Good Day Atlanta viewer information: February 22, 2022

ATLANTA - Yao brings a taste of Bangkok’s Chinatown to metro Atlanta: 

Yao in Dunwoody only opened about six months ago, but the restaurant is already attracting big crowds thanks to its unique menu and vibrant decor. And for owners Taya Denmark and Adidsara Weerasin, the business is a perfect way to bridge two places they love.

"Yao is short for Yaowarat, which a lot of people know," says Denmark, referring to the Chinatown district in Bangkok. 

Weerasin adds, "The Yaowarat is the place that we love to eat and hang out."

And in the early days of the pandemic, the business owners — who were both born in Thailand but have lived in Atlanta for years — were particularly missing that special place. So, they cooked up an idea: create a restaurant here in metro Atlanta that celebrates the district.

"We want people to feel like, if they walk in here, they walk into Chinatown in Bangkok," says Denmark.

To that end, Denmark and Weerasin designed a menu of both Thai and Chinese flavors; favorites include the crispy salt-and-pepper whole fish, salmon panang, and the best-selling pad thai. 

"Pad thai is rice noodles that are stir-fried with a homemade tamarind sauce that we make in-house," explains Denmark. "The reason why we're different is because we make our sauce in-house, and we make a very traditional pad thai."

And the owners say that uniqueness extends beyond the plate; much of the decor inside, including the ornate tile in the upstairs dining room, was imported from Thailand.

The goal? To transport diners thousands of miles away. And, of course, feed them very well in the process.

"I love seeing people eat my food," says Denmark.

Yao is located at 237 Perimeter Center Parkway NE, Suite H31, in Dunwoody; the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner service on Tuesdays through Sundays. For more information on Yao, click here.

French town adds atmosphere to horror film "The Cursed": 

Life becomes a nightmare for the characters in the atmospheric new horror film "The Cursed" — but for star Boyd Holbrook, making the movie was more like a dream come true.

"I've always wanted to do a horror film," says Holbrook. "So, I've been waiting to do something like this. Since I was a kid, I'm a huge fan of Michael Myers. I had the Freddy Krueger glove as a kid!"

"The Cursed" finds villagers in the late 1800s under attack from something sinister and vicious; director Sean Ellis says the film was his way of putting a new spin on the classic werewolf movie. The film was shot on-location in France, in a place with a very familiar name.

"We shot just outside of the town of Cognac in France. Now, obviously, everybody knows Cognac, because they produce some very high-end drinks. But it's a very, very tiny and very quiet town that just happens to have some extraordinary grapes that produce some pretty mighty drinks," says star Alistair Petrie.

But those kinds of spirits aside, Holbrook says there’s a reason Cognac was such a perfect place to make a horror movie: all that swirling fog onscreen is a real part of the local landscape.

"It actually is how it is," says Holbrook. "I come from the Appalachian Mountains — the Smokey Mountains — and there's just that humidity that comes off, and it's the same way in the South of France and all these vineyards. It'll go to about maybe noon, and it'll start to lift, and that's when the fog machines are brought in."

"The Cursed" is playing in theaters now.

Gocha's Breakfast Bar ultimate sweet potato fries for National Cook A Sweet Potato Day: The sweet potato is eaten and loved by millions of people across the nation every day. Gocha's Breakfast Bar has several items on the menu using the vegetable. They have two locations. Click here for more information. 

Georgina Campbell & Elizabeth Henstridge in Apple TV's new series; "Suspicion": Four ordinary Brits are accused of kidnapping the son of a prominent U.S. media mogul and must embark on a desperate race against time to prove their innocence. But they may not be believed - and they may not be telling the truth. "Suspicion" is streaming now on Apple TV+. Watch the trailer here.

Tommy Davidson, star of "The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder" on Disney+: 

A continuation of the acclaimed series, "The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder" follows the adventures and misadventures of newly 14-year-old Penny Proud and her Proud Family as they navigate modern life with hilarity and heart. The 2020s bring new career highs for mom Trudy, wilder dreams for dad Oscar and new challenges for Penny, including a socially woke neighbor who thinks she has a lot to teach her, bullying social media influencers who want to cancel her and her own teenage hormones. "The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder" premieres Wednesday on Disney+. Click here to watch the trailer.

Camila Moreno stars in Ava DuVernay’s highly anticipated superhero series "Naomi": 

Based on the bestselling comic series co-written by Brian Michael Bendis and David F. Walker, the series adaptation follows a teen girl’s journey from her small northwestern town to the heights of the multiverse. Fans of the comics will be intrigued by Moreno’s shining role as newcomer Lourdes, a young woman with a sarcastic sense of humor who works in a vintage collectibles shop and joins in on Naomi’s antics. "Naomi" airs Tuesday nights on CW. Watch the trailer here.

Ally Lynn talks upcoming Black history-making moments: This year marks 57 years since Alabamians and Civil Rights leaders fought for the right to vote. Ally Lynn talks about the upcoming Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee. Click here for more information.