NaKorn Thai cuisine is adventurous, flavorful and unique. On an unassuming street in more urban than suburban Evanston, NaKorn introduces its customers to Thai foods and flavors beyond the more commonly known pad Thai or other similar noodle dishes. Partners, friends and Thailand natives, Mina and Sam longed for a taste of home and wanted to showcase their Thai favorites…
Kaffir lime, lemongrass, tamarind, chilies and more graze your nose as you walk into the beautifull NaKorn. We were welcomed at the door and handed menus already labeled with gluten free options. NaKorn is open for lunch and has a special prix-fixe option on Wednesday nights.
For many, Thai food is noodles and curries, but NaKorn will show you there is much more to experience. We went for dinner and began with the pandan tapioca pearl crackers served with a ground chicken, shrimp and coconut dip. The green comes from the tropical pandan leaf commonly used in Southeast Asian cooking. The sweet sauce and savory crackers were a great combination. To kick up the spice level we tried the grilled, diced tenderloin with chili-lime drizzle served. This was spicy and awesome. The beautiful scallops topped with chili jam, kaffir lime and lemongrass really hit the spot. For main dishes we had the house favorite, jumbo lump blue crabmeat served on a bed of rice noodles with a turmeric curry sauce. The light curry broth was flawlessly accompanied by the fresh lump blue crabmeat. I licked the bowl clean. For beef lovers the skirt steak over spicy, green curry with Thai eggplant and bamboo shoots was intensely flavorful.
There are plenty more gluten-free options, as well. The NaKorn team is very knowledgeable about gluten-free and strives hard to provide delicious and safe choices for their diners. Don’t forget to save room for dessert! NaKorn’s elevated take on mango sticky rice is delightful. A scoop of vanilla ice cream, powdered coconut flakes, edible flowers and perfectly ripe mangos make this a top competitor for best dessert in the city.
NaKorn is a must visit for any Thai food lover. And their location is convenient for suburbanites and for Chicagoans, NaKorn is just a 5 minute walk from the Metra or Purple/Brown Line.