New Seattleites take be aware, for this can be a historic place. It’s named for founder Tom Suanpirintra, whose mother, Lisa Suanpirintra Ruhl, opened the primary Thai restaurant within the PNW in 1981. Thai Tom is each bit as dazzling at this time because it was at its 1994 debut, when crowds of scholars and vacationers alike queued down the avenue to eat right here. Suanpirintra, who handed away in 2021, was the primary on the town to supply tremendous genuine Thai road meals with out the toned-down flavors, fewer chilis, additional sugar, or different culinary Americanisms that he mentioned different native Thai delicacies pioneers added to their dishes. Chef Jackrisk “George” Kitsonthi, who has been there because the restaurant opened, nonetheless serves up the identical attractive drunken noodles, aromatic tom kha, and char-edged “Pad See You Once more” within the tiny 20-seat house. Plus, all of the fabulous pyrotechnics are nonetheless on show, because the cooks work in plain view to, ahem, flamboyant impact. Sit on the bar, should you can, to catch the present.
