Signature Fare: Woodland Thai restaurant reopens with updated menu, including Thai barbecue chicken | Local Business

Mali Thai Cafe — situated within the Lewis River Highway strip mall subsequent to the Grocery Outlet and Ace {Hardware} — reopened in November beneath new house owners — the nieces of the earlier operator Bouachanh Chanthamaly.

Chanthamaly closed the Woodland restaurant to open a Thai eatery in Vancouver referred to as Thai BBQ Delicacies, mentioned her niece, B Phupuang, 30, who’s a brand new co-owner of Mali Thai Cafe. 

Phupuang mentioned her household additionally operates Thai Time within the 1100 block of Northeast forty ninth Road in Vancouver with the identical menu as Mali Thai Cafe. She mentioned they wished to open a brand new restaurant after working Thai Time for 5 years, and stored the names totally different as a result of Mali has stunning that means in Thai. Mali means jasmine, Phupuang mentioned, which is usually a flower given to moms in her residence nation. 

Phupuang covers the entrance of the home in Woodland and her two sisters work within the kitchen. She mentioned she wished to take over the Woodland enterprise as a result of space’s development and lack of competitors from native Asian eating places.

“I really feel like this metropolis is rising in quantity,” she mentioned. “And other people listed here are very nice.”

Since taking on the roughly 14-year-old restaurant, Phupuang mentioned she and her sisters have modified the menu and eating room.

Recipes have been altered to all be vegan and gluten free. Draft beer choices just like the pale Thai lager Singha and regional choices are set to be supplied this month. The roughly 40-person eating room just lately obtained new wood tables, steel chairs, and tan and inexperienced paint. 

Phupuang mentioned she moved to america about seven years in the past from Bangkok — the place the restaurant’s meals originates. She mentioned in style meals just like the grilled barbecue hen tossed in coconut milk and soy sauce and served with tamarind sauce style like residence. In Thailand, the dish is served with sticky rice, which the restaurant presents, however the dish comes with jasmine rice for simpler consuming. 

“Most Thai folks come right here as a result of it is so near Thai meals,” Phupuang mentioned.

The eatery presents appetizers like spring rolls, coconut shrimp and fried calamari; noodle dishes like pad thai and pad see ew; curries together with panang and crispy duck; and desserts like sweetened sticky rice.

Workers additionally supply lesser identified Thai dishes like candy and bitter soups made with substances like lemon grass, basil and evaporated milk, in addition to massive salads, together with one made with shredded inexperienced papaya, carrots, inexperienced beans, cherry tomatoes and peanuts tossed in a garlic and spicy lime juice.