New Thai restaurant to replace Thai Taste

New plans for the former Thai Taste have finally been announced, and the vision includes crispy hot basil duck.

Representatives of the new Thai restuaruant, The 9th Monarch, received Select Board permission on October 30 to cook, prepare, and serve food at the 634 State Road location.

President Vassana Poompong de Ruiz and treasurer Miguel Ruiz expect their new business to open within the next few weeks, with a soft opening by mid-November.

"It's all new management. It's a clean place. We just want to continue offering the community of Dartmouth really good food," said Ruiz.

While Ruiz has no restaurant experience, his wife Poompong de Ruiz does. She served four years as manager of Thai Taste, with other stints across New England. She'd also worked six years at a hotel restaurant in her native country Thailand, she said.

"I tried to bring popular food that's popular in Thailand and bring it here for customers," said Poompong de Ruiz. That includes sushi, a hot and spicy noodle soup (called tom yum noodle soup), and homemade Thai sausages.

"They're the finest sausages I've ever tasted. A little spicy, but super," said Ruiz. "That's going to be unique to us." Ruiz added that the crispy duck is his favorite.

The couple said they recognized the opportunity to open a new restaurant after the previous owners baffled Thai Taste customers and town officials in June with a "closed for renovations" sign. The restaurant would've needed town approval for such updates.

Currently, the landlord is finishing updates to the location, which will determine the opening day, said Ruiz. The renovation includes tiling, paint, and roofing, he said.