Supranee (Nem) Phramdang isn’t one to shy away from mixing things up a bit. Her Williamsburg bistro aptly named Nem’s Japandi Bistro melds together Scandinavian functionality with Japanese minimalism to offer a menu of options from both cultures. Raised in a Japanese community in Bangkok, the entrepreneur had dreams of entrepreneurship at a young age. At just ten years old, she opened her first “smoothie bar” outside her house with a blender, a bucket of ice, fresh fruit, and a small table. Years later, Nem is serving up her own line of smoothies with AURA smoothies at her Brooklyn bistro. Packed with nutrient-rich ingredients, the smoothies nourish both the body and senses with yummy goodness. Chef Nem spoke with Beauty News NYC about the smoothies and more.
I love that you first started making smoothies at just ten years old. Tell me, what brought you back to the smoothies?
My culture boasts a rich tradition of flavorful tropical fruits, and I believe there’s a strong market for these unique and healthy options in the health-conscious community of Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
What sets your smoothies apart? Tell us about the AURA smoothies? What is the most popular flavor on the menu?
Our customers, I believe, appreciate the care we put into every drink, from the meticulous preparation to the vibrant freshness of our ingredients. They taste the love we pour into each glass. And, importantly, they value supporting a small, woman- and minority-owned business, rather than a large, impersonal chain. The most popular Aura smoothie at this moment is New York Glam: Strawberry, pineapple, mango, banana, dragon fruit powder, collagen, probiotics, Greek yogurt.
Running a restaurant isn’t easy. What has this journey been like?
The restaurant business is a thrilling ride, a constant roller coaster of unexpected twists and turns that demands adaptability and keeps you on your toes. It’s undeniably challenging, a demanding endeavor, but also incredibly exhilarating.
Since this is for BeautyNewsNYC, what’s your beauty ethos? Do you have any beauty & wellness routines or essentials?
I begin each day with meditation, a practice that infuses my life with positivity and radiates outward as energy and beauty. This mindful start is complemented by the ritual of Japanese tea in the mornings and throughout the day, along with a collagen-rich green smoothie to nourish me from within.
Favorite spots in NYC to shop, dine or simply be inspired:
To shop: Muji, because I love minimalism also in clothing. For food, I am a Trader Joe’s hard-core fan.
To dine: I love exploring the new Asian places popping up like cute mushrooms in Long Island City, where a new wave of young entrepreneurs are opening innovative restaurants and shops. It’s a new Chinatown for the new millennium.
If you could tell that ten-year-old girl in Bangkok making smoothies just one piece of advice, what would it be?
Believe in your dreams and follow your heart.
You’re living your dream you set years ago. Is there anything you’d do differently?
Well, of course, there are paths I could have taken with greater finesse, and missteps I could have sidestepped, but I choose not to linger in regrets. My gaze is fixed forward, on the horizon of possibility, where new adventures await.
Where do you hope to be five years from now?
I just hope I’m anywhere where I can have some more rest.
