Nits Thai Creations

Don’t get confused when you first approach Nit’s Thai Creations. It shares a space with a bar/restaurant called Rios, and it’s the Rios name you’ll find above the entryway. But once inside, you’ll find a Thai-meets-West-County, relaxed atmosphere complete with potted palms, butter yellow and moss green-colored walls, ceiling fans, a large wooden porch (beyond which is a large deck) and a close-up view of the Russian River.

Probably the best seats in the house are on the deck when it’s not too chilly. But if you find yourself indoors, don’t miss the jukebox alongside the bar that features everything from Frank Sinatra to Macy Gray. My friend Kim and I chose a seat inside where we felt nice and warm but could still peer through a large window overlooking the river—and play a few of our favorite tunes.

Owner Nit Bynum, a native of Thailand, uses fresh local ingredients and traditional Southeast Asian seasonings from her garden to prepare her dishes. The first one we tried was called Mean Kum. (Yes we laughed too!) It came out in the shape of a flower, with five large spinach leaves, each topped with a mixture of roasted coconut, peanuts, dried shrimp, jalapeno, ginger, shallots and lime with ginger sauce. Its flavor was sweet and mild, with a bit of a lime tang (which went especially well with the citrus-nosed Davis Bynum 2005 Fumé Blanc Nit had paired with it).

Another small plate we tried was the Yum Ma Kuer Pow, which has roasted eggplant, bay shrimp, ground chicken and a few crispy onions. It came out on a long, narrow plate and was piled in a line with whole, fresh cilantro leaves sprinkled on top. It was moist and inviting and had a spicy sauce with a slow-building heat that rode the main ingredients with confidence.

Next we had the Larb Kai, which is a mixture of sliced barbecued chicken and crispy onions with cilantro, shallots lemongrass and carrots. Served in a red cabbage leaf, it had a spicy dressing made with clam juice, fish sauce, sugar, ground rice, chilis and mint. Suddenly the wine was pairing entirely differently with the food—it was cooling off my tongue!

The Trout Sam Rod was pan fried, butterflied and cooked skin-on with tamarin sauce, cilantro, ginger and onions. It came with jasmine rice and our second course of wine, Davis Bynum 2003 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (a favorite of mine). The buttery, lovely Pinot went with the crisp-crusted, mildly spicy fish like a dream. The next thing I knew I had to wake up, though, because Kim (who practices Chinese medicine) was telling me to eat the skin on the fish because, “It has all the minerals and it’s good for you.” OK, I had a bite. “Good fish is like a gift,” she continued. She’s right.

The Chicken Green Curry was made with slow-cooked chicken breast with a coconut milk and green curry with rice and sautéed spinach. It came out in a tower (in fact, all the presentations were thoughtfully crafted). The sauce was on the sweet side but still held a mild heat. The chicken was thick-cut and the spinach was perfectly cooked so its naturally fresh flavor came through. The wine actually brought out the dish’s spice a bit more.

Nit brought out our dessert of black sticky rice and mango. (How did she know mango is my all-time favorite fruit?) The rice was warm and, when combined with the smooth mango, had a pudding-like consistency. I love desserts that aren’t too heavy—always a great ending to an enjoyable meal.