Authenticity a catalyst for growth at local Thai restaurant

Today, Siam Noodles and Food opened in a new location in Soldotna. Located in the building formerly occupied by The Moose Is Loose, the biggest difference, after five years renting their previous location, is that owners Phatcharin Apaipak and Suwannasa Piwon now own the building they’re operating from.

“It means all our dreams will come true,” Apaipak said last week.

Apaipak and Piwon said that they were thankful for the support they’ve received from the local community — that it kept them open and operating through the COVID-19 pandemic, and that it empowered them to grow and to make the big move.

A grand opening event held today will feature free food, both to offer guests the chance to sample the expanded menu, but also to thank the community for their support, Piwon said.

Sitting in the newly renovated restaurant a week ahead of its grand opening, Apaipak attributed the success they’ve enjoyed and the community support they’ve seen to their authenticity.

The food, she said, is intended to “taste like I eat at my home.” She said that the food she serves at Siam is the same food that she used to make with her grandmother.

“Real Thai food,” she said.

In that pursuit, Piwon said they import ingredients from Thailand to ensure they’re meeting their own standards for quality.

In addition to the food, Piwon said they make an impression on their guests by remembering them, offering a greeting and serving them food in line with their tastes. For example, Piwon said, they work hard to remember their customers — like who wants spicy food and who can’t take it.

Piwon said they had their eyes on the new location for a couple of years. When it went back up for sale it conveniently coincided with the end of their lease across the street.

She said that in the new location they have more parking, a newer kitchen, and most importantly the freedom to make the changes they want. She said in their previous location they were limited even in the amount of electricity and gas they could use.

Now, the two can make upgrades to their kitchen at will and have redesigned the entire interior with artwork from an artist from Thailand and gold-colored metalwork. They said the renovation became much more extensive than they expected, as they ultimately had to redo a lot of the plumbing and electrical in the old building. Piwon said they worked on the building for five months.

During the renovations, they hired local contractor Ed Beddow, of Northern Pacific Specialty Construction. He said during the work he grew close with Piwon and Apaipak. He said their story, their culture and their hard work inspired him.

“In a place like Soldotna, we’re very fortunate that we have quality people who worked so hard to save their money to be able to buy this location,” he said. “They’re going from renting now to owning and that’s part of the American dream.”

Their story, he said, exemplified ambition and possibility, as they opened a business and developed it to success and growth, now taking a big step into its future.

Apaipak’s history on the central Kenai Peninsula began more than a decade before Siam Noodles and Food was opened. She used to work at Kenai’s Thai Town, spending 10 years there, working initially with her mother.

Piwon said after those 10 years, Apaipak left the state to become a better chef, living in San Francisco and learning new techniques. She took what she learned after two years in San Francisco and brought it back to Thailand — there she continued to develop her craft with desserts and baking.

After years of training, Apaipak wanted to open her own restaurant. Despite the time away, she said the central Peninsula was still home, and her previous experience with the community left her with an understanding of their tastes. She saw a lack of Thai cuisine in Soldotna, and so opened Siam Noodles and Food.

Five years later, sitting in the newly remodeled and relocated Siam Noodles and Food, Apaipak said she was looking forward to how they could develop their business further in the future.

“More food, and more successful,” she said. “To our life and this community too.”

For more information about Siam Noodles and Food, visit facebook.com/siamnoodlesandfood. A grand opening will be held today starting at 11 a.m.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.