A new restaurant has come to downtown Chaska. Chaska Thai opened Oct. 29 at the corner of Highway 41 and First Street — in the space formerly occupied by Tommy’s Malt Shop.
The restaurant is owned by Li Ta, who also owns Bimi Thai in Hastings, Minn. and Lily Thai in River Falls, Wis.
“I grew up in a rural area where there were marketplaces once a month. People would gather from surrounding areas and we’d trade our goods and services. When I was young, I really loved to go to that marketplace — I especially loved the food and the smell of food coming from the vendors,” he said. “And I love restaurants. When I walk into a restaurant, I smell the aroma and hear people talking, and I love that kind of environment.”
Authentic, fresh cuisine
The restaurant will focus on Thai food to start; the original focus was going to be Thai and sushi, but licensing complications delayed their ability to offer sushi right away. Ta said sushi is still part of the plan, but it will come after the restaurant has been open for a while.
“We are grateful to be in Chaska and I really hope that people will love it. We will try our best to serve the community,” he said.
The menu is similar to other Thai restaurants, for those familiar with the cuisine, but Ta said the care and attention he brings to the cooking process is what makes his dishes stand out.
“Thai food has a very bold flavor — sweet, sour, spicy and salty. So balancing is the key here,” Ta said. “The other factor is that while we are cooking, we control the fire heat. Controlling the fire is an art; the taste will be totally different.”
He added that in Thailand there is a funny kind of saying that roughly translates to “Same same, but different.” This encapsulates how he compares his restaurant to other Thai establishments: By using authentic, fresh ingredients that Thai food lovers expect and controlling the cooking heat, the flavor will turn out just right.
“The aroma, you can smell it before you step into the restaurant. You can tell it apart,” said Ta.
Anyone who is new to Thai food can’t go wrong with pad thai. It is a flavorful dish that is sweet, sour and tangy, which Ta said makes it “perfectly balanced.”
A love of history
Ta chose to open his third restaurant in Chaska because of the city’s history as a trading hub — particularly in the new restaurant’s location by the river.
“When I first found that spot, I imagined what would people be doing and trading back then,” Ta said. “They would need a place to eat — if I were there, I would open up a restaurant to serve those people with good food!”
Ta also indicated that Chaska has a very friendly and family-oriented environment, which makes it an appealing city.
“I read about Chaska and I love it. It reminds me of the area where I grew up,” he said. “This is where I want to be.”
Chaska Thai is open Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Friday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Sundays.
