Nathalie Tan grew up in Northwest Arkansas after her parents emigrated from Malaysia.
Darren Tan, also Malaysian, was an exchange student.
Both of them planned for professional futures, hers in engineering, his in business administration. But when the couple started a family, it was time to reconsider those career choices.
Darren suggested a restaurant, where their children could grow up with them. They opened New China in Siloam Springs 12 years ago.
“But food culture has changed,” Tan says.
“Twelve years ago, everybody wanted a buffet,” Nathalie adds. “Now everybody wants a small, sitdown place.”
That was the direction the Tans took when they opened the Mandarin Bistro on U.S.
412 in Tontitown 2 1 /2 years ago. Since moving to U.S. 71 in Springdale a few months ago, they’ve changed the name to reflect the addition of Thai selections to the Chinese menu, making Mandarin Thai & Chinese Restaurant part of what Nathalie Tan refers to as a new Asian fusion.
“It’s going really well,” she says of business at the new location, about a block south of Northwest Medical Center.
But, she adds, sales are still about 80 percent Chinese and 20 percent Thai.
The spicy dishes are the most popular, Darren Tan says, including dynamite chicken, slices of white chicken stir-fried with white onion, broccoli and red bell peppers in a “very hot” creamy dynamite sauce ($7.98); Mongolian beef,slices of beef stir-fried with white and green onions and shredded carrots in the restaurant’s “exclusive” Mongolian sauce and spices ($8.48); and Pad Thai, chicken, beef, pork, seafood or tofu stir-fried with flat rice noodles, eggs, broccoli, carrots, bean sprouts and green onions, tossed with ground peanuts and available in medium, hot or Thai hot ($7.50-$10.95, depending on meat selected).
Mandarin Thai & Chinese Restaurant also offers Thai curry in red, green, yellow, Panang, Masamanand pineapple ($7.50-$10.95, depending on meat); Thai soups, including the popular coconut curry noodle ($7.50-$10.95, depending on meat selected, for a large bowl); and lunch specials served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays for $5.98-$6.98.
Most familiar in their homeland, Nathalie Tan explains, would be the Singapore street noodles, angel hair rice noodles with a light curry flavor, served with vegetables, chicken, pork, shrimp, beef or a combination of chicken, beef and shrimp for $6.48-$7.98, or Hong KongChow-Fan Noodles, flat rice noodles with pepper garlic spices ($6.48-$7.98). Dessert is coconut sticky rice, popular throughout Asian cuisine, served alone or with ice cream or seasonal mango ($2.95-$4.95).
As much as they love visiting their homeland, the Springdale area is home, the Tans agree.
“When we moved (to Thompson Street), all of our Tontitown customers came to make sure we did well at the beginning,” Nathalie Tan says. “Everyone has been so good to support us.”
Whats Up, Pages 17 on 11/30/2012