Thai pop-up Talat Market debuts

TO MARKET, TO MARKET: We are mildly obsessed with Talat Market’s official logo.Courtesy Talat MarketbI grew up in a Thai household, so I was kind of isolated from typical American stuff b speaking English, eating Doritos, whatever,b says Parnass Lim Savang. As a second-generation American raised in Lawrenceville (his mother comes from Thailand, his father from Laos), Savang spent his early days eating traditional Thai food at home and helping out in his fatherbs Lawrenceville restaurant, Danthai. Eventually, he decided to become a professional chef.

After graduating from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in 2011, Savang worked his way through some of Atlantabs best restaurants: Empire State South, Kimball House, Staplehouse. He met celebrity chef Andy Ricker in Portland after sneaking into a film screening of his Vice documentary Farang (which means “foreigner” in Thai), and ended up staging at Ricker’s acclaimed Thai eatery Pok Pok for several days.

bThai cooking was always underlining everything I did,b says Savang, 27. bI was always trying to make some pad see ew, trying Thai pop-ups here and there. Now is the opportunity to let it all loose.b

Enter Talat Market, Savangbs chance to unify all the intersecting strands of his life and career thus far. “Talat means market in Thai,” he says. “That’s kind of the joke.” (A few outlets erroneously reported the name as just Market.)

The pop-up will take the place of Jarrett Stieber’s Eat Me Speak Me, which has relocated to the S.O.S. Tiki Bar in downtown Decatur. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 6-10ish p.m., diners can come and get their Thai fix on a first-come, first-serve basis at Candler Parkbs Gato. Right now, itbs BYOB.

bIbm trying to use traditional Thai techniques but Georgia ingredients that are seasonal and at their prime, to find creative ways to season and put that together,b says Savang. Hebll be debuting recipes he tested out in his dadbs kitchen and letting the seasons determine the menu, which will be small b about five dishes per night b and designed for sharing family-style, as is the custom in Thailand.

For the inaugural weekend, diners can try Savangbs take on the traditional Northern Thai sausage known as sai ua, red curry pork belly, steamed trout and roasted mushrooms with lemongrass, shallots and cilantro, a dish Savang invented himself, inspired by books he read and travels through Thailand. Hebs still working out logistics for his version of gai yang, aromatic chicken roasted Thai-style. bI make a really mean one,b he says. It will be added to the menu soon.

Talat Market hopes to fill Atlanta’s serious void: non-Americanized Thai cuisine made with high quality, locally-sourced ingredients. bThis is the type of food that Ibve been craving to see for so long,b says Savang.

bYoubre not the only one!b I tell him, with feeling. (Side note: I lived in Chiang Mai, Thailand for three years and am really, really, really excited about this pop-up.)

bRight?b he says. bItbs like, finally someone had the guts to do this.bB

Talat Market pop-up. 6-10 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Gato, 1660 McLendon Ave. N.E.B 404-371-0889.