Lahnyai Nusara from Chef Ton: Tradition but Modernity, Colorful but Nostalgic
Thailand has a unique tradition of having dinner with other family members. And there is one restaurant that differs from the usual by creating a comforting ambience. Chef Ton introduces us to Lahnyai Nusara, a one-of-a-kind Thai restaurant.
Chef Ton is a well-known Thai chef who owns several restaurants, including Ledu, Baan, including Nusara. One of his proudly presented restaurants is Lahnyai Nusara which is also a sister restaurant to Nusara. He and his brother, Tam, commit themselves to building Lahnyai Nusara in memory of his adored grandmother in a colorful way.
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The architecture of Lahnyai Nusara is developed by combining shade colors from its sister, Nusara. It is, however, designed to be more colorful, vibrant and pleasant. Despite the color, it retains a Thai atmosphere. This is what chef Ton refers to as a "new generation of Thai cuisine." As in the structure, the place appears modern and more shades while retaining a nostalgic vibe from the past.
Before we get into chef Ton's food, we'd like to share some Lahnyai Nusara trivia. With Tam as the restaurant's manager, they both hope to make Lahnyai Nusara the best service and hospitality in the world for a Thai restaurant. So, forget about the Thai restaurants you regularly read about or eat at in your daily life. And enjoy a great hospitality from Lahnyai Nusara.
Let's get started with the appetizer! What we're about to present is something you might have heard before. It's “Khanom Bueang” or Thai crepe, but this version is significantly different from what you'll find on the street. The crepe is prepared with shrimp and shrimp fat, as well as sliced kaffir lime leaves, while the cream is made with dried coconut and cream mousse. Not the thing you usually eat, isn’t it? The flavor is similar to khanom bueang, but with sliced kafir lime leaf, it increases your appetite for more things to come.
Moving on to the main course, I can confirm to the hype surrounding Nang-roy curry. The dish is a typical Thai curry and was once a royal dish. The main ingredient is 14-day dry-aged duck. Chef Ton utilizes the best duck available in Thailand, ferments it with 5 spices, then smokes it with bagasse. The duck breast and thigh confit are stuffed in bell pepper. The curry flavor is comparable of Nang-roy curry, yet it pairs well with the duck. Talk about the color! The red color from curry and green color from a bell pepper are contrast artistically.
Last but not least is Chor Phaka Krong, a royal dessert. Instead of taro, the filling of the Lahnyai Nusara version is coconut caramel. Because coconut milk is smoked with scent, this dessert will be aromatic and pleasant. What makes this so unique is that the color of the dish matches the color of the restaurant.
The name Lahnyai Nusara is created from Nusara in order to honor chef Ton's grandmother. If Nusara intends to remodel Thai traditional cuisine, Lahnyai Nusara will be the extension that adds tricks, colorful ingredients, and modernity to Thai food while maintaining its Nusara roots.