In late winter, I got word that a new Thai restaurant had opened—softly, and somewhat unofficially—in the former Outrider space in Amesbury. What had once been a raucous alehouse was now set to relaunch as a sorely needed Asian spot. I found myself relatively unsurprised. Thai food has been enjoying a North Shore renaissance; just a few months earlier, I had trekked up to Gloucester to review the excellent new restaurant Rim-Lay, and I had been tipped off about other Thai openings in the area as well.
Owned by Mithila Hayes, Nawapas “Barry” Hayes, and Nuttapong Phantkankum, the name NuNaMi is derived from the first syllable of each partner’s name, representing their shared vision and collaboration. The owners are also involved in projects in Portsmouth and Exeter, including 5 Thai Bistro Restaurant, OBA Noodle Bar, and the Friend 4 OBA food truck. The kitchen at NuNaMi is led by chef Barry Hayes.
Before NuNaMi Bistro opened at the start of the year, Amesbury had limited Thai dining options, making its arrival a notable addition to the local restaurant landscape. The night I visited—a Saturday—the restaurant was accepting tables by reservation only; thankfully, I had thought to call ahead. The dining room was full by half past six. The menu has since expanded, though even the soft opening featured a full beer, wine, and liquor license, along with a concise appetizer, entrée, and dessert menu and a list of bespoke cocktails.
The menu draws inspiration from northern, central, and southern Thai cuisine. Dishes like khao soi kai make an appearance, alongside a range of curries, including green curry with chili paste and coconut milk, peanut curry with vegetables, and crab curry. Also on offer is sai ua, a northern Thai pork sausage served as an appetizer.
My family and I began dinner with two dishes new to us: tomato-infused ume and chor jae. The former featured cherry tomatoes infused with ume— small, tart Japanese plums—and dusted with plum powder. Juicy, tart, and faintly sweet, they popped in the mouth when bitten. Next came the chor jae, fried vegetarian dumplings stuffed with chestnuts, taro root, shiitake and king oyster mushrooms, and peanuts, wrapped in tofu skin and served with plum sauce.
A more familiar appetizer followed: chicken satay. Tender, well-marinated, and served with a peanut dipping sauce, it provided a perfect entry into the restaurant’s non-vegetarian offerings. And then the entrées arrived. Pad Thai—with bean sprouts, peanuts, and egg—offered a classic savory-sour balance and disappeared from the table in moments. We followed it with pad see ew, wide rice noodles stir-fried with egg, broccoli, and carrots in a soy-based sauce, served here with chicken at my youngest son’s request.
The standout dish of the evening was the spicy crispy duck: a beautifully cooked breast, deep-fried with the skin on, yielding a striking contrast of textures, with chicharrón-like crispness on top. The meat beneath remained tender and perfectly cooked, while the crackling skin provided an indulgent finish. For dessert, the restaurant offers several options, including traditional mango sticky rice, but the highlight for my seven-year-old was the ice cream. Made in-house, the deep purple taro ice cream carried a subtle nuttiness alongside its sweetness and was served with a fried pastry stuffed with sweet taro—hot, flaky, and satisfying.
The wine list is compact, with a handful of reds and whites, as well as rosé and sparkling selections. On the night we dined, seven specialty cocktails were available, including the Ube, a mix of ube milk, cachaça, Bacardi Tropical Rum, and fresh lime. Even more transportive was the Mango Sticky Rice cocktail, blending cachaça, pandan liqueur, coconut liqueur, mango juice, and coconut milk into something that felt, if only briefly, like a trip to Bangkok. That sense of escape, you’ll find, is well worth it.