A new Thai restaurant made its debut in the Williamsburg neighborhood last week and is already building buzz among locals.
After more than two years of preparations, Singha Thai soft opened in the Williamsburg Shopping Center on Sept. 15. Tucked into a snug 639 square feet at 2900 N. Sycamore Street, the restaurant is serving up dishes like pad Thai, drunken noodles, panang curry and the Singha noodle — a house combination of the pad Thai and drunken noodle recipes.
Staff member Jim Boonyanan told ARLnow that his favorite is the crispy larb chicken popcorn: fried popcorn chicken tossed in chili, roasted rice powder, scallions, cilantro and lime juice, served over rice.
The restaurant is already building a following. Megan Thomas, who lives in the neighborhood, was Singha Thai’s very first customer.
“I got drunken noodles with chicken — it’s very good — nice portions,” Thomas said. “I’ve enjoyed it quite a bit, and I’m embarrassed to say I’ve been back a few times since.”
Jason Priesser, another local, had a similar reaction. He liked the restaurant so much on his first visit that he came back the next day with his neighbor.
“I told him it was open now, and I can’t wait very long, so I just brought him back so he could try it,” Priesser said. “I’ve been watching for what seems like two years for this to open. I’ve got some other good Thai restaurants, but this one we like to walk to.”
Inside the restaurant, three tables, each seating two, are accompanied by a mural of tropical birds and palm leaves. Bar stool seating along the window looks out over the shopping center lot.
Despite the restaurant’s small footprint, Priesser finds the format appealing.
“I think it’s designed for takeout, which is probably 90% of their business, but I like the little seating option — you’re really close to the kitchen, it’s quaint,” he said. “I like to sit up in the window seat and look out at the neighbors. And the owner is really, really nice.”
For longtime residents, the new restaurant is one more sign of life in a shopping center that has held onto its neighborhood feel.
“This is a small shopping center, but I think we’re lucky to have a couple of neighborhood restaurants,” Thomas said. “We’ve got a Thai place, we’ve got the hot dogs, the Deli Italiano around the corner. I just think we’re lucky to have a nice variety of things.”
