KHAO NIAO
Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★★
District: Northwest Omaha
Authentic Thai Cuisine
Perfect For: Casual Dining; Takeout; Lunch
Standout Dishes: Pad See Ew; Drunken Noodles; Pad Thai; Mango Sticky Rice
Drunken noodles was the dish that brought Am Alstatt to open a restaurant. For all of Omaha’s Thai restaurants, she didn’t see any others making their own noodles, a service she knew she could provide. That led her to develop all her own recipes and sauces, which excite the taste buds with flavors rarely experienced.
While Am works her magic in the kitchen, husband Ed handles the front of the house with humility and aplomb. Together, this duo powers Khao Niao, which makes a case as Omaha’s best Thai restaurant.
One could drive by Khao Niao’s understated storefront, located in a strip mall off 156th & Maple, for years without realizing the flavor exploration awaiting inside. But word of mouth has propeled this family-owned restaurant since it opened in late 2020, bringing authentic Thai and Vietnamese dishes to Omaha.
The menu offers dishes in distinct categories: soups, rice dishes, soups, pho, meat dishes, curries, and stir-fries. Each brings its own unique flavor to the table; though many of the flavor profiles are similar, no two are exactly alike.
Most dishes can be ordered with the protein (pork, chicken, beef, shrimp, or tofu) and spice level (between 0 and 15) of your choice. Even at the higher spice levels, Khao Niao doesn’t just layer on heat for heat’s sake; the flames accentuate and empower the flavors of the dish itself.
What makes Khao Niao special is Am’s commitment to creating everything she can herself, from the various sauces and dips to the noodles featured in the restaurant’s two signature dishes.
The homemade flat, wide noodles bring the Pad See Ew and Drunken Noodles to life with their tender consistency and bouncy, chewy bite. The Pad See Ew coats those fantastic starchy strands with a savory sauce that offers a touch of sweetness, as dark soy sauce and oyster sauce add a hit of umami and sour finish. Chinese broccoli brings slightly bitter notes, rounded out by the sweetness of caramelized onion petals.
The Drunken Noodles combine sweet and salty with pops of umami and a nice tanginess. Sautéed red peppers and yellow onions add some crunch, while basil ties the dish together with a peppery, minty undertone. The Pad Thai is decidedly sweeter than the other noodles dishes and with thin, slippery noodles, this is one of the better versions of the dish in Omaha. Sweet, sour, and salty, there’s a really nice flavor balance, and the chopped peanuts add texture and crunch.
The proteins are cooked brilliantly. From the plump, firm shrimp to the savory, tender hunks of chicken and rich, slightly sweet pork, you can be confident that your dish will include some fantastic meat.
That’s certainly the case with the Nam Tok, a steak salad that packs more flavor than most salads could dream of. The grilled sirloin has a robust beefy flavor that absorbs the spicy, sour, and tart notes of the marinade. Fresh mint and cilantro add a pleasant herbaceousness, and the sticky rice provides a subtly sweet, nutty base.
No matter the entree you opt for, Khao Niao has a host of incredible small plates to kick off the meal. The Shrimp Spring Rolls feature crisp, fresh, stretchy wraps that are stuffed with crunchy lettuce and vegetables and plump shrimp. Those same wrappers start the Vegetarian Spring Roll, with clear noodles providing a nice bite.
The Fried Shrimp Rolls are similar to an egg roll, but stuffed with sweet, chopped shrimp. The fry is brilliant, giving the roll crunchy outer layers that lend a buttery-ness as you move through each bite.
But the star of the dishes is Am’s homemade sauces. The sweet chili sauce is sugar-forward with a touch of spice, but the sweet, nutty peanut sauce is so fantastic, I’d buy it by the jug if Khao Niao sold it.
Need something sweet to finish the meal? Khao Niao’s Mango Sticky Rice is the perfect way to round things out, starting with the warm, sugary rice and its addictive viscous texture. The healthy chunks of mango are fresh, firm, and sweet, and a drizzle of sweet coconut sauce pulls its all together. With so much sugar, it seems the dish would be too sweet, but there’s great balance here.
Khao Niao’s portions are well-sized; not skimpy by any means, but not so overwhelming that you’ll enter a food coma after eating them.
Ed’s friendly front-of-house demeanor would make visiting Khao Niao a good experience even if the food weren’t this exquisite. He’s soft-spoken and kind, happy to talk you through unfamiliar menu items and select a dish that best matches your palate.
The interior of the restaurant is quiet but refined, warm without being overdressed. Khao Niao is the type of place you could celebrate a date night, gather the family for a meal, or pick up Friday night takeout and feel equally comfortable.
I can’t tell you how many times I drove by Khao Niao—well in the hundreds—before I finally stopped in. And as soon as the flavors of the wonderful Pad See Ew touched my taste buds, I began mentally kicking myself for sleeping on this delightful restaurant for years.
I pray this review helps you recognize the error of my ways and be smarter than me. Don’t wait to visit Khao Niao. This is one of Omaha’s must-visit restaurants.