Dine and Dish: Na Nah Thong in northwest Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A caller edifice successful northbound Fresno is inviting diners connected what its owners telephone a "Southeast Asian World Tour," offering a paper that blends Thai and Lao dishes with a thoroughfare nutrient twist.

Na Nah Thong, located connected Blackstone Avenue crossed from River Park, is the instauration of co-owners Maneewan Wowaraj and Anusone Keochai.

Wowaraj said the conception was inspired by her husband's tendency to bring acquainted Southeast Asian thoroughfare flavors to Fresno.

"My husband's thought is helium privation to do, like, thoroughfare food, similar papaya salad, grilled chickenhearted sticky rice," she said. "But connected apical of those is going to beryllium Thai nutrient and Lao nutrient mixed together."

Keochai said the restaurant's sanction reflects its mission.

"Na Nah Tong means similar the top spot successful kindness and to beryllium loved by each humans and angels," helium said.

Among the standout items is the Lao burger, made with a pork patty seasoned with Asian herbs, onions and food connected a brioche bun.

Executive cook and co-owner Sak Singharath said the blend of ingredients sets it apart.

"This is beauteous unique. It's got citrus grass, kaffir lime leaf, shallots. Got immoderate chiles successful determination too," helium said.

Singharath has besides introduced crispy roast duck served successful a reddish curry coconut condiment - a crockery helium demonstrated portion noting its Thai pronunciation: "gaeng phed ped yang."

Another fashionable offering is the Tum Tad Gold platter, featuring chicken, barbecue pork, Lao sausage, beef jerky, ovum roll, tilapia and sticky rice.

As Keochai prepared the spread, helium joked, "Let maine spell up and dispersed this connected your sheet Dale, since I americium spreading it around. One of each item."

The edifice highlights respective dishes prepared with care, including its marinated chicken.

"We marinated for 24 hours overnight and it's cooked for astatine slightest an hr oregon so," Keochai said.

The crispy pork belly is different apical seller.

The papaya crockery tin beryllium made tableside, incorporating Thai chiles, garlic, fermented food sauce, lime and sugar.

Customers tin besides effort a bluish Thai crockery from Chiang Mai topped with crispy wonton, which Keochai described arsenic a "native signature dish."

The restaurant's soft-shell crab is different favorite.

"We marque it with different meats arsenic well," helium said.

Traditional staples specified arsenic drunken noodles besides stock abstraction connected the menu.

"So the thoroughfare food, they started making these pad kee mow, drunken noodles for the folks that are leaving the bars and each the spicier, the better, right?" Keochai said.

He besides highlighted the restaurant's Pad Thai: "Signature Pad Thai. Chicken pad Thai with our caller slices of mango for the crunch, our caller peanut, legume sprouts and lime."

Singharath said helium focuses connected authenticity. "I don't effort to bash saccharine conscionable to marque idiosyncratic happy. I bash it the mode it's expected to be," helium said.

According to Keochai, lawsuit feedback has affirmed the team's mission.

"Customers that person travel by person complimented america successful a mode that they said, I've been to Thailand, I've traveled to Laos. This comes precise close," helium said.

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