Eat Athens: Looking for an authentic taste of Thailand? Just take a trip to Watkinsville

Andrew Shearer, Athens Banner-Herald
·2 min read
The front entrance and patio dining area of Mama Ning's Thai restaurant in Watkinsville, Ga. on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. Mama Ning's has been in business since January 2021.
The front entrance and patio dining area of Mama Ning's Thai restaurant in Watkinsville, Ga. on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. Mama Ning's has been in business since January 2021.

Known for a thriving restaurant scene that includes such options as White Tiger Deluxe, Chops & Hops and a Mama's Boy outpost at Wire Park, Watkinsville is an ever-growing hub for locally-owned dining.

Though many of the area's restaurateurs grew up nearby, the proprietor of one Asian eatery has roots that are just a bit further out.

Mama Ning's Thai, located at 2 S. Main St. in Suite 101, offers authentic dishes that are prepared and served by folks who have a personal history and familiarity with the downtown restaurant's cuisine. Since Mama Ning's opens at 11 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday, the Banner-Herald made a scenic 6-mile drive to sample the lunch menu.

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Ning Kohnen, owner of Mama Ning's Thai, stands in the main dining area of her restaurant in Watkinsville, Ga. on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. Mama Ning's has been in business since January 2021.
Ning Kohnen, owner of Mama Ning's Thai, stands in the main dining area of her restaurant in Watkinsville, Ga. on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. Mama Ning's has been in business since January 2021.

The restaurant gets its name from owner and operator Ning Kohnen, who opened the business in January of 2021. Originally from Chiang Mai, a mountainous region north of Bangkok, Kohnen and her sister can be found taking orders and waiting tables at the business while a kitchen full of other folks from Thailand cook the food.

The menu at Mama Ning's features the sort of curry, fried rice and noodle dishes that experienced Thai diners are familiar with, but specialties like Som Tum (green papaya salad) and Pad Gra Prow (basil stir fry) give customers the opportunity to experience flavors that are popular with locals and street vendors in Thailand.

Pad See Ewe with beef, Tom Kha (coconut soup) with chicken, and a Thai iced tea at Mama Ning's restaurant in Watkinsville, Ga. on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.
Pad See Ewe with beef, Tom Kha (coconut soup) with chicken, and a Thai iced tea at Mama Ning's restaurant in Watkinsville, Ga. on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023.

Mama Ning's is also a fantastic option for guests with dietary restrictions. Though peanut is a common feature of Thai cuisine, Kohnen pointed out that her staff prepares food in separate pans whenever a customer alerts her of any food allergy. Vegetarian and vegan options are plentiful, and all dishes on the lunch menu can be made with mixed vegetables or tofu upon request. The kid's menu features BBQ chicken skewers with sticky rice.

When the Banner-Herald visited, we ordered beef Pad See Ewe (a flash-fried noodle dish with a dark soy sauce at medium spice level), a cup of chicken Tom Kha (gluten-free coconut soup) and a Thai iced tea to drink. The meal came with a house salad that had a sweet house-made carrot ginger dressing. The Tom Kha was an absolute flavor bomb, and the tea reminded us of bygone Friday night dinners at Doc Chey's in downtown Athens.

For a complete menu and hours of operation, visit mamaningsthai.com.

The main dining area of Mama Ning's Thai restaurant in Watkinsville, Ga. on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. Mama Ning's has been in business since January 2021.
The main dining area of Mama Ning's Thai restaurant in Watkinsville, Ga. on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. Mama Ning's has been in business since January 2021.

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This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Eat Athens: Mama Ning's restaurant offers authentic Thai cuisine