Team behind V{IV} and THEP Thai opens Narkara in Union Square, showcasing northern and northeastern Thai flavors

Narkara located in union square in Manhattan / New York City — Photo via Narkara

The team behind beloved Thai restaurants V{IV} and THEP Thai will open Narkara, a new contemporary design-forward Thai restaurant at 5 E 17th Street in Union Square on August 29. Inspired by the Mekong Delta and rooted in the culinary heritage of Thailand’s northern and northeastern regions, Narkara’s menu brings a style of Thai cuisine to New York that has, until now, been rarely represented in the city’s dining landscape. With a 150-seat dining room, a bar program infused with Thai botanicals, and a design rooted in traditional Thai craftsmanship, Narkara brings a focused lens to an unseen side of Thai culinary culture.

Team

Narkara is the latest project from Kinnaree Hospitality Group, led by Verasak Sangsiri, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and the founder of neighborhood favorites such as THEP Thai, Aqua Boil, and V{IV}. He is joined by partners Tanapon Srisupha, a Northern Thai native and owner of At Nine Thai, who is excited to bring his authentic dining heritage to Narkara, and Rocky Romruen, a seasoned front-of-house operator who has spent the last decade in New York’s restaurant scene, with roles at Qi Thai, Ippudo, V{IV}, and THEP Thai, where he helped shape guest experience and operational strategy. Chef Sakdiphat Mokkasak, who brings 16 years of experience cooking at notable New York City Thai establishments such as Pongsri, Pye Boat Noodle, Esanation, and THEP Thai Restaurant, will helm the kitchen.

Chef Sakdiphat’s menu is rooted in the bold, fermentation-forward flavors and labor-intensive techniques of Northern and Northeastern Thailand. While certain ingredients or presentations may feel contemporary, the approach is deeply traditional, honoring centuries-old methods such as slow-simmering, curing, and steaming. The menu is divided into Small Plates, Large Plates, Sides, and Desserts, each reflecting a commitment to authenticity and culinary storytelling.

Small Plates showcase a range of traditional dishes rarely seen outside Thailand, such as Gaeng Kradang, a chilled red curry terrine with pork slow-simmered for hours until its natural collagen sets into a savory jelly, is inspired by a distinct Northern Thai dish where families would cook curry for dinner, leave it out overnight in the cold mountain air, and find it softly set by morning; Soup Nor Mai a cherished dish from Northeastern Thailand featuring thinly sliced asparagus tossed with fermented fish sauce, fresh lime juice, roasted rice powder, and Thai herbs, Samrub Sai Ua, Sai Krok, which brings together two housemade components into one dish: Northern Thai sausage spiked with lemongrass and kaffir lime; Northeastern-style fermented pork sausage; served with chili dip, crispy pork skin, herbs, and pickles; Kanom Krok Pu, a savory take on coconut street pancakes filled with lump crab and chili jam; Ong Mun Pu, a velvety Northern-style crab butter custard served bubbling with sticky rice; and Larb Ped + Foie Gras, a rich, spicy salad of minced duck topped with seared foie gras and seasoned with lime, chili, and toasted rice powder.

Large Plates draw from family recipes and time-intensive regional dishes, including Gai Tai Nam with tender chicken thigh poached in an herbaceous broth of chili paste, scallions, kaffir lime, and fermented fish sauce, using a Northeastern Thai steaming method where a bowl of cold water is placed on top of the pot, creating condensation that gently bastes the chicken and helps retain its moisture; Gaeng Kanoon Orn, a comforting jackfruit and spare rib curry infused with chili paste, shrimp paste, and tomato; Kua Kae Ped with seared duck breast tossed with Thai eggplant, string beans, wild betel leaves, acacia, scallions, and toasted rice; Nuer Jim Jaew with seared ribeye served with sticky rice waffle, cured raw egg, and Northeastern dipping sauce; Pla Abb, a Chilean seabass marinated with lemongrass and roasted in banana leaf; and Yum Jin Gai, an intensely aromatic herb broth with chicken and makwaen pepper.

Sides include steamed jasmine and sticky rice alongside Khao Gun Jin, a traditional Northern Thai pork and blood rice wrapped in banana leaf; Pad Pak, stir-fried seasonal vegetables with shrimp paste and chili; and housemade dipping sauces like Nam Prik Ka (galangal chili) and Nam Jim Jaew (tamarind, lime, and roasted rice).

Desserts such as Gluay Chuerm with Thai banana poached in palm syrup with coconut ice cream, and Mor Gaeng Puak, a smooth taro custard paired with house-made palm sugar ice cream, round out the menu.

Beverage

Narkara’s beverage program draws inspiration from classic cocktails while remaining deeply rooted in Thai flavors and ingredients. Highlights include the Makwaen Penicillin with makwaen pepper–infused scotch, mezcal, Drambuie, dry vermouth, and galangal syrup; The Rice Paddy Herb Martini with jasmine green tea gin, rice paddy herb–infused dry vermouth, and maraschino; Kaffir Lime Diablo; a tropical reimagining of the El Diablo made with house-infused kaffir lime tequila, rum, and ginger liqueur, and Lychee 75, a riff on the classic cocktail with Vietnamese coriander gin, Strega, and house lychee syrup, lemon, absinthe, and sparkling wine.

Design

Designed as an homage to Thai art and craftsmanship, Narkara’s space features custom bamboo installations by Korakot Aromdee, a globally celebrated artist renowned for his architectural work with sustainable bamboo, and woven partitions by Patapian, a studio that merges traditional Thai weaving with contemporary design. Every detail—from the custom ceramic tableware crafted by Prempracha and Earth and Fire Ceramics, to the staff uniforms designed by avant-garde Bangkok designer Ek Thongprasert —reinforces the restaurant’s cultural mission: to create a space where Thai culinary culture, art, and identity converge.

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