DAVENPORT, Iowa — After a big renovation, Exotic Thai has reopened its doors once again. The restaurant hosted a grand opening celebration on Thursday, Oct. 19, offering a multi-course feast along with traditional music and dance.
The Davenport eatery has been in town for over 20 years but closed its doors temporarily in Nov. 2022 to expand and renovate.
There was plenty of traffic outside the restaurant on 53rd St. as road construction continues, but with the grand opening, there was plenty of traffic inside, with every booth and table packed with customers.
All that traffic kept owner 'Auntie' Mun Luangruang a little too busy to chat for long with News 8's Jonathan Fong, so he talked with employee Sherry Paw, who's been there for over 10 years.
"The reason why I stayed here is because [of] my loyalty to my boss, and then the co-workers that I have worked with, we develop a friendship," Paw said.
Auntie started with Exotic Thai in 2001 and has grown to own three other Thai restaurants in the Quad Cities: LemonGrass Cafe, Miss Phay Cafe, and TukTuk Thai BBQ. "When you work in restaurants, and especially being a server... you establish a relationship with a customer, and it makes you happy," Paw added.
Employees said it's not just about creating jobs and serving food. "Every of Auntie's employees ... she would be there to help them and she would be the first person to really help her community," Paw said.
Long-time customers came to the grand opening for support, including the event photographer Levi Yocom. "Prior to the renovation, everything was very compacted — had to wait quite a while, takeout was really the only option," he explained. "But now ... it's opened up a great space for people to come and enjoy a nice evening, and sit down and enjoy really authentic Thai cuisine."
Exotic Thai is located at 2303 E. 53rd Street in Davenport. Hours are:
- Tues-Fri 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. & 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
- Sat-Sun: 12 - 9 p.m.
- Closed Mondays
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