What does the name of the restaurant mean?
NaiYaRa is named after my daughter, Naiya. It also means friendly, honest and hardworking, which is exactly what guests will find at my restaurant.
Your restaurant has so much buzz and is the talk of the beach. What would you say makes you stand out?
The success of NaiYaRa lies within my full team of chefs and the guests who dine with us each and every day. At NaiYaRa, we strive to bring our guests high-quality food and service at all times to keep them coming back in the door.
What’s your favorite dish? Or must try?
Some of our popular menu items include: the Thai Street Dumplings, Chilean Seabass, Sriracha Wings, Crispy Bok Choi, Beef Jerky, Green Curry, Crab Fried Rice, Salmon Tacos, Sunset Harbour Roll and the Shoma Roll.
We have also added some new dinner items to the menu: the Dumpling Soup, Vegan Stir Fry, Stone Crabs, E11EVEN on Lenox (mixed tuna roll) and the Boot Camp Burn (marinated steak roll).
Who inspires you?
My family. I spent my childhood summers at my grandparents’ home in the nearby village of Ban San Macade and with my grandmother’s guidance I learned the art of making Thai street food. It was from my grandmother and my mother that I learned to grow my own food, the techniques of preparing food and the flavors that originate in the Thai culture.
What’s next for the restaurant?
We do not currently have any future plans yet, in the meantime we focus on having our best day every day. We look forward to what lies ahead and will continue to give our guests the best dining experience possible.
Any activations or plans for food and wine festival?
We are currently confirmed for Lucky Chopsticks hosted by Andrew Zimmern during SOBEWFF.
