Our Restaurants
Hat Yai
This casual walk-in-only restaurant in North and Southeast Portland borrows its name from a city deep in the southern Thailand province of Songkhla, near the birthplace of chef Earl Ninsom’s father. Just like its namesake, Hat Yai specializes in free-range fried chicken, which gets battered in rice flour, topped with shallots and served with sweet-spicy chili sauce. Portland Mercury called it “addictive,” and Portland Monthly declared it the best spot in the city for southern Thai food. Co-owner Alan Akwai created a menu of craft cocktails, which pair perfectly with the buzzed-about spicy chicken, curries and roti.
location:
1605 NE Killingsworth St. Portland, OR
605 SE Belmont St. Portland, OR
PaaDee
Portland, Oregon’s PaaDee exudes simple pleasures, which makes sense since its name translates to “bring good things.” Ninsom’s childhood memories inspired every detail in the restaurant, from its bird-cage light fixtures to the ever-evolving menu of Thai comfort food. In true Pacific Northwest fashion, Ninsom frequents Portland’s farmers markets and sources fresh ingredients from local growers. This attention to detail and sense of whimsy has earned PaaDee ink in Serious Eats, Portland Monthly, the Oregonian, Thrillist and more.
location:
6 SE 28th Ave. Portland, OR 97214
Langbaan
Acclaimed Portland, Oregon eatery explores the rich cosmology of Thai cooking. From the pages of the New York Times to Sunset magazine, critics have lauded its rotating, seasonally inspired menu. The Oregonian and Portland Monthly named it restaurant of the year in 2014, and it landed second on GQ’s list of the “25 Most Outstanding Restaurants of 2015.” Langbaan, which aptly translates to “back of house,” serves two prix-fixe dinners a night — Friday through Sunday, by reservation only.
location:
1818 NW 23rd Place Portland, OR
Eem
eempdx.com
Eem is a Thai BBQ cocktails joint born out of collaboration between Earl Ninsom's curries, Matt Vicedomini's smoked meats and Eric Nelson's lively drink. The resulting shows one-of-a-kind Thai restaurant unique menu marriage with Texas bbq, gets boost with a vacation vibes beverages program. The Oregonian and Portland monthly named it restaurant of the year in 2019. Voted Top 50 restaurants in America of 2021 by New York Times, and nominated James Beard finalist 2020.
location:
3808 N Williams Ave Suite #127 Portland, OR
Phuket Cafe
Phuket Cafe is a restaurant from Earl Ninsom and Eric Nelson of EEM. The menu loosely inspired by the creative energy in Bangkok, where Ninsom grew up, and the whirlwind of flavors from Phuket, which has strong Chinese, Malaysian, and Muslim influences. Phuket serves herb-forward dishes along with cheese-stuffed pandan roti, fresh seafood paired with peanut brittle (a Thai obsession), and the kitchen’s riff on a Thai steakhouse, aided by two new dry-aging fridges for meat. Result in a restaurant you will only find in Bangkok or Phuket, where chefs properly grilled meat and served it with a classic Thai dipping sauce and curries.
location:
1818 NW 23rd Place Portland, OR
Yaowarat
Named for the main street of Bangkok’s Chinatown, the restaurant presents a collection of dishes and decor inspired by a trip Ninsom took with industry heavyweights Sam Smith (Tusk, Ava Gene's, Zahav), Eric Nelson (Eem, Langbaan) and Kyle Linden Webster (Expatriate).
Selected as Restaurant of the Year by Portland Monthly in 2024.
location:
7937 SE Stark St. Portland, OR
