Longtime Fremont Thai Restaurant Abruptly Closes

Longtime Fremont staple Kaosamai Thai Restaurant closed last Wednesday. Owners Sumalee and Doug Somerville announced their decision in a brief Facebook post the morning of the restaurant’s last day.

“With heavy hearts, we are sorry to announce that after 17 wonderful years in the neighborhood we are closing our doors,” stated the post signed by the “Kaosamai Family.”

The Somervilles got their start slinging Thai food at fairs around Washington, according to The Fremocentrist. In 2001, they opened their brick-and-mortar restaurant in a distinct orange house on 36th Street that was previously converted into offices. A few years later, the Somervilles got into the food truck game, with their Thai Food Truck becoming Seattle’s first mobile Thai vendor. Eventually the couple added a second truck, both of which will continue to operate after the restaurant’s closure.

Back in 2014, Doug told the neighborhood blog that “‘the trucks seem to be doing better’ than the restaurant.” Look for the trucks in South Lake Union during most weekday lunch hours.

Prior to opening her own restaurant, Sumalee worked in the kitchen at Jai Thai just a few blocks from Kaosamai.

A message left at Kaosamai was not immediately returned Monday morning.