Forced to close downtown, longtime Boise restaurant finds new life, friends in Meridian
When downtown Boise’s Union Block building was condemned because of structural concerns in early November, Mai Thai restaurant found itself homeless.
Now Mai Thai is back — 13 miles away.
Operating in a ghost kitchen in the former Crave Delivery building at 2900 W. Excursion Lane in Meridian, Mai Thai will resume takeout and delivery service Tuesday, Dec. 19, owner Billy Pothikamjorn said. No seated dining will be available.
Three days later, Mai Thai will launch another concept — Uncle Chai Bento Kitchen — serving bento boxes to-go, or be delivered, out of the same space.
Also sharing the ghost kitchen? Former Boise restaurant Pho Tay, which shuttered in 2022. The Vietnamese restaurant will return to life — also for takeout and delivery only — next week, owner Bobby Do said.
“This is perfect timing,” Do explained. “Me and Billy, we’re friends a long time. This is nice — can kind of reunite again and help each other out.”
Customers will be able to order from all three menus at unclechaibento.com. They can pick up food at the Meridian building, or delivery will be available within a 5-mile radius for $1.99, Pothikamjorn said, with a minimum order of $25. Deliveries over greater distances might be possible through third-party services such as DoorDash, he added. And if a customer wants to order from more than one of the restaurants, the transaction can be handled by a single driver, he said.
Moon’s Kitchen Cafe, the other downtown Boise restaurant affected by the city’s decision to deem the Union Block building unsafe, has moved. It’s targeting an opening date of Jan. 1 at 800 W. Main St., suite 230 — a second-floor restaurant space in the Zions Bank building.
Pothikamjorn hopes to revive Mai Thai, which opened 20 years ago, in its same downtown Boise spot at some point. But the timing probably isn’t imminent, he said. The Union Block building owner and city still need to work through the situation.
“Months,” Pothikamjorn said, “for sure.”
“But I think it’s going to be good in Meridian,” he added. “I can have my employees working ... so they can have some money to take care of their families. And people don’t forget Mai Thai.”
This story was originally published December 18, 2023 at 4:38 PM.