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Thai Cuisine Comes to Brentwood

Thai Esane opens its doors and Chef Nina is eager to serve our residents

Brentwood Hill Center got a new addition to their already tasteful food scene.   Owner and Chef Nina Singto displays her passion for food with her house delicacies such as steamed dumplings, Malaysian-style noodles, papaya salad and various other authentic dishes.  We stopped by and tried some of Nina's dishes and had a chat with her.  

1.       How long has Thai Esane been serving the Nashville community?

Following my family’s success with King Market in Antioch, I first opened Thai Esane on 12th Avenue in Nashville in June 2014, earning a cult following amongst Nashville foodies. I then moved to our new Music Row home in September 2019 on the ground floor of the Element Music Row building, and I am so excited to now add two additional locations: first here in Brentwood, and then in downtown Nashville in March.

2.       What made you want to expand to Brentwood? 

I strive to honor the Thai/Laos culture through Thai Esane’s food, décor and hospitability, and I love sharing my culture to other neighborhoods of the city I call home. I’m so grateful for the loyal support of our customers throughout the years that has allowed us to expand to serve other areas.

3.       What are some of your most popular dishes? Are there any new dishes on the Brentwood menu?

I updated my menu when I moved to Music Row in Fall 2019, and that perfected menu is what we are offering to the Brentwood community. It includes a range of dishes from Thailand and Laos, and I’ve put a lot of myself in each dish, especially when it comes to the heat level. You can order any dish mild of course, but I’m known for my “Nina Hot” level of Thai spice that only the bravest of brave try. Our best-selling dishes include steamed dumplings, Malaysian-style noodles, kao soi, chicken noodle soup, tofu wrap salad and drunken noodles. I’m known amongst my Laotian friends as “the papaya queen,” so be sure to also try my papaya salad that is bursting with the flavors of lime juice, fish sauce and crunchy peanuts. 

4.       Tell us about yourself! How have you incorporated your culture into your restaurants?

I was born in Laos and came to the U.S. as a toddler when my family fled communism. I grew up in Arkansas where I witnessed my parents’ work ethic as they worked two jobs to make ends meet. I spent a lot of time with my grandmother while my parents worked, and she really cultivated my passion for food. I was always helping her in the kitchen, and she showed me that in order for food to taste good, you have to put love and passion into it. By age six, I had started my own business. As soon as I could ride a bike, I pulled onions, peppers and cilantro from my grandmother’s garden and went around the neighborhood selling produce. Once I was in high school, this shifted, and I sold bowls of my grandmother’s noodles after school to friends. My mom was working two jobs, so these jobs were a great way for me to contribute. Family has always been a motivator for me. When my family opened King Market in Antioch, they asked me to put my hair stylist career aside to help the family business, and I was drawn into the restaurant business because of my love of food and of people. You’ll see the strong work ethic, passion for food, entrepreneurial spirit and familial ties from my culture and upbringing in action at Thai Esane.

5.       Tell us about the vibe of the restaurant/what was your vision when creating the new Brentwood space?  

It’s a sleek space that has warm tones, as I want people to feel comfortable and welcome when they come in to eat. I also brought with me the iconic focal point from my Music Row location – a giant golden Buddha statue watching over the room.

Visit them at https://thaiesane.com/brentwood/ for menu

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