I wasn't really aware of them at all until you mentioned them and I noticed them in the image.

Paul Lundgren

about 10 years ago 

Update: I've added the menu above.

Claire

about 10 years ago 

Nice menu. Thanks for posting it, Paul! I really hate going up to the mall, so I am glad there's another place in town, even if it's in Canal, with prices to match. It''ll be interesting to see how it stacks up against Hanabi.

Claire

about 10 years ago 

We went there for dinner tonight ... and we agreed we would stick with Hanabi  -- it is more our style.

Endion

about 10 years ago 

Hey Claire, you should become a restaurant reviewer as your review makes me WANT to go to Cloud 9 as Hanabi is nowhere near as good as Osaka is. Maybe you should drive up the hill once and awhile. BTW, what did you order and what is your "style?"

Claire

about 10 years ago 

We both ordered a couple pieces of ngiri and also salmon skin rolls, which we both love. The food indeed was delicious, as Paul said. But I felt like the place was just a little -- maybe a lot -- too glam for me. The restaurant is partitioned off in sections so it is quite and there's a lot of neon and it's all very fancy ... but I prefer dives, I guess. I like the simple large room with the bar adjoining at Hanabi and I like Pak's dive-i-ness. I want to focus on the food, not be distracted by the surroundings.

I'll go there again, I am sure ... but my heart belongs to Hanabi and to Pak's -- because it's not just about the food, it's also the ambiance. And I am a "Cheers" kind of person, I like a place where everyone knows my name. 

But like I said, the food was great.

Endion

about 10 years ago 

Thanks for clarifying as if it stood with what little you said people might not go there. I thought Pak's was the worst of the bunch, but I ordered Pad Thai and it was like flavored spaghetti... Nothing compared to Sala's Pad Thai. I love Osaka and was so happy that Duluth finally added a hibachi. I love dives and thought when the Red Star was built it was the biggest joke in the area. Now I kinda like the glitz and glam once in  awhile. Thai Kathong's buffet, but they stopped doing it and then they lost business and closed. 

Claire, have you ever had the hibachi at Osaka? It is a good time and the sauces are amazing. It also is fun and cheaper to go for their lunch specials.

Endion

about 10 years ago 

So we went to Cloud 9 yesterday to try it out. It looks amazing inside and much more inviting and comfortable than Thai Kathong. 

When you enter there is a pretty little waterfall waiting area and then when you get inside it has a posh bar and intimate dining area. The hibachi part of the restaurant is in the back, but we sat in the main area. There were a few TVs above the bar, but they were not distracting of our meal.

I ordered the hibachi chicken lunch (you can order it and not sit at the big tables with the show if you would like). I was given the traditional onion soup and salad, which were even better than Osaka. We also ordered the sushi rolls as it was lunch and you could get two rolls for $8. The person I was with ordered the mango chicken dish, which she said was excellent. The staff was courteous and very helpful.

The good: The food was amazing and the ambiance inside was great. Thai Kathong made it feel too open and expansive inside, but Cloud 9 flipped where the bar was and enclosed areas to make it feel more intimate. I would go to Cloud 9 before Osaka for the atmosphere (and it is closer to home) and the choices of dishes. 

The bad: The only thing I have been bothered by about this location then and now is that the bathrooms are in a weird place. I could see this place being very packed very soon. Tourists could also swarm the place, but with the large hibachi grills separated in the back it looks like a lot of people could fit in the place.

Overall: It is very nice to have Cloud 9 in Canal Park. It is like Osaka, but it has a few more options. There is more of an intimate and posh feeling to Cloud 9 than Osaka, which is fits well. If you like hibachi, sushi, or Japanese/Asian dishes this is a great place to go.

ms dean

about 10 years ago 

I ordered it because it was called a Happy Buddha. The fact that it came in a cat was a bonus.

BadCat!

about 10 years ago 

Lucky cat booze is a thing?!? Do you get to keep the glass???

ms dean

about 10 years ago 

I didn't ask about keeping the glass, so I'm not sure if that's an option.

Paul Lundgren

about 10 years ago 

Seems unlikely.

bluenewt

about 10 years ago 

The food we had was good and the service was very good. $16 is too much for a plate of pad thai. I really hate TVs in restaurants.

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