by Julianne Bell
One punishingly blustery day, I stepped inside Fremont’s Kin Len Thai Night Bites and found myself standing in a colorful den stacked with bright, cushy pillows. A Thai film was being projected onto the wall. As I pored over the menu, I was offered a demitasse of complimentary betel-leaf tea, a thoughtful detail that charmed me instantly.
According to its website, Kin Len’s name translates to “eat-play.” Owners Jennifer “Jenny” Politanont and Saravut Nawasangarun—who also run the popular Isarn Thai Soul Kitchen restaurants in Kirkland and Lynnwood—were inspired by both the nightclubs and late-night bars of Thailand. Before they moved to the United States, Politanont and Nawasangarun ran two Italian restaurants in Bangkok and worked in the entertainment industry there (Politanont as an actress/singer/model and Nawasangarun as an actor).