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Thai restaurant coming to Viet Cafe space
A Thai chophouse called Teakwood is coming to the Viet Cafe space at 345 Greenwich and Harrison — A. caught the sign and I went by last night — a sister restaurant to Pure Thai Cookhouse in Hell’s Kitchen.
I already love the picture of Pure Thai Cookhouse on The Infatuation: crowded, cozy, low key, and while they have yet to rate it, they said this: “Pure Thai Cookhouse is one of the best Thai restaurants in the city, despite having a name that makes it sound like a line of vegan noodles from the Whole Foods freezer section. Speaking of noodles, most of the ones at Pure Thai are handmade, so focus on those dishes, and make sure to start with an order of vegetable dumplings.”
Done!
The restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen is owned by David and Vanida Bank, and I will get the full story when I speak to them, but in the meantime, it looks like David has connections to the lauded Thai restaurant Taladwat, which was also in Hell’s Kitchen and which could not survive the pandemic; as well as a cool-looking antique store in Thailand.
The lease was signed in August (gosh, have they been paying rent since then??), not long after V Cafe closed its doors for good. The restaurant, a neighborhood favorite that Lan Tran Cao opened here in 2003, had been in limbo since the pandemic. Lan was a former chief technology officer of Deutsche Bank when she opened Gallery Viet Nam in the space attached to Viet Café first, and then the restaurant. She closed the gallery in 2011 and kept the restaurant. (The gallery space was most recently Outer Reach, the stretching studio, which closed in the pandemic.) Lan was born in Hanoi and raised in Saigon, cooked for her family as a young girl, and opened two Vietnamese restaurants in Sydney while still an undergraduate. It was a really special spot — casual and warm with exceptional food — and I hope the Cookhouse folks can replicate it.
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I loved the vegetarian crab cakes at Viet Cafe. The owners 2 Sharpeis looked really cool too.
It’s about time Tribeca got a Thai restaurant . Haven’t had one in ages. Since Thai Taste in Hudson at and I think many years ago Tommy Tangs may have been a Thai spot ( maybe Vietnamese) I forgot . Let’s hope Teakwood is good
I really miss the little Thai place on Hudson- and Tommy Tang…wow, have not thought about them in ages! More of a Cali vibe there.
I’ve been to pure Thai and it’s an incredible restaurant. VERY different from the run of the mill Thai restaurants, creative, and really flavorful. Really a great addition!
Taladwat was one of our favorite Thai spots (along with Fish Cheeks) in the city; we’re very much looking forward to this opening!
If it’s anything like Taladwat, this is a huge win for the neighborhood.
We miss Viet Cafe, especially the sausage fried rice, lacquered duck and chili calamari, but really look forward to Teakwood! It’s such a beautiful space too. Welcome to the hood!
PURE THAI IS SO GOOD! and GREAT VIBE AND NICE PEOPLE!
HAPPY TO HEAR THIS!
We need more easy fun tasty restaurants !
Toon’s Thai Restaurant operated in Tribeca for 20 years at 363 Greenwich Street. They closed in 2005 when they could not accommodate a 30 percent rent increase. Mrs. Toon was a wonderful neighbor, and their food was good.