Kalamazoo restaurateur brings "beyond authentic" Thai dining to former Grand Rapids hotspot

Deborah Johnson Wood

Kalamazoo restaurateur Billy Kue's Thai Cuisine is so successful he decided to expand his "beyond authentic" cuisine to Grand Rapids with the opening of a second eatery. Thai Cuisine, 48 W. Fulton St., occupies the space of former hotspot The Dragon Room and opened on Thursday, September 9.

Kue and his family came to the U.S. in 1976 from the Laos-Thailand border region when Kue was about five years old. His family operated some street cafés in Thailand and opened restaurants in Troy and Ann Arbor after relocating.

"People use the word authentic so much it doesn't mean anything anymore," Kue says, "so I use 'beyond authentic' to describe the cooking style I use that you'd find in Thailand."

Kue says he created the restaurant as an upscale, romantic destination with an affordable menu – lunches start at $7, dinners at $10. White tablecloths, low lighting and soft music add to the ambience. Kue replaced the existing kitchen with a new one and imported décor and wallpaper from Thailand.

Kue flavors the dishes with fresh herbs like lemongrass, chilies and lime leaves. While patrons can get traditional favorites like chicken fried rice, Kue has created a menu filled with dishes that fuse American ingredients with Thai flavors and cooking techniques.

"I have signature dishes with western ingredients like curried filet mignon and banana leaf sea bass with lemon leaves and ginger," he says. "There is no such thing as filet mignon or sea bass in Thailand.

"I've been trying to find a spot in downtown Grand Rapids since 2007," he adds. "I was waiting for the right location that would be a special place for special cuisine and not just another Asian restaurant."

The city approved a liquor license and Kue expects to receive state approval soon.

Hours are Monday-Thursday 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Phone: (616) 233-0877.

Source: Billy Kue, Thai Cuisine; Anne Marie Bessette, Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Development News tips can be sent to [email protected].