Bangkok to Belltown
There are more than 100 Thai restaurants in Seattle. So why did two friends and business partners decide to open another one during the summer of 2019?
Sangduen Auesiriwong and Ott Jaicharoensook of Bangrak Market | Photos: Megan swann
Ott Jaicharoensook was born in Thailand and grew up in Seattle. Sangduen Auesiriwong grew up in Thailand and came to the States later.
Both come from restaurant families. The Washington Hospitality Association says there are more than 100 Thai restaurants in Seattle. So why did these friends and business partners decide to open another one during the summer of 2019? “We thought, ‘What’s missing from Thai food here?’ I wanted to do something really authentic,” says Auesiriwong. The duo set out to recreate the experience of dining at a street market in Bangkok. Bangrak Market is large, colorful, and communal—the kind of place where you can’t help but smile as you step inside and take it all in.
Everything from bench cushions to house-made light fixtures that double as art installations to the food carts were imported from Thailand. While they’re still waiting for permitting and zoning to approve of more carts so they can extend the kaleidoscopic dining room to the streets, here’s a peek inside bangin Bangrak Market—a singular experience that stands out in a crowd.
interior of bangrak market
