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| Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum Poo Pala) |
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| Bounmee Nanthaphak |
When Shelly Nan and her husband decided to open Bambu, their Thai-inspired restaurant in Northwest Richardson two years ago, they knew they needed just the right chef to recreate the dishes Shelly remembered eating during her childhood. The search was quick and easy: she went straight to the source of those meals - her mother. “We wanted this restaurant to be an extension of her kitchen and dining room table,” she says. “We wanted to share her food with others.”
Bounmee Nanthaphak learned to cook as a young girl from her grandmother while growing up in the Esan region of Thailand. Several of the dishes on the menu are some of the first things she learned to prepare years ago, and many are influenced by the flavors and spices of the Esan region. A tiny woman cooking out of a tiny kitchen, Bounmee’s food is packed with the bold flavors that are the cornerstone of Esan cooking. “I’m amazed at what she can bring to the table,” Shelly says.
Fresh herbs, seafood and grilled meats are the hallmarks of Esan cooking, and Bounmee insists on using only the freshest of ingrediants. She grows many of her own herbs, including Thai Basil, lemongrass, mint, betel leaves and kaffir lime leaves. Home grown chili peppers also find their way into her kitchen.
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Grilled meats are an essential part ingrediant in food from the Esan region.
The sausage at Bambu is made in house and is one of the more popular appetizers. |
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Bounmee uses a simple basket over steaming water to make her sticky rice,
exactly how she was taught to make it as a little girl in Thailand. |
Convenience is not an option in the Bambu kitchen. Bounmee likes to cook the traditional way - the right way. A modern rice cooker would simplify her sticky rice, but she insists on using a simple bamboo basket placed over simmering water. The classic technique takes longer and requires patience, but it allows her to create just the right texture in the rice.
The same goes for her sauces and marinades. No food processors here - an old, clay mortar and pestle is used to coax the various ingredients to just the right consistency. “What I admire about her is that she doesn’t cut corners,” Shelly says of her mother. “If you cook it, you have to cook it the right way.”
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| Crying Tiger - one of the more popular entrees at Bambu. |
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| Esan Sausage appetizer |
The family ties extend beyond the kitchen. Shelly casually works the front of the house, explaining the specials, greeting familiar faces and making new friends, while her husband often works behind the bar. Even her sister and aunt pitch in when schedules allow. “I love the energy,” she says. “I love the people.” This welcoming spirit makes Bambu more than just a restaurant. It is a family's history being shared one plate at a time.
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| Bambu - 1930 North Coit Road - Richardson, TX |
