In 2016, North and Jillian Shutsharwan debuted their authentic Thai cuisine with customers of the Westport Farmers Market. While traveling during the prior years, the couple realized they had a lack of clean, healthy food. Inspired by North’s Thai heritage, they used his mother’s and grandmother’s recipes to make broths and soups. In Westport, they found locally sourced meat and bones from Fleishers Craft Butchery to use in their products. They started selling their clean, healthy Thai food, and now, seven years later, Nit Noi Provisions has two locations in Fairfield County and is wildly popular. Known for its broths, soups, and dumplings, Nit Noi has given Fairfield County a place to discover a real, authentic taste of Thailand.
What makes Nit Noi stand out among other Thai restaurants in the surrounding area is the way in which customers receive their food and the quality of the food they receive. The menu ranges from rice dishes, noodles, soups and broths. In describing the menu, North stated, “We do a lot of fried rice too, we just do a cleaner fried rice.”
Customers can have a traditional in-restaurant experience while also having the ability to take a part of Nit Noi home with them. The broths and frozen dumplings, along with other menu items, offered at Nit Noi are meant to be bought and used across all kitchens, allowing all customers to explore different facets of Thai cuisine. “Many of [our dishes] are naturally vegan or accommodative of vegan lifestyle and also gluten and dairy free, not because we’re sacrificing quality or ingredients…they’re just naturally occurring features of this healthy food that we serve,” added Jillian.
Literally translated, “nit noi” means “a little bit” in Thai. Defining it in his own terms, North stated, “When we started in the markets and learning about how people eat our food and use our broth and spices, they’re not going to make a whole Thai meal, but they could use a little bit of our flavors to enhance what they’re making at home.” Jillian stated that the concept of “nit noi” makes their restaurant and how customers can use Thai flavors and ingredients much more approachable.
Nit Noi’s authenticity derives from North’s grandmother, whose recipes are honored through the restaurant. Food as it relates to family is inherently important, representing togetherness and connection. As a business rooted in family, Nit Noi extends that familial connection to its customers through its food and fosters a sense of community among its patrons. “We’ve figured out, or at least have a better understanding of, the neighborhood that we’re in, where we are, and how people order,” North said.
In addition to dining in, Nit Noi offers takeout and delivery services all week. They also provide catering services, event hosting opportunities, and cooking classes. Looking to the future, Nit Noi intends on increasing the number of offered classes and bringing in guest chefs to introduce new dishes to customers. Learning about how Nit Noi makes its clean, authentic cuisine and how each dish is uniquely crafted will only increase the connection customers develop with the food they purchase, proving that “a little bit” goes a long way
An approachable Thai phrase that helps to make our food more approachable as well.
