Thai Cuisine Restaurant-Home Grown And Home Owned

Profile of Thai Cuisine Home Own and Home Grown Restaurant 

By Scottie Thomas

Open since July 2008, Thai Cuisine opened on Virginia Avenue courtesy of Owners Joe & Thim Potchanant, and their son, Nicholas.  Immigrants of Thailand and now citizens of the United States, the Potchanants started their restaurant business in the midst of the ‘Great Recession.’

Born in 1955, Joe is a former student of Lockyear College for two years, having studied Business Administration.  He married his wife, Thim, twenty-five years ago.  She learned to cook back in her native country from her father.  Their restaurant, now at a new location since August, is off Tutor Lane and maintains a staff of about sixteen part-timers and full-timers.  Their son, Nicholas, works on as the Manager.  His mother, Thim, serves as the Kitchen Manager.  The family boasts a long standing history in the restaurant industry.

Thai Cuisine provides an authentic Thai menu as they prepare dishes with exotic herbs such as lemon grass, basil and galanga.  Their dishes can be custom-made to accommodate a vegetarian or gluten-free diet, as well as other allergens.  The staple of any Thai Menu as Joe & Nick Potchanant shared is the Phad Thai.  The plate consists of stir fried thin noodles with your choice of beef, chicken, pork or shrimp that come mixed with tofu, egg, sweet turnips, bean sprouts, red and green onions and a sweet sauce.

Another signature dish is the Som Thum Thai which is a premium Thai Papaya Salad.  The Som Thum Thai consists of shredded raw green papaya mixed with shredded carrots, tomatoes, grounded peanuts, lime juice, garlic and chili peppers.  It is served on a lettuce and cabbage bed.

The establishment also features Lunch Specials, served until 2:30 p.m. In addition to their Lunch & Dinner service, Thai Cuisine provides Carry-Out, a full-sized Bar & Grill and an Outdoor Patio for the warmer weather.  For dessert, they make a homemade Coconut Ice Cream with sticky rice.  It is the perfect conclusion to your Thai Cuisine experience.

The Potchanants and Thai Cuisine are proud members of the community as they support various non-profit organizations such as Riley Hospital for Children, the American Cancer Society and Evansville ARC.

Thai Cuisine is open seven days a week, Mondays – Sundays, from 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.  Located on 1434 Tutor Lane on Evansville’s east side by the intersection of Burkhardt Road & Oak Groove Road, you can call (812) 477-THAI [8424].

Gift cards are also available as they make the perfect Holiday gift.  Private rooms are also available for parties and business meetings.  For more information, you can visit Thai Cuisine on-line at www.thaipapayacuisine.com.