From refugee to RI restaurant: Nanu Burmese Fusion has inspiring taste and inspiring story

Any conversation about the new Nanu Burmese Fusion restaurant in Warwick must start with talk about their delicious and authentic food.  Some dishes are familiar, pork dumplings for example, elevated with unexpected but wonderful toppings and homemade sauce.

Others are totally exotic, made with unusual ingredients, fermented tea leaves in a salad that blends vegetables with toasted peas and peanuts. It’s hard to imagine there’s another place in Rhode Island that serves the Burmese national dish which is Mohinga fish soup.

But bringing a taste of Myanmar to local diners is just one small part of this inspiring story of a family business. The Southeast Asian country, formerly known as Burma, borders India, Bangladesh, China, Thailand and Laos. Her people have suffered coups, insurgencies and ethnic turmoil since they gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1948.

Ruth Chhuani and husband Vaiphei Thanga, refugees from Myanmar, have not just brought their food but also their spirit to the melting pot. They also have a story to tell.

They are Chin, an ethnic group in Myanmar that predominantly practices Christianity which has led to persecution. The couple and their young family were at great risk in 2009. "The Chin people faced forced labor, beatings, sexual violence, and land confiscation by the Burmese military," according to Human Rights Watch.

“We had to become refugees,” Ruth said.

Though many Chin fled to India, they wished to come to the U.S. which Ruth called “The land of opportunity.”

“They asked us where we wanted to go, what state, and we said anywhere was fine.”

Finding a new life

The International Institute of Rhode Island brought them to Rhode Island with their son Robin, 3, and daughter, Rebecca, 1. If it was culture shock, they certainly don't focus on it as they discuss their life. Yes, everything is different here from Myanmar, she admits. But it seems as if they’ve never looked back. They made their home first in Providence and now in Cranston.

Ruth talked about her job at Beautiful Day, the Providence company and social venture to support refugees, that makes granola. She learned much there about the food business and then about selling when she worked at farmers markets for them.

Cooking from family recipes and learning more about recipes on social media, Ruth became sure she could make a career for them in the food industry. Ruth took business classes to navigate all that to open a business serving food. "I had to learn a lot," she said.

In fall 2020, they launched their Nanu Burmese Fusion food truck. Nanu means mother.

Since day one, the community supported them, said Ruth. So too, did the breweries who invited them regularly including Smug Brewing in Pawtucket and LongLive Beerworks in Providence. They also served at the Guild PVD Beer Garden and other food truck events.

“Our customers wanted us to open a restaurant,” Ruth said. "We listened."

They found the perfect space in Warwick in a small plaza at 997 Sandy Lane, close to West Shore Road. Ruth decorated the small space, including adorning greens on the lighting fixtures.

Three booths seat four people each in the restaurant. Most customers are there for takeout. But there’s nothing like enjoying hot tea or a more exotic bubble tea while the cooking aromas waft from the kitchen.

The dishes to try

The menu is indeed a fusion of Burmese specialties and Asian ones including sushi and bento boxes, as well as deep-fried, marinated chicken wings that cross all cultural divides.

For an authentic experience, Mohinga is a must-try. This is the national Burmese dish of Myanmar. It's a fish soup that has rice noodles, egg, fried split chickpeas and scallions. Ruth only uses freshwater fish for the dish as she said saltwater fish change the flavors too much.

She uses peanuts in her cooking, as well as fried chickpeas and onions which add crunch and flavor. There are roasted chilis but most of the food isn't spicy hot.

"The Burmese like vegetables and a lot of salads," she said. Back in Myanmar, every home you visit serves you a tea leaf salad. Her Lahpet Thoke comes with a side of white rice and is available vegan.

Coconut noodle soup is another homestyle dish as are udon noodles, a very popular dish served back home.

Advocating for awareness

While Ruth is happy to talk about her food, she also wants to start a conversation about human rights and what's happening in Burma, as she calls it. With so many other conflicts in the news here, she feels the world isn't paying attention to "the dark place" her homeland has become, literally and figuratively. She still has family there and among the challenges is that they never know when their power will be cut off.

When the military leaders ousted the elected government two years ago, democracy disappeared, again, she said. All the leaders were jailed. Young people are fighting for change, she said. The country is rich, but not for the regular people.

"There is so much suffering," she said. "I want to be a voice putting Burma in the news."

What's cooking: A James Beard semifinalist found success in Central Falls. Now he has plans in Providence

Ruth was named by her mother for her favorite book of the Bible. Her mother often read her the story and told her she was strong like Ruth. It's a comparison Ruth treasures.

Details: Nanu Burmese Fusion, 997 Sandy Lane, Warwick, (401) 921-2185, nanuburmesefusion.com. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday to Friday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Nanu Burmese Fusion brings food to Warwick from Myanmar refugees