‘Do not worry a bit, we will be back,’ local Thai restaurant assures diners

The owner of the former Siam Pad Thai restaurant in Kettering, which shut down in September 2018, assured her customers in a Facebook post on July 25, that she is moving ahead with plans to reopen on Patterson Road just west of Shroyer Road in Dayton's Patterson Park neighborhood as soon as possible.

There has been a delay in construction progress, the restaurant’s owner said, because crews “paused with us to go help the tornado victims,” Pakawan "Fon" Christman and her family told the restaurant’s followers.

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“We’ve been getting many questions about if we are reopening. We most definitely will be opening back up,” the owners said on Facebook. “As a small business, there are situations that happen unexpectedly whether it is family/personal matters or something to do with the business itself, which all have very much occurred.”

“We are aware that we are far from when we thought we would be open again, which we apologize for! When it comes to the construction, we had our helpers pause with us to go help the tornado victims! They will begin again shortly and will continue until it is done.”

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“As for a reopening date, we are still not giving one until it can be guaranteed, which will be announced when we know. Again, we miss serving our loyal customers as much as you miss us! Thank you for the concerns and do not worry a bit, we will be back.”

Christman told this news outlet in April that the new restaurant will have a new name. Massaman Thai Cuisine will be located at 467 Patterson Road just west of Shroyer Road, and its name honors the curry dish that became a signature dish at Siam Pad Thai in Kettering, Christman said.

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The assurances were warmly received by followers, one of whom wrote, “Your good food is worth the wait!”

Another offered assistance. “Can't wait ... let us know if you need any help with the business! Would be happy to stop by and pitch in.”

And a third customer wrote: “I had wondered why suddenly there was no activity at what is going to be your new place. HOWEVER hearing that you've paused to help the tornado victims — warms my heart. You're doing a good thing.”

>> Read Mark Fisher's 2009 restaurant review of Siam Pad Thai

Siam Pad Thai operated at 3027 Wilmington Pike just south of East Dorothy Lane between November 2008 and September 2018, when it closed after being unable to reach an agreement with that building’s owner on a lease extension. The building ha remained vacant. The restaurant offered a variety of Thai dishes as well as an extensive menu of sushi and sashimi.

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Christman helped introduce many in the Dayton area to Thai cuisine 15 years ago when she and a business partner started adding Thai stir-fry dishes to the menu of Yummy Burger, a downtown Dayton diner, in 2004. She went on to become co-owner of what was then Ban Thai restaurant in the Beaver Valley Shopping Center in Beavercreek in 2005 before opening Siam Pad Thai three years later.

***PREVIOUS STORY (April 26, 2019)***

The owner of the former Siam Pad Thai told this news outlet this morning, Friday April 26, that she is moving ahead with her plans to open a successor restaurant with a new name across from Marion's Piazza in Dayton's Patterson Park neighborhood.

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Massaman Thai Cuisine will be located at 467 Patterson Road just west of Shroyer Road, and its name honors the curry dish that became a signature dish at Siam Pad Thai in Kettering, according to its founder and owner, Pakawan "Fon" Christman.

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Christman applied for a full liquor license Tuesday for the new restaurant, which is still under construction. Massaman Thai Cuisine does not yet have a projected opening date, but will soon, Christman said.

Siam Pad Thai operated at 3027 Wilmington Pike just south of East Dorothy Lane between November 2008 and September 2018. It offered a variety of Thai dishes as well as an extensive menu of sushi and sashimi.

>> Read Mark Fisher's 2009 restaurant review of Siam Pad Thai

Christman helped introduce many in the Dayton area to Thai cuisine 15 years ago when she and a business partner started adding Thai stir-fry dishes to the menu of Yummy Burger, a downtown Dayton diner, in 2004. She went on to become co-owner of what was then Ban Thai restaurant in the Beaver Valley Shopping Center in Beavercreek in 2005 before opening Siam Pad Thai three years later.

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