“I thought they just had donuts.”
Every time I stand in line at So Yen, the small-batch St. Paul bakery, I overhear someone saying this as they point to the sandwich board menu outside the door. And every time, I interject to say, “I’m not here for a donut. I’m here for congee.”
Sure, fine, yes, I normally get a donut too. But the reason I brave the Lowertown line on a Saturday morning is for gingery breakfast porridge full of slow-cooked pork. Maybe you’ve been to So Yen for donuts, too, and wondered if the savory menu is any good? It absolutely is. The congee ($13) at So Yen is so good that I did a standalone write-up for it on my Substack, beyond beurre blanc; the savory food overall is exceptional enough that it landed So Yen on my top 50 restaurants list for 2025.
At first, So Yen founder and executive pastry chef Yeencheed Fang wasn’t sure the congee would sell.
“I get nervous introducing tastes and flavors people might not be familiar with,” says Fang, who opened her bakery in 2024. Now, that congee, crafted by her brother Kuma Lee, executive chef of the savory division, is a top seller. “We sell out quickly and some customers drive an hour just to eat the congee,” she says. That’s why I always get there early, right before the doors open at 9 a.m.
Never had congee? It’s a Chinese porridge made of rice that’s cooked low and slow, kind of like a hot rice cereal covered in amazing toppings. It’s an old dish, like B.C.-dated old, that’s popular in many Asian countries, and there are tons of variations.
So Yen’s version is one the best I’ve ever had, with complex flavors mingling in the creamy porridge. Thin strips of ginger, fall-apart-tender pulled pork, and a hefty amount of salt make this perfect for winter or hangovers.
I normally ask for extra ginger and I almost always order it with pork, but they also have chicken. There are generous portions of meat, a perfectly cooked medium boiled egg, and rings of scallion atop the porridge. It travels well, meaning that you can get it to go and save it for lunch without losing any of the texture or flavor. When I need something really hearty, like before a long drive, this is where I go.
Another must-order savory item? The laab fries ($10). When I brought my friends to try them out, one said, “These fries are like if Arby’s was spicy and good.” These curly fries are tossed in secret spices, coated in a laab sauce, and dusted with green onions. This dish comes with a fork—and you’ll need it, because it’s saucyyyyyy. You can get them straight up or loaded with pulled pork and slaw.
So Yen is constantly creating creative fillings for their doughnuts, and the sauces have a similar twist, like a Mexican-inspired sauce packed with serranos and jalapeños served with their Hmong sausage breakfast sandwich ($10). The sauce is so enticing that Fang says people regularly ask if they can buy containers of it. This sandwich is served on their brioche donut and is stuffed with a French-style souffle egg and a hashbrown—and don’t worry, the brioche isn’t too sweet.
If you’re looking to double-fist donuts, you have a savory option here, too: So Yen’s egg salad donut. “Japanese egg salads use Kewpie mayo and are slightly sweeter than the average egg salad,” Fang says. This isn’t for haters of sweet and savory combos, but if that’s your jam (it is mine), you’ll love it. Just like the egg sandwich, the filling is stuffed into one of their brioche donuts for a perfect portable lunch during the St. Paul Farmer’s Market.
When talking to her on the phone, Fang kept pointing out the inspiration of the dishes, which she draws from her life. Her egg salad sandwich is inspired by the famous ones at Japanese 7-Elevens. The congee is personal, reminding her and her brother of when their mother made congee when they were sick. The green sauce served with their Hmong sausage sandwich is an homage to her husband and head baker at So Yen, Kong Fang, who loves Mexican food.
Instead of cooking in search of fancy awards or acclaim, So Yen has built a menu based on feeling, memory, and family. “We want to be a place where you come when you need something to sweeten up your day,” Fang says. It shows in the food.
So Yen has achieved what only a few of our local bakeries have achieved: a savory menu that is as memorable as the sweet. It joins the likes of Black Walnut Bakery, Bread People, Flour & Flower, and Patisserie 46 as more than just a bakery, but a true brunch spot worth a trip for the savory food alone.
So Yen
Address: 275 Fourth St. E., St. Paul
Hours: Friday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
