Signs are up in the windows of the former Coldwell Banker office in the Hahn Building at 1622 Orrington Ave. in downtown Evanston announcing plans for a new restaurant called NaKorn Kitchen.
Owner Jittawattana Sudsaard says on the restaurant website that an opening is planned in March 2016.
Sudsaard says NaKorn means “Metropolitan” in Thai and that the restaurant will bring authentic Thai food to Evanston.
“The NaKorn menu will offer a perfect blend of bold flavors with traditional, old-world recipes in a modern presentation. Using only the finest ingredients, we will create unique dishes layered with flavors,” Sudasaard adds.
So far city records indicate the owner has only filed permit requests for the signs, so there’s considerably more work to be done to convert the former real estate office into a restaurant space before the opening.
Authentic vs. American tastes
I recall a Mexican and Chinese restaurant opened on Clark by Benson that promised 'authentic' foods. Neither lasted long. I wonder if really being 'authentic' turns away those with 'European' tastes who want Americanized dishes or if even those from those cultures have been moved to Americanized tastes. On the otherside reviews of ethnic restaurants on Yelp and others frequently refer to places as having Americanized or mixed foods, which might turn away customers to 'think' they want authentic food until they actually try it. I recently saw this with reviews of Chilean restaurants. Restaurants face tough choices.