Chef Bee as Chef Piyarat Arreeratn is known has almost a cult following. So when he opened his newest outpost, NaiYaRa, on South Beach at 1854 Bay Road (T.786=275-6005), it was a hit from day one. I never went to his North Miami Beach restaurant, but had heard about it from colleagues who loved his Thai street food fare. Yes, the food is very good and yes, it’s in the “hot” Sunset Harbour neighborhood so it’s also about a party vibe.

When I travel to Thailand I’m always impressed with the way Thais infuse everything with aesthetic touches and so with NaiYaRa, from the orchids decorating the specialty cocktails and rose petals even in the shrimp chips to the artful décor. The open dining room, watched over by a golden Buddha, has rich teak wood walls and tables, traditional fishing baskets repurposed as lighting fixtures, and memorabilia with an open kitchen in the background. In addition to the main dining room and sushi bar, there is a separate bar that was custom designed featuring uniquely shaped liquor boxes inspired by back street Thai watering holes, with LED lighting to match the mood of the restaurant. A hand painted sign that reads “Miami Siam” pops, surrounded by kitschy lighting.

Born and raised in Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand, Chef Bee moved to the United States over 20 years ago to pursue his passion for cooking. After working his way up the ladder as a sushi chef at famed Chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa’s Nobu and working with Chef Kevin Korey, Chef Bee
opened his own restaurant, Oishi Thai, in 2005.

The menu features a mix of both exotic and familiar dishes from the various regions of Thailand alongside Japanese specialties. Some of the Thai dishes are the same ones that Chef Bee’s grandmother sold at their local village market in Northern Thailand. The menu is divided into soup & salads, hot appetizers, entrees, noodle and rice, raw bar, rolls and a separate Japanese menu. To get in the right mood, start off with one of the specialty cocktails such as the Mekong Mule. Two key Thai food ingredients star here – the lemongrass and ginger along with sparkling sake, Absolut, and elyx.

We began with the coconut soup, a flavorful and creamier version than your usual version. Next up, a wow, is the Organic Crispy Bok Choy, beautifully fried so it’s almost crinkly. It’s served with garlic chips topped with a  sesame soy imparting a welcome sweetness. Another standout are the sweet and savory Burmese wraps —  rice noodles with chili, spicy palm sugar and peanuts. Both of these dishes would convert anyone into a vegetarian.

The food of Chiang Mai is well represented in the Chiang Rai Curry – egg noodles, skirt steak, and a fragrant yellow curry made with pickles, red onion, and miso paste, all mixed together. We finished up the meal with signature dishes including Thai street dumplings with pieces of plump fried chicken, celery, oyster sauce and thai chili, and Chef Bee’s answer to tuna tartare, a spicy tuna salad with seaweed, cucumbers, sesame oil, masago and honey kimchee.

For dessert I restrained myself from ordering Thai donuts and opted for the less usual milk chocolate pots de crème with chocolate puffed rice, crème Chantilly and ginger, a perfect counterpoint to the spicy and savory dishes.

Soups and appetizers range from $5 to $17 with most in the low teens; entrees and noodle dishes from $15 to $24. Wine by the glass starts at $9 and bottles at $35.

Right now NaiYaRa is open exclusively for dinner.  There’s also a happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m. with $7 glasses of wine, cocktails and light bites. It’s a hip, fun place to go and eat well, though be prepared for an “energetic” noise level.