Sunan Peebles hails from northeast Thailand, where, on a clear day, one can peer across the Mekong River and see the land of Laos. Many people—Sunan's family included—recognize this distinction between Thailand and Laos in name only, viewing the inhabitants of this region as one and the same, with food and culture bridging any differences in nationality.

So when Sunan had a chance to realize her dream of owning a restaurant, it gave her an opportunity to bring together Thai and Lao cuisine under one roof. Hence the expansive menu of Amazing Thai Lao Cuisine. With much-loved dishes like curries and Pad Kee Mao, she pays homage to the country she was born in. And with meals like Haw Mok Pa—or steamed fish in a banana leaf, which can be bought at stands along the roads of Luangprabang—she brings traditional Laotian food into the fold, serving both with warm hospitality.