"When International Market opened on Belmont Boulevard in 1975, it was an important addition to a city that didn’t have a whole lot of culinary diversity. Nashville restaurants have come a long way since then, but it’s still just as important as ever. It’s a place where you can get an incredible lunch of Thai staples, and also come back during dinner with a small group of adventurous friends for fun tweaks on traditional plates. Lunch keeps it old school—steam tables line the right of the sunlit space, where Belmont students and Vandy professors excitedly pluck crab rangoon off the hotline and load up on plates of pad thai. In fact, some of the people who worked at the restaurant in the early years are still manning the stations. It’s great for a quick, casual, low-key meal. photo credit: Adam Sloan, Soundtrack My Drink photo credit: Adam Sloan, Soundtrack My Drink photo credit: Adam Sloan, Soundtrack My Drink photo credit: Soundtrack My Drink At night, the menu changes to extra cheffy renditions of Thai classics. The noodles in the pap see eiw use semolina pappardelle—that’s the “pap” in the name—instead of the traditional rice noodle, giving it a really fun hint of sweetness and heft. Specials bring together things like sashimi-style salmon and roe with pickled garlic, fish sauce, and Thai chili that twist the tongue and feel as thrilling and fresh as the very first time you popped a Sour Patch Kid in your mouth. It’s a third date kind of a spot, or one you reach for when you’ve got three or four hungry friends who aren’t afraid of a little heat. It’s a buoyantly sceney crowd at dinner, with a mix of OGs who remember when the chef’s parents ran the joint and people who just moved here from North Florida and Googled “Thai” and “Nashville.” There’s a place for both at IM—and that’s kind of the point. Food Rundown photo credit: Adam Sloan, Soundtrack My Drink Eggplant Plate Eggplant can be divisive—either you love it or you hope for its quick and timely demise. But this plate at IM brings both camps to the table in culinary harmony, and is the best dish on the menu. Roasty Japanese eggplant is tossed together with shaved Thai eggplant, tangy pickled onions, crunchy peanuts, and fresh herbs in a tart lime dressing. It’s an unexpectedly light, zippy, and texture-packed joy to eat. Hatyai Thai Fried Chicken The secret to the perfect crisp on this chicken is the rice flour coating. But before that, IM marinates the poultry in a five-spice garlic marinade before frying it up. Along with the chicken, you’ll get a bunch of bowls filled with crispy shallots, sticky rice, cucumber salad, and toasted rice powder dipping sauce. They’re meant to be eaten with the chicken in different combinations, and it’s as fun (and delicious) as it sounds. photo credit: Adam Sloan, Soundtrack My Drink Smoked Beef Curry You’ll find hunks of tender smoked beef in a five-spice braise swimming in a rich red curry. The potatoes and kabocha squash in the dish soak up the sauce in a deeply comforting meat-and-potatoes kind of way. Pap See Eiw Noodles Instead of using rice noodles, there’s semolina pappardelle made by local pasta and bagel master Mr. Aaron’s Goods. It’s a hearty foil to the mushrooms, Chinese broccoli, eggs, and herbs mingling in IM’s wok sauce. You can add some pork if you want this to be your main, but we suggest keeping it as vegetable-forward side to complement the other dishes. photo credit: Adam Sloan, Soundtrack My Drink Condiments Dinner comes with a condiment holder loaded with four sauces. The prik pohn, which is roasted dried Thai chile flake, delivers the purest form of heat. The prik nam pla, a wildly good combo of Thai chile and fish sauce, brings a nice sweet/salty mix to the table. The prik nam som, with its vinegary serrano peppers and garlic, adds a tangy note to any dish. And finally, you have Patti’s hot sauce loaded with arbol and fermented Thai chile, bringing a richer, more pungent dose of spice. They’re all great for punching up the heat profile in any dish, plus, you have the added bonus of some seriously cleared-out sinuses by the end of of your meal." - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones
