After searching Albuquerque for the penultimate Thai place open today, then learning that most are…read moreclosed on Sundays, rightly so, I stumbled on this gem, 55 miles northward, near the Railyard (in Santa Fe). Lodged unpretentiously in Santa Fe's Chomp Food Court, Chef Nath and her partner serve up a truly high end offering, inculcating traces of Cambodian culinary flavors and ingredients into a Thai menu. It's different, in a great way. After hitting a small handful of (2 in LA, 1 in Saratoga, 1 in Amsterdam) Dutch Indonesian restaurants, a smattering of Vietnamese and of course, innumerable Thai spots, the tastes that she infuses into red curry chicken sauce don't mirror anything I've savored. This is a unique kitchen, cook and set of ingredients.
I believe that Nath's is not only inspired, as the name implies, but really executes something special. The chicken meat, unlike 90% of the bizarre looking, low grade oddities typically delivered at American Asian restaurants, is, instead, truly tender; I'd term it as "steak" quality chicken, if there could be such a thing, with no hint of rubbery chicken meat here! The spice quotient is perfect, not so hot that you're anticipating an emergency run to the bathroom, but just unfolding with sufficient punch to provide structure.
I know that white people, like me, are obsessed with"presentation." Just view the photo. This resembles a $70 menu item at a Ruth's Chris or Morton's. It is beautiful, so much so, that I hesitated touching it. Vegetables are cooked perfectly, so as not to prove tough, but still possessing character.
The ambiance is odd and no question, over the top unpretentious. You're sitting at benches, staring at a pool table (tacky) and gay movement paraphernalia streamers. It feels overtly low brow here. If only they could replicate Denver's Central Market. But, it's Santa Fe. A parking lot exists adjacent and access is easy from I-25.
If I had to proffer a suggestion: I think that they could bolster the dish with more vegetables and sauce. I ended up with 3-4 pieces of chicken with nothing to accompany them, per se, at the end. That's it. Yes, I wish that they had a (slightly?) more ostentatious or upscale environment, like a true sit down venue. And if word got out, they'd easily fill such a space easily at peak hours.
Pricing is a little high. However, when you realize the freshness and high caliber of the ingredients brought to the table, I suspect that it's more than fair. Where else in New Mexico are you going to find an expert Cambodian/Vietnamese/Thai cook serving up food like this? I plan to return soon.