KHAO SOI 
THAI CURRIES

WHO WE ARE

Kanate Ungkasrithongkul spent most of his career working as an engineer and web developer. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he began recreating the home-style Thai dishes he grew up eating in Saraburi, a city about two hours north of Bangkok. What started as experimenting with traditional recipes in his home kitchen evolved into a serious pursuit as he refined beloved Thai dishes and shared them with friends and family. 

Kanate and his wife, Anita Lin, had long wanted to own a business, though they had never planned on opening a restaurant. The turning point came when Kanate successfully recreated one of his favorite childhood dishes—Thai boat noodles. Realizing the food they were producing at home satisfied his craving for his favorite dishes from home, they decided to go into business. They secured a small space in Tustin and opened Manaao in 2023. 

The name "Manaao" comes from the Thai word for lime, an ingredient deeply woven into Thai cooking and flavor profiles. The restaurant's concept centers on "Thai comfort food"—the everyday dishes Kanate remembers from home rather than the heavily Americanized versions of Thai cuisine often found in the United States.