One hot and sunny Saturday afternoon we found ourselves with no plans and kids who needed to be outdoors so we decided to explore Queen West and see what new things awaited us. The hubs and I strapped the kids in the double stroller and roamed down the trendy street where we shopped, drank and ate. We hit two jackpots that afternoon, first was stellar cocktails at Rush Lane (and yes they welcomed the kids and the double stroller!) and a delicious meal at Nana.
This is a tiny spot and reservations are highly recommended if you can plan ahead. In our case we were in an impromptu mood and so we swung by to try our luck and was told that we could get a 4 person table after a 20 minute wait. We were happy to do so (Dufflet is just next door!!) and the moment we entered the restaurant, memories of roaming the streets of Bangkok as a 17 year came a flooding. Plastic stools, colourful pennants, window shutters, metal tables and (are you ready for this?) cobbled stone floors helps transport restaurant goers to the streets of Bangkok.
They graciously offered us a nook to park our folded double stroller and then the four of us settled down. I was anxious about the kids sitting on the stools and sure enough, ten minutes in, Baby Boy fell off the stool! The servers rushed over to see if he was okay and then brought out a high chair for him (yes they have one!). It was smooth sailing after that. As many of you may know, Nana is the street smart sister to popular Khao San Road and while I wasn’t fully blown away by the older sister, I definitely see us returning to Nana. Mainly due to location, I still prefer Pai but will admit that I got more of the authentic street food style from Nana.
My favourite dish, hands down, was the crispy and spicy southern fried chicken laab which the hubs paired with his Oast House beer.
We also ordered a Pad Thai for the kids and while Little Monkey dug in, Baby Boy was all about the white rice that came with our mains, the Pad Prik Chicken (awesome red curry paste based dish that was rich with flavours of ginger and kaffir lime) and the Green Curry (hubs ALWAYS gets green curry!).
I didn’t get my usual Pad See Ew or the Khao Soi so I’ll have to head back soon for it and I hear nothing but amazing things about their Boat Noodle Soup. I find these dishes are best during the cold winters which is why I didn’t order them on that crazy hot day.
If you’re on the west end and looking for a delicious spot, be sure to check out Nana for a casual but fun meal. Not really a spot to hang out and chill at, but great for quick bites and meet ups!
