Exceptional Thai cuisine honoring a family legacy at International Market in Nashville.
On the surface, International Market is a delicious Thai restaurant that makes creative choices with a myriad of options for everyone. But if you explore it in more depth, you will see a family legacy honoring a special couple that brought Thai food to an entire community. While the original International Market closed in 2018, the children of Win and Patti Myint have honored their memory by opening a tribute restaurant across the street from the famous location.
If you plan to visit on the weekend, International Market accepts limited reservations through Instagram direct message, which I recommend doing if you can, especially if you are a party of four or more. My visit was on a busy Friday night with another couple, and I am glad I made a reservation in advance. I also recommend going with a group and doing a bit of planning if you can because the menu is extensive, and you will want to sample as much as your stomach allows.
The cocktail menu is a nice compliment to the food, and I very much enjoyed the IM Fizzy. It is the perfect cocktail to pair with the delicious Thai flavors and has a touch of sweetness without being too much of anything. I did not order it initially because it is a gin-based cocktail, but after trying it, I had to have it on my next round.
A couple of disclaimers to remember before getting started. First, they do not accept any menu modifications. The carefully curated menu is well-thought-out and executed, so it is important to adhere to this policy before ordering. They offer so many options you will not struggle to find something everyone will enjoy; I promise. Second, do not ask for soy sauce. They created a perfect spice tray to accompany the meal that offers a salty chili vinegar that will add salt if you need it, but the food is well seasoned, and I truly do not think it is needed. Last, be sure to consider the weekend specials, which are updated on a consistent basis and change with local ingredients. The restaurant is locally owned and sourced from Tennessee farmers and vendors, making it much more special.
On to the good stuff. The appetizer menu is a great way to get your tastebuds excited for what is to come. We sampled a weekend special; the crab and shrimp dumplings and two of their vegan, gluten-free appetizers, including the Imperial spring rolls and Miang Khao lettuce wrap. All of them were very good, but the lettuce wrap was something special. It is a fried rice ball made with a red curry paste that you smash and smother on a lettuce leaf with fresh herb toppings and peanuts. It is a burst of flavor and freshness that is hard to describe but extremely delicious. It was my favorite dish of the night.
Our group split a few entrees, which was a great strategy so we could share and not be miserably full once we were done with dinner. The calamari was a nicely seasoned, fresh dish that we enjoyed, but the highlights were the spicy lamb dan dan noodles and five-piece Thai fried chicken served with dipping sauces. The dan dan noodles definitely had a kick and a lovely rich flavor from the lamb. This dish was a crowd-pleaser, as was the fried chicken. I typically don’t order fried chicken because it is often very greasy and heavy, which I can do without on most occasions.
I am happy to say this is not the case at International Market. The chicken here is lightly fried in rice flour (making it gluten-free!) and comes with really nice dipping sauces and a refreshing cucumber salad to balance everything out. The whole table was raving about how great everything tasted, and we were all very full but not uncomfortably so.
I often pass on dessert, but encourage you not to overlook it at International Market. We tried a pumpkin custard dessert special with ice cream on top, and it was great. We could even eat the pumpkin the dessert was served in!
Go to International Market for the incredible food, and leave with a sense of pride knowing you have kept a Nashville tradition alive.