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Submitted by: Maikham

Usanee Klimo has transported the flavors of her homeland in the northern region of Thailand to Maikham, her restaurant now located in Fairhaven’s Orca Building.

Klimo originally opened Maikham downtown on North State Street, but decided to look for a new location when it was time to renew her lease. After a two-year hiatus, she is back, serving the Lao and Thai cuisine that her patrons have dearly missed.

Usanee Klimo has moved her downtown Bellingham restaurant to the Orca Building in Fairhaven. Photo courtesy: Maikham

“When I discovered Chef Usanee’s Maikham, I was elated,” said David Kershner of Lummi Island. “Not only does the menu feature authentic Thai and Lao dishes not found elsewhere in Bellingham, the food is always perfectly prepared using local ingredients wherever possible.”

Dishes from the Issarn region of Thailand, near Laos, are simple, tasty and healthy, Klimo said. Her cooking reflects the traditional dishes she learned growing up in her mother’s kitchen.

Her natural curiosity lead her to not only cooking but also shopping for fresh ingredients at the market.

“When I eat something, I want to know what’s in it,” she said, which is why much of her produce is locally sourced.

While learning to cook she also mastered the traditional Thai curry, a dish that hails from central Thailand. When working as a young woman her co-workers dubbed her the “Curry Queen,” a mantle she still claims today.

“My curry is second to none in Bellingham,” Klimo said.

“I couldn’t pick a favorite curry,” Kershner said of the varied curries on Maikahm’s menu. “They are all delicious and full of flavor, even if you like your curry on the mild side, which I do.”

It was after Klimo and her husband had moved to the Marin County, California, that Klimo began sharing her cooking professionally. What began as entertaining in their home became a catering business as neighbors asked her to cook for their special events. Klimo also began teaching cooking classes as the nearby community center.

After moving to Bellingham she took the leap into restaurant ownership.

“I’m pushing for my second career after being a mom for 20 years,” she said.

Klimo chose Fairhaven for her new location because she believes it will draw both locals and tourists. She said she is delighted to be leasing space in the new Orca Building on Finnegan Way.

The new restaurant can seat up to 50 customers, and will have outdoor seating in the summer months.

Hours for the new restaurant are Wednesday – Monday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and 4-9 p.m. for dinner.

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