Top-notch service and food make every meal special at Nan Thai - Review - Atlanta - The Infatuation

"In the early 2000s, it was common to see a celebrity licking spicy curry off their spoons at Nan Thai Fine Dining. Icons like Michael Jordan, Evander Holyfield, Jack Nicklaus, Vijay Singh, and Robin Leach all have smiley pictures with the Nan chef. That's because Nan was the city’s most pre-eminent Thai restaurant where pad thai came topped with fried lobster tails. Tables donned white tablecloths and gold utensils. Hell, even the bathroom with sinks that trickle water over basins filled with smooth stones looked like it was plunked from some Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous episode. Celebrity sightings are fewer these days, replaced by corporate lunches, everyday regulars, and date nights. The novelty of this Midtown restaurant has faded a bit. But this upscale favorite still competes with the other heavy hitters in Atlanta’s Thai food scene because of their top-notch service and dishes that consistently impress. If a single drop of the rich, red curry in your siam ruby entree winds up on the table, your server will lay out a fresh napkin to cover the evidence. The whole snapper (flaky enough to render your knife useless) comes artistically curled around a bed of crispy okra, eggplant, and its own fish nuggets. Others have tried (including the chef’s own daughter at sister restaurant Tuk Tuk) to mimic the previously mentioned pad thai. But they haven’t mastered the balance of chewy rice noodles, crushed peanuts, and tangy pickled radishes the way Nan has. The food still hits all the right notes, even if the menu hasn’t changed much. So while the city's Thai scene has grown tenfold—with buzzier spots that the new celebs flock to, kitchens that bend tradition, and atmospheres of fashionable nonchalance—Nan Thai remains a stalwart for reliably good, upscale Thai food. Food Rundown Nan’s Tasting Tree We love a good appetizer sampler, and this six-dish, multi-tiered platter is up there with the best of them. Our favorites are the ka nom jeeb (ground shrimp and chicken-filled dumplings) and pla muk tod (perfectly fried calamari with a spicy chili sauce). photo credit: Juli Horsford Whole Snapper The whole snapper is fileted, lightly fried, and served with a bed of crispy okra, eggplant, and its own fish nuggets. The presentation alone would make this worth an order, but the fish is tasty and flaky, so it's really covering all the bases. photo credit: Juli Horsford Lobster Pad Thai If you can only get one entree, make it this pad thai. A hefty amount of crushed peanuts, bean sprouts, and tangy pickled radishes help the rice noodles zing with flavor, and the addition of two crispy lobster tails is just a fun and delicious bonus, making it one of the best in the city. Siam Ruby All of their curry-based dishes are excellent. We usually go with this one because the tender sea scallops are the perfect vessel to absorb the spicy red curry. Geah Yang Tender grilled lamb chops pair so perfectly with this sweet soy coriander glaze that it’ll reaffirm your belief in soul mates." - Juli Horsford