One glance at the pot stickers, and it’s clear that the recently reopened King & I (8039 Dale Avenue, 314-771-1777) means business. Served steamed or fried and arranged like soldiers in formation, they emanate rising steam. Filled with a hearty amount of chicken, they are best eaten doused with a tangy vinaigrette soy sauce.
In short: They are absolutely delicious. But that’s not surprising, considering that the King & I has been a St. Louis institution since the Prapaisilp family founded it — the area’s first Thai restaurant — in 1983.
But moving can be challenging. There are things to pack, spaces to fill and things to arrange. This is especially hard when you leave your home of over 30 years in search of a bold new adventure. This is the situation that Suchin Prapaisilp and his family found themselves in August when they moved the King & I from its historic South Grand home to a sleeker locale in Richmond Heights.
The move provided the King & I with a centralized location far enough away from another of the family’s establishments, Chao Baan in the Grove, that the two wouldn't be in competition. It also afforded him an opportunity to update the restaurant’s model without abandoning traditional favorites.
“We realized during the pandemic that a major part of our business was takeout orders,” Prapaisilp says. “So we decided to operate within a new setup that offered our customers that convenience.”
The reopened restaurant is a far cry from its humble beginnings. It is shiny and new with a sleek, contemporary design that features nods to Thailand, including a red-and-brown color scheme, basket-shaped lights and bamboo poles straddling the ceiling.
An open kitchen delivers a view of the action. Everything, including the rice, is made fresh with a showmanship that acts as visual context for the tantalizing aromas emanating from within.
Open for lunch and dinner, the menu features many of the beloved dishes previously served on Grand, including made-from-scratch red, green and yellow curries, pad ped, the Queen of Thailand stir fry and the Bangkok Kapow.
“Our primary goal was keeping the food and service at the highest quality, so some dishes were removed to make way for new items,” Prapaisilp explains. “But we also wanted to keep our tradition alive, so we kept the classics that we’d built a reputation around.”
The restaurant offers a significant appetizer selection including crispy spring rolls accompanied by a rich plum sauce that delivers a cool heat and a dazzling tamarind shrimp that’s highlighted by a bright red sauce tinged with a hint of bitterness. Despite the scaled-back menu, the main courses pack a wallop of savory flavors, with each entrée prepared to your desired level of spiciness. Everything is served on white dinnerware that accentuated the vibrant colors of the meal.
It’s fair to say that despite the difficulties of any move, that the King & I’s relocation has already been a success.
“We are deeply appreciative of the support we’ve received from our new neighborhood,” Prapaisilp says.
But for Prapaisilp, the point is not only to serve great food in a new area but to spread an appreciation for Thai cuisines — as the King & I has always done.
“My family has worked tirelessly to teach St. Louisans to not only to enjoy Thai cuisine but all cuisines from our businesses,” he says. “We want to honor that history.”
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