La Thai restaurant Uptown Closing

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need to head over there for lunch

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I didn’t see Merlin’s name in that article, is he no longer there?

and yea it seemed like business had declined a good bit.

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Merlin’s

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Article says she has two young kids. I guess the swapping is over.

I dont think Merlin is involved anymore.

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Khao soi

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tam mak hoong

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Wonder what will eventually open in that space.

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Turkey and Wolf dinner concept

I wanted to really like La Thai, given its location, but found it to be just ok. My thai go-to has been Banana Blossom, its just not convenient.
I can't imagine Parrain's will remain long term on that block.

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I guess the swapping is over.

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Swapping?

I'd be willing to bet the Link alumni moving in there is Blue Giant - a Chinese joint.

Haven't been in a while but there are always people lingering outside.
We still hit Creole Creamery often after dinner for the kids. A void remains in our weekly dinner routine without Kyoto.

This is her Facebook post.

You may or may not have heard I am closing La Thai Uptown at the end of this month. I have mixed emotions about this change. On one hand, I’m sad because I will miss seeing the faces of all the guests that made La Thai successful and popular. On the other hand, this will be a much desired break that will allow me to focus more on my two small children. If you have kids, you know how quickly time goes by. Additionally, it will also allow me to leisurely continue refining the details of new concept I’ve been working on.

After operating restaurants with my family in different parts of the city, it became a dream of mine to open a Thai restaurant in Uptown New Orleans. In December 2008, my dream was realized when I opened the doors to La Thai on the corner of Prytania and Robert.

When I opened La Thai Uptown, I thought I would be there forever. I was single and very ambitious. As years went by, life and the rigors of operating a busy restaurant began to change my perspective. While I was experiencing high success with my business, I was also longing for a family. It was during that time I began to modify what I wanted and thought ten years would be a great achievement. Then, after almost two years of courting, I got my wish and married my husband Jay Gallé (he used to give away umbrellas on TV) in October 2014. One year later, our son Gage was born, followed by the birth of our daughter Mila in March of 2017. I could have never anticipated how much life would change when those two arrived. People say “kids change everything”. Yes, they do. I feel so very fortunate for the success I had at La Thai. But more so, I feel so very blessed for my two beautiful children and my amazing husband, for without his help the last year and half, La Thai would have been virtually impossible.

While this break will give me the desired time to focus on my family, I am also very excited for the future. While the doors at La Thai may be closing, I am extremely excited by the prospect of a new door opening in the form of a new restaurant concept that will be centered around authentic Thai street food. It will be smaller, more causal with hopes of opening next year. The menu will feature some of the food I grew up on and is something I’ve been thinking about for a while. I don’t think it would have been possible years ago when I opened La Thai but times have changed and I believe people want, and are ready for authentic, traditional ethnic food.

So, it’s not really goodbye but…I’ll see you later! I want to truly thank everyone for the support you’ve shown throughout the years. I know our guests came from all over the city and I thank you all for taking the time and effort to drive to La Thai and make it successful and popular. But I especially want to thank those in the Faubourg Avart neighborhood who supported La Thai on those sleepy week nights. It really was a dream come true to open a restaurant Uptown and I could not have done so in a better neighborhood. I also want to thank my husband Jay for all of the love and support he’s provided through this transition.

If you’re wondering what will happen to the space La Thai currently occupies, I can say, as owners of the building, Jay and I are excited to be leasing the space to a chef / management team who are alumni of the Link Restaurant Group. We don’t want to spoil their announcement which will be any day, but we believe they will be a great fit for the neighborhood!

In closing I’d like say one big final thank you to my mother. Without her support and guidance La Thai Uptown could have never been possible.

I will see you all soon, and promise to keep everyone updated as the next chapter begins to take shape.

Thank You,
Chef Diana