Unfortunately I was not able to get in touch with Nite Yun of NYUM BAI in time for my column for details, but according to ABC license activity, it appears she will be opening her permanent brick-and-mortar location in the recently closed The Half Orange space in Fruitvale. Her homey Cambodian dishes and noodle soups have been a hit during her temporary run in the La Cocina incubator space in the Public Market Emeryville, so it’s great to see she will be able to spread her wings and fly into this new perch of her own. We look forward to hearing ’60s Cambodian pop songs and rock ‘n’ roll at the new spot! Stand by for an update as soon as I connect with her. 3340 E. 12th St. Suite 11, at 34th Ave., Oakland.
Speaking of the Public Market Emeryville, last week I swung by for some ramen at Shiba Ramen and got a peek at the new THE PERIODIC TABLE, their taproom and sake bar. Husband-and-wife team Jake Freed and Hiroko Nakamura have selected a wide range of craft brews sourced from the Bay Area and beyond, sake and distilled spirits from Japan, craft cocktails using Japanese spirits, and some bar bites too, including a burger, or Shiba wings and chashu pies from next door. It’s also a bottle shop, so you can take home your favorites. Open Mon-Sat 11am-9pm and Sun 11am-8pm. 5959 Shellmound St. #11 at 59th St., Emeryville.
Nosh mentions who is opening in the former Adesso space: it’s CHAI THAI BAR, which is soft open now. It’s from the Chai Thai Noodles folks in Oakland and Hayward and will feature Thai-inspired cocktails with a small menu of Thai and Laotian dishes. Looks like they will be open again this Friday September 22nd (5pm-1am). Follow along on Instagram for updates. 4395 Piedmont Ave. at Pleasant Valley, Oakland, 510-601-0305.
I have been waiting for some pics to share of the new CHICK’N RICE, but let’s just get to the details. This new Thai fast-casual restaurant is all about the simple but magical dish of khao mun gai, juicy and tender poached chicken that is sliced and served with fragrant rice cooked in rich broth (read: chicken fat), a side of rich chicken broth, and a piquant sauce of ginger, garlic, chiles, and soy that you’ll want to eat far too much of on everything. It’s one of those ugly-but-delicious dishes that is also the ultimate comfort food—here’s a pic of a place I visited in Thailand.
It’s from the founding partners of Umai Hospitality Group, UC Berkeley alums Jason Wang, Shawn Tsao, Vince Cao, and John Keh, who were not only behind food delivery app Caviar, but they also own The Halal Guys franchise in the Pacific Northwest Region. John Keh partnered up with Chavayos (Bob) Rattakul of Tenyuu Restaurant Group in Bangkok to find the best versions of khao mung gai in Thailand and brought their version to the U.S. (yes, they have plans for expansion).
You can order the classic version, but there’s also fried chicken and braised pork on the menu, all served with rice, cucumbers, cilantro, sweet and sour sauce, and a side of chicken broth soup. A vegetarian option is available and option add-ons include a soy-marinated egg. For dessert, you can order coconut milk ice cream with sticky rice, and there’s Thai iced tea, coconut water, and juices like guava, lychee, and mango. Open daily 11am-10pm. 2136 Center St. at Shattuck, Berkeley.
Looking for something to do this weekend? It’s the ninth annual Eat Real Festival, a three-day celebration (Friday to Sunday, September 22nd-24th) at Jack London Square, with street food, demos, tastings, and more, all celebrating local, artisan, and small businesses and sustainable ingredients. The festival is free to attend, and all street food is $10 or less. Plus there are plenty of adult beverages too. Check out the schedule of events here, and since Eat Real is presented by the Food Craft Institute, you’ll be able to learn about how to make things like kombucha, sausage, and fermented pickles, plus there’s plenty for the kiddies, and music and entertainment too.
Nyum Bai’s chicken curry with nom pachok. Photo via Facebook.
