Lom Wong

Regional Thai restaurant Lom Wong, set in a black bungalow at Second and Portland streets in downtown Phoenix, packs a piquant punch. Owners Yotaka and Alex Martin have firsthand experience with the robust flavors. Yotaka grew up in San Maket, Chiang Rai, a village in northern Thailand. She spent her childhood cooking traditional dishes alongside her mother and grandmother. Alex met Yotaka in Thailand, and the two began traveling the country together, returning to northern Thailand to dice shallots and stir-fry crab with Yotaka’s family whenever they had the chance. The menu at Lom Wong, which features dishes such as charcoal-grilled Thai sausage and eggplant in hand-pounded curry paste, is meant to be shared. Boozy cocktails complement the food well. Thunder’s Piña Colada includes fresh coconut cream and fish sauce, while the Bo Sang is crafted with vodka, lychee and rose water.