Hanloh Thai Food — Golden Roots Kitchen

Hanloh Thai Food offers meals to go throughout the week at a variety of locations around Santa Cruz County.

GRK Community, can you believe that we are nearly coming up on the end of summer? Reflecting on the past months, it is challenging to put into words the grief we are experiencing as a collective. Our hearts go out to those affected by the CZU Lightning Complex Fire, as well as the countless wildfires happening in our California communities. It is hard to believe the loss our communities are suffering from, compounded by a global pandemic. Connection and support are crucial right now, and our community has shown just how strong and resilient our root system is. We are forever grateful for this community, as well as the first responders who are dedicated to protecting the people. We are here for you!

After an unexpected and unsettling break, we have returned to the kitchen to bring you quality, delicious offerings, while maintaining the safety of our customers and staff members. We want to thank you for all of the support during these uncertain times, and we are so grateful that we have been able to serve our community through it all. If you have been riding this wave with us, you have likely noticed that we have a handful of local partnerships whose offerings add such delight and variety to our menu. We have loved working with these partners, and we hope you are enjoying the fruits of their labor! We want to take the time to put our partners in the spotlight and allow you to get to know all of the small and local businesses whom we have had the pleasure of working with behind the scenes.

Meet Lalita Kaewsawang of Hanloh Thai Food.

Meet Lalita Kaewsawang, the face behind Hanloh Thai Food — a partnership we have been thrilled to share through our weekly offerings. Our connection with Lalita began years back while sharing kitchen space at The Bread Box (any day ones in the house?). Golden Roots has had the pleasure of maintaining a connection with Lalita, and we feel she is long overdue for a shoutout! Lalita founded Hanloh Thai Food in 2017 here in Santa Cruz, and her business has blossomed ever since. I loved connecting with Lalita and learning more about her journey, and the inspiration behind her cooking. We wanted to highlight Lalita within our community to learn more about her business, her passion as a chef, and the traditions surrounding Thai Cuisine.

When asked “what makes Thai food, Thai?”, Lalita expressed that this is a question she has been working through most of her career. She has shifted this question to really hone in on “what is Thai food to me?” She explained her challenge in describing Thai food as a general category because each region of Thailand is known for their unique offerings and flavors. Much of the inspiration of her dishes comes from food she grew up eating — such as her Thai fried chicken, and variations of curries. She has been inspired to duplicate dishes that she remembered from her childhood, and put her own twist on it.

I learned that much of the Thai food that is served in the US is inspired by Central Thai Cuisine: wok stir frys, noodles, curries, lots of coconut milk, oyster and fish sauce. Whereas in Northern Thailand, where Lalita grew up, the dishes are very simple and earthy. Northern Thai food uses very little coconut milk, sugar or fish sauce, and the food is not as spicy. Lalita made a point that Thai Food is not necessarily meant to be served spicy, and this is something that has been misconstrued in the US. With Thai street food, it is a custom for customers to request the flavor profiles they would like from street vendors. For example, customers can request no sugar, extra chilies, and extra sour.

(Food images above sourced from Hanloh.com)

Hanloh aims to work with seasonal/local produce as much as possible. Fresh produce adds quality and flavor that are simply non-negotiable for many of Hanloh’s creations. Lalita lights up each time the local farmers deliver to the kitchen, knowing that the produce is fresh and from the source. Hanloh aspires to produce minimal waste by using as much of the vegetable as possible and sending home food scraps with employees for compost!

You can find Lalita serving up a depth of delicious dishes around Santa Cruz County. She works out of a shared kitchen space two days a week, preparing all of her offerings with the help of her four kitchen staff. These prepared and pre-packaged meals are then delivered to the GRK kitchen, Sante Adairius Brewery and Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery for pickup. Meals include reheating instructions for at home enjoyment. Pre COVID-19 you would find Hanloh serving up hot plates at popups at these brewery locations, however these pop ups have transitioned to all pre-packaged meals for pickup. Additionally, Hanloh offers catering services for a variety of events such as weddings, private parties and events as well as holiday gatherings. Hanloh has served anywhere from 5-200 people. However, due to COVID-19 catering services have been placed on pause, but Lalita is working on developing a COVID-19 safe menu and serving for events. Although many of Hanloh’s offerings have transitioned, Lalita expresses great gratitude to be able to continue to serve her community during these uncertain times!

A couple picks up their Hanloh order at Sante Adarius Brewery in Midtown.

I asked Lalita what she orders when she sits down in a Thai food restaurant in the US. Lalita explained that she is a small plates kind of gal — she orders a variety of small plates and eats them as one main course. Her go to choices are Chicken Satay, Tom Yum soup with either tofu or seafood, and a small salad and rice. Are you hungry yet? Next, I asked her what menu items one should try if they are wanting to step outside their comfort zone. She recommended ordering Boat Noodle Soup. Take some time to look into the story behind the tradition of this dish — it’s a delightful tale of Bangkok merchants selling soup from canoes on the canal. Lalita also recommended mango sticky rice, but said the key is to ask the server if their mango is ripe — unripe mango does not make a good mango sticky rice. Fish cakes are also something you should try, according to Lalita — they are found in the appetizer section, but Lalita often orders them as a meal. Make note of these recommendations for the next time you’re browsing the menu at your favorite Thai restaurant.

Bring home a pandemic-safe tasty dish from Hanloh this week!

I learned from Lalita that in Thailand food is simply just a part of the people and the culture — the food is what brings people together. In Thailand, food is the center of all conversation! Lalita is more than a chef, she is an artist. Her passion is fueled by her enjoyment of cooking for an audience — she has been told that food is her love language, and I couldn’t agree more. She has bottomless energy and inspiration to create new and exciting dishes to bring to you! Lalita has dedicated her life to understanding the culinary world as a profession, and is excited to share the growth she is moving through in her business. Thank you for working by our side, Lalita!

Connect

Click the links below for a variety of ways you can support Hanloh Thai Food!

Wishing you wellness, always,

Mary

Mary Smith has her Bachelor’s of Science in Nutrition and Food Science, and serves as GRK’s in-house nutrition expert and blogger.

Brittany Cole is a photographer based in Santa Cruz, CA.