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

DUNWOODY, Ga. - 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.

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