Reviewing Kalaya: Award-winning Thai food by Chef Suntaranon in Philadelphia.

Chef Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon has been a familiar face on Philly’s food scene for years. She has now become globally recognized since the James Beard Foundation named her Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic. Her restaurant, Kalaya, moved from the Bella Vista neighborhood to the edge of Fishtown, and I have wanted to check out the new digs since 2022. With the news of her James Beard honor, I knew I had to get in the door, so I made a lunch reservation for a Sunday afternoon. 

Dine in Fishtown

The new space, which quadrupled the seating of Nok’s original restaurant, is airy and light. Potted palms, surrounded by muted white walls accented with a natural green, reach into the sky-lit ceiling. The redesign of the former warehouse creates openness, which only amplifies my eagerness to dine. My party of four is seated a few tables away from the open kitchen, and it is not long before an attentive server welcomes us, asking if we have dined here before. Hearing we had not, she provides a brief overview of the menu and asks for our drink order. 

Creative cocktails like a lychee negroni

The new Kalaya offers a creative cocktail program, a curated collection of beer and wine, and Thai iced tea, coffee, and soda. I opt for the well-crafted zero proof lychee negroni made with yuzu, alcohol-free gin with jackfruit, honey, and orange. It is refreshing!  

Exceptional service from the beginning

The lunch menu is separated into three sections: appetizers, jaan diaw (one-plate meals), and sides. Our server helps us wade through the options, recommending dishes to share for the full experience. We chose three appetizers, hoping to find a range of flavors. First to arrive is a stack of gui chai, lightly fried and crispy garlic chive rice cakes, which we all enjoy. Our server made sure to increase our portion to four pieces instead of three. Asking for an extra piece is something we would not normally think about and this extra bit of attention from our server is emblematic of all the great service we received here—from front of house to the bar staff. 

The spiciest laab ped and the best yum nam khao tod

We share two salads, which arrive simultaneously. Laab ped is ground duck with crispy duck skin, herbs, and chilis drizzled with fish sauce, served with a few greens over a bed of sticky rice. This dish was simply too hot for me; I could barely handle the few bites scorching my mouth from front to back. However, I was warned; our server had described this dish as the hottest item on the menu. The laab ped turns out to be my wife’s favorite dish. I prefer the yum nam khao tod, a crispy rice salad with thinly sliced Thai pork sausage and finely ground pork, topped with fresh ginger, scallions, peanuts, and chilis alongside ripple-sliced cucumbers, greens, and thin slices of watermelon radish for an insane pop of color. This blend of flavors is by far one of the most wonderful things I have ever eaten. Anywhere. Each bite pops with fresh spices as citrus combines with heat, sweetness envelopes sour, and my taste buds leap with joy—figuratively. 

Caramelized pork belly for the win

My teenage son selects our single jaan diaw, and he devours the nam prik long rua, especially the caramelized pork belly. The dish is completed with palm-sugared ground pork, raw cabbage strips, cukes, and beans with a side dish of jasmine rice. 

Sweet and silky crab curry with a mild heat

But I must back up …  in the midst of enjoying our gui chai a plate of curry arrives at our table. The kitchen staff delivers the dish and walks us through the suggested on-table preparation. We combine the soft-boiled egg, rice vermicelli, and diced fruit and peppers with the golden-hued curry containing chunks of colossal lump crab meat. We sit confused for a bit, each of us asking who ordered kanom jeen gaeng pu. None of us had. Figuring we either ordered incorrectly or received the wrong item we commit and share the aromatic dish. The verdict is mixed. The more I eat the more I enjoy the silky curry with a mild heat. I love the contrast of the sweet crab and fruit against traditional Thai spices. This is a dish for those who prefer sweet over savory. 

Kalaya Final Review

There are plenty more reasons on the menu for me to revisit, and I will. The award news has added to the restaurant’s popularity, so I highly recommend making a reservation for either lunch or dinner online or by calling the restaurant. Kin di!