Exploring & discovering traditional flavors at Nattha’s Bann Thai Asian

Nattha’s Bann Thai Asian, which can be found at 6970 E. 22nd St. #100, has a good month under its belt — serving up a variety of traditional and authentic Thai and Cantonese Chinese dishes.

The restaurant has taken over the former Peking Palace spot and is owned and operated by husband-and-wife business partners Nattha and Eric Post. The dynamic duo and their executive chef Tam “Sam” Quan make it known that they all share a passion for cooking and serving others — something Eric refers to as a “labor of love.”

“Nattha’s Bann Thai Asian is an opportunity for us to invite the dining community in to taste the result of our passion and dedication to serving authentic Asian cuisine that is approachable and delicious,” he said. “We want people to enjoy the experience of trying new things but also feel comfortable eating the familiar dishes they love.”

How it all began

Eric and Nattha both grew up around food.

In Nattha’s native Thailand, she learned how to cook the traditional cuisine of the country. In 2018, she moved to the U.S. and fell in love with Tucson. After working at several Thai restaurants she’s now ready to share her knowledge and experience in Asian cuisine.

Eric is a Tucson native and learned to cook from his Italian mother and by working at a local pizza restaurant back in the day. During the ’80s and ’90s, he took a different route and became a helicopter pilot at sea for a tuna fishing boat. However, whenever he got the chance, he helped in the kitchen on the boat and eventually completed several cooking classes.

As time moved on, Nattha and Eric both found themselves attending the Blue Elephant and Napali cooking schools in Thailand to further expand their knowledge in the kitchen.

So, what’s on the menu?

Even though the restaurant is housed in the former Peking Palace, Nattha’s Bann Thai Asian has its own take on Asian cuisine — creating an alliance between Thai and Cantonese Chinese traditions and techniques.

There’s a lot happening on the menu, too. It’s full of various offerings like its AppeThaizers, which include Yum Nua (grilled beef salad) and Yum Woon Sen (glass noodle salad with shrimp and ground pork). Lighter fare options can be in their soup options, like Tom Kha (coconut milk) and Tom Sabb (pork ribs).

If you mosey on further down the menu you’ll find the likes of Thai curries including Red, Green, Yellow, Mussaman, and Panang. Thai noodle stir fry such as Pad Thai and Pad Kee Mao (drunken noodle) and the Thai rice stir fries like Pad Prik King (with crispy pork belly) and Pad Krathim (garlic chicken) can’t be overlooked either.

There’s much more on the menu, including lunch specials from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., and it’s likely that it’ll require multiple trips. Luckily, the restaurant is open from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. every Monday – Saturday.

Nattha’s Bann Thai Asian is located at 6970 E. 22nd St. #100. For more, visit natthasbannthai.com or call (520) 750-9614.