When you think about Kentucky, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? If you’re not from around here you’d probably think of these three things in some sort of order: bourbon, horses, and college basketball. But after getting out and talking to quite a few people who own/run a business in the hospitality world around central Kentucky, our personal views on our Old Kentucky Home have changed - for the better! Southern charm definitely runs deep around here, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more sweet and welcoming person than Mae Suramek, owner of Noodle Nirvana in Berea, KY. We recently took a small road trip with our dear friend Desiree down to the heart of craft country to talk with Mae about her business and how she got her start in the culinary world (plus we had to try the ever-popular noodle bowls, right?).

If you’ve never been to Berea then you’re really missing out on a beautiful downtown area. Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Berea proper is surrounded by all kinds of breath-taking scenery; there are several trails that are popular with hikers from all around the state that run up into the woods that circumvent the city’s perimeter. On this particular morning we had been experiencing some rain, which left Berea sitting in a small patch of fog that was pretty awesome in the forefront of the lush, green landscape. As we rode into town you could see that people were already gearing up for lunch; the beginnings of a line for noodles was forming as we walked in the door to meet up with Mae for our interview. The noodle shop may seem small (at one time it was Berea’s first movie theater, and later a women’s health clinic), but the work that goes on inside is anything but! When you first enter Noodle Nirvana, you’ll notice all kinds of artwork on the walls; this is the work of local artists showcasing their art in a way that instantly draws your attention, not only to the beauty of it but also to the subject. Noodle Nirvana, according to Mae, is an all-inclusive safe place for people of all walks of life; everyone involved in this business cares about every customer, no matter how they identify, and you will never be judged for who you are when you visit this lovely restaurant. Being the former executive director of the Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center (now known as Ampersand Sexual Violence Resource Center of the Bluegrass), Mae is very passionate about women’s rights, as well as human rights in general, and that was something she wanted to incorporate into her business. She has spent a lot of time in Berea, including getting her BA in psychology from Berea College (and her MA in counseling from EKU); she fell in love with the people and the city, and now she’s helping give back to the community she calls home. As someone with parents of Asian descent (they are first-generation Thai immigrants), Mae credits her mother with her love of Thai dishes. She would often invite her childhood friends over to try her mother’s noodle bowls, and during a recent college homecoming she had several friends over for dinner, converting all of them to Thai food worshippers! This successful conversion to the church of noodles gave Mae an idea: what if she had a place in Berea that could introduce other people to her mother’s dishes? Soon after, she and her husband quit their day jobs to open Noodle Nirvana, and they’ve been going strong ever since!

The idea behind Noodle Nirvana is pretty cool: in Thailand there are street stands all over the place where you can build your own noodle bowl - almost like Subway here in America, but with different types of noodles and broths instead of meats and bread. Mae wanted to bring this idea to Kentucky so that patrons can be as plain or as inventive as they would like to be with their meals. She also wanted to break away from the stereotypical Asian restaurant that we are used to in the States by making a couple of small, healthy changes to traditional recipes. For example, almost all Thai food is prepared with fish sauce and MSG, which are both extremely bad for your health; instead, Mae has created recipes that omit those two ingredients, making all of her broths vegan-friendly! Besides that small change, all of the dishes are traditional Thai meals. Since food quality is a major factor in the mission of Noodle Nirvana, fresh and local ingredients are a must-have for Mae; not only does she opt for local produce, she also utilizes Pasta Garage here in Lexington for her amazing ramen noodles! Speaking of ramen noodles, a question she gets a lot (and she got it from us, too!), is: what is the difference between a ramen bowl and other Thai noodle bowls? The answer lies in the flavor profile: ramen, a traditional Japanese dish, is more of a savory flavor, whereas traditional Thai bowls tend to utilize different spices to achieve a more diverse flavor. The possibilities are endless when it comes to ordering a meal at Noodle Nirvana, but there are some fan favorites that may provide a good starting point: the curry bowl is the number one seller, which is fitting as it was the inspiration for the restaurant (it is Mae's mother's recipe, after all), while the Pad Thai and drunken noodle bowls are second and third, respectively. But don't worry - if those bowls don't get you excited, you can make any kind of combination your heart desires; that's the beauty of Noodle Nirvana! A popular "secret menu" item is the drunken noodle bowl with ramen and peanut sauce, which does sound really good! We all got to try different noodle bowls, which were curated by the one-and-only Mae herself; Renee had a ramen bowl with peanut sauce and chicken, Desiree had a Rustic Thai Veggie bowl with zucchini noodles and tofu, and I had Mom's Special House Curry with rice noodles, slow braised beef, and tofu pieces. All three dishes offered something different - the ramen had a mild, sweet flavor, the veggie broth bowl had a savory flavor, and the curry had a sweet-yet-spicy kick to it (nothing too crazy, but not recommended for those who are spice-averse!). We also got to try the spring rolls (they are filled with either chicken or veggies), as well as the Banana Nutella spring rolls, and all of these were super amazing! I LOVE spring rolls, and these were some of the best I've ever had! In addition to all of that food, they also serve a wide variety of drinks: from water and soft drinks to local craft beer and Thai tea, there's something for everyone! And might I add…the Thai tea might be worth the drive to Berea on its own (I'm not saying I'd like to have a gallon for myself but if it showed up at my doorstep I wouldn't be upset!). They like to try and do as many collaborations as possible with local businesses: for example, they have been hosting a bread and curry dipping event all summer, using bread form some of the local bakeries in town. How cool is that? I know we're definitely into that idea!

As we mentioned earlier, Mae and the folks at Noodle Nirvana are passionate about helping local nonprofit organizations, and they do that in a unique way. At the beginning of each year, they choose one nonprofit organization that is near and dear to their heart, and that particular group gets 20% of the profits and all of the tips from the first Tuesday of each month. The first year they partnered with the New Opportunity School for Women, raising $30,000 for their mission; the second year they partnered with the Madison County Food Ban, where they raised $42,000; and this year they are donating to Hope Swings Domestic Violence Shelter in Richmond, and we can't wait to hear how much they raise for this and other awesome organizations! Not only does Mae and her family care about these amazing nonprofits, they also care about their own employees; each crew member, no matter their position, start out earning $10/hr, and if they stay on past their first year and work they get a $1 raise, which is awesome, to say the least! Plus if you're a Berea College student you'll receive a 20% discount on your meal, which is an even better incentive to come down and check out Noodle Nirvana! We really love what Mae and her team are doing here with this restaurant and its mission to help others, and I for one know that I'm coming back as soon as possible to eat my weight in noodles and Thai tea! You can come and try it all out for yourself; they're open Tuesday-Saturday from 11 am till 8 pm, so what are you waiting for?! Get over there and become one with the noodles!