For weeks, friends had been after us to join them for dinner at Nam Khong, the tiny Thai-Laotian restaurant in a strip mall off Franklin Street in Westerly. 

“It’s so good,” they said. “The food is so fresh and authentic, and everything is made to order.”

They even told us how personable the owner was.

Turns out our friends were right on all counts.

The food was better than good, and it was authentic and fresh —  so fresh that when we asked about ordering a salad as one of our appetizers, the owner, Peter, cautioned us that if we decided on the cucumber or papaya salads, we’d need to allow time, as his wife would personally shred the fruit or vegetable.

Yes, we would be patient, we told him, and ordered the Papaya Salad ($7.50) to have with our entrees.

In the meantime, we agreed to sample some appetizers, and because everything sounded so good, we went overboard.

The soft spring rolls, or Naim Chao ($7), were exceptionally delicious. Stuffed with steamed vermicelli, shrimp (or substitute chicken or vegetables), lettuce, carrots, cucumber, and served with a sweet and sour sauce topped with peanuts, they were soft and crunchy at the same time and very flavorful.

The Fried Brussels Sprouts ($6) —  I know, in a Thai-Laotian restaurant! — were the bomb. We could have handled a double order, but even claiming them as a vegetable, we had already overdone it.

They were deep fried and Thai-seasoned and irresistible.

The other unique and positively yummy appetizer we shared was the Stuffed Wings ($7.50) — two jumbo-sized chicken wings with the tip pulled back and the drumette and wingette sliced open and stuffed full with ground chicken, carrots, glass noodles, and cabbage, deep fried, and served with the omnipresent sweet and sour sauce. Jumping Jiminy —  who created this? The owner Peter told us it was his wife, Sing, who came up with the idea, and he launched into a quick verse at our table that included her name and its spelling, to reinforce that Sing really is what she’s called.

Who would have thought, entertainment and great food?

Our only disappointment, and this was more of a poor choice on our part, was the Tofu Triangles ($8). They were bland, and that saying about tofu tasting like whatever it’s cooked with just doesn’t work with sweet and sour sauce.

But the Tham Mak Huong (papaya salad) and our entrees didn’t disappoint.

The papaya wasn’t fully ripe, or sweet, and when it was shredded, the meat was almost flesh-colored. That was mixed with ring beans (a first for me), tomatoes, carrots, and chili, in a spicy lime sauce, topped with peanuts, and served with a side of sticky rice. What’s better than rice with your salad? 

The dish was unusual, with a zing, and owner Peter instructed us to take a small handful of sticky rice and knead it into a ball with our fingers and dip it in the sauce. We were so glad we ordered it. 

In my estimation, the gold-star winner of our entrees was the Khao Soi (dinner portion $12.50), which I’ve already ordered a second time. It is noodles in a mix of light-yellow curry, with chicken, scallions, ground peanuts, and fried shallots. The portion is generous and the curry flavor mild, not overpowering.

The Pad Thai is also very good, and you can choose from beef, chicken, or seafood. Stars designate the spice levels, from somewhat spicy to extremely spicy. Depending on what you pick, prices average $11 to $14.

There are several duck dishes on the menu and we selected two — Honey Crispy Duck ($17.50) and the Roasted Duck Noodle Soup ($11.50). The soup was more authentic and flavorful and our favorite.

As much as we enjoyed the food at Nam Khong —  and we liked it a lot —  we also enjoyed the owners. Sing was busy in the kitchen but offered a warm smile and gratitude when we stopped by to tell her how much we appreciated her cooking. Peter chatted with us throughout our dinner and told us he spent time in a refugee camp after the collapse of Cambodia and arrived in the United States in the mid-'70s.

His restaurant is named for the Mekong River, he said.

The second time we ate from Nam Khong, we ordered take-out for a big crowd and were pleasantly surprised. The food arrived hot, everything we ordered was there, and because our order wasn’t ready when they told us it would be, they gave us an extra order of Thai crispy rolls. In a town with a lot of good eateries, Nam Khong deserves recognition.

Nam Khong

105 Franklin St., Unit 31 

Westerly, RI

(401) 596-0155

Website: namkhongri.com

Cuisine: Traditional Thai, Laotian kitchen

Atmosphere: This place is about the food, not the atmosphere, and most of the business is take-out. The restaurant is small, and the walls are adorned with Lao and Thai art and masks, and three over-sized prints of attractive women. We asked who the women were, and the owner quipped, "January, February and March."

Service: Both times we’ve visited, it’s the owner, Peter, out front waiting tables and ringing the register, and his wife, Sing, cooking in the back. They will both give you their full attention.

Prices: A bargain. Lunches are mostly under $10 and dinners $11 to $18.

Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday; 1 to 9:30 p.m. Sundays; closed Mondays.

Credit cards: Yes

Handicapped access: One level with easy in and out.