A married couple behind one of Denver’s newest Thai restaurants is building off their momentum with a second location in Capitol Hill they said could open as soon as next month.
The offshoot of Den Thai Tapas & Wine, titled Den Thai Street, will occupy a space at 800 Sherman St. last used by Asian fusion restaurant Reckless Noodles, which closed this year.
Compared to the higher-end affair of Tapas & Wine downtown, Den Thai Street will focus on street-food delicacies from 35-year-old co-owner Jay Anderson, a Thai chef who spent a decade cooking his nation’s food in Las Vegas before Denver. Stir-fried noodles known as kua gai and a potato-shaped take on massaman curry are two of his recipes landing on the menu, he said.
Many of the “tapas” and dishes listed on their original menu will also end up at the new location on Sherman Street, said 61-year-old co-owner Dom Anderson. He’s bugged Jay — the two met online and married two years ago before opening their first restaurant last year — to make sure that includes his crispy duck panang curry.
A spread from Den Thai Tapas & Wine, located at 2200 Market St. A, Denver. (Publicity photo provided by Den Thai)
A majority of the recipes Jay leans into for Den Thai were introduced to him by his grandmother, he said. “I don’t trust anybody else, only my tongue,” he said.
Capitol Hill wasn’t his first choice for expansion — his mind was set on Cherry Creek, he said — but the pair had dined at Reckless Noodles and were familiar with the loft-like dining room and its bar, adorned with mermaid statues above.
The Andersons are renovating the interior and awaiting their final permits from the city. They’re attempting to open by Thursday, Oct. 22, as predicted by Jay’s palm reader in Thailand, he said. At the very least, they’ll see that the restaurant is blessed by monks by then, they said.
Thai culture and spirituality have informed their design of the new restaurant. “My theme is Thai goth,” Jay said.
Red drapes frame the restaurant’s tall windows. Multi-colored ribbons are tied behind the mermaids as invitations “for the friendly spirits,” Dom said. Chandeliers and other warm lights illuminate the ceiling.
Den Thai Street will be open for lunch and dinner with a break between services for the first few days.
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Dining and Cooking