Uncle Nun and Aunt Yai
Uncle Nun and Aunt Yai, a married chef couple, have refined their culinary skills throughout their 30-year marriage. Experts in ancient southern Thai recipes, they share their love for aromatic flavors and seafood specialties at Ta Khai, where traditional family-style sharing of dishes in a rustic, fisherman's village-style ambiance transports guests on an authentic culinary journey.
Their approach to cooking mirrors the warmth of their own home, embracing a "mama is cooking" style that uses only the freshest and finest ingredients. The menu revolves around the daily catch from local fishermen and herbs from the kitchen’s own garden, ensuring that each dish stimulates the five fundamental taste senses of Thai cuisine: sour, sweet, salty, bitter, and spicy.
Diners benefit from the couple’s profound knowledge, particularly highlighted in the "Uncle Nun and Aunt Yai Favorites" section of the menu featuring signature dishes crafted with traditional techniques and ingredients. One such favorite is the curried crab (Gaeng Pu), made with their homemade curry paste — a recipe refined over years based on feedback from the local community and patrons at their previous food stall in Trang. They use the freshest turmeric sourced from southern Thailand, enhancing its pungent, bitter flavor with wild betel leaves from the same region.
Other dishes, like Moo Hong (soy-braised pork with black pepper and garlic) and Nam-Prik Goong Sod (fresh shrimp paste dip with vegetables), showcase their decades of experience and a deep connection to the flavors of southern Thai cuisine.
