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The Thai Diner Team to Open a Chicken Finger Spot in Nolita
Since Thai Diner first opened, it has been nearly universally beloved by food media and diners alike, known for their creative Thai cooking with some American comfort food twists. The restaurant has managed the rare feat of sustaining crowds way past its initial launch: Five years later, it has shown no signs of slowing down as one of the busiest in Lower Manhattan. So, it comes as no surprise that owners Ann Redding and Matt Danzer have been looking to expand again with another restaurant.
Though a Thai Diner takeout counter would absolutely hit, the couple is working on something entirely new. This summer, they'll open Mommy Pai's down the street, a takeout-only 'Thai chicken fingers and tropical fruit drinks concept,' according to a spokesperson. Say less — we're here for it.
Fans of Redding and Danzer's restaurants will remember the space, located at 203 Mott Street, near Kenmare Street, in Nolita, as one that's been through several iterations. It first opened in 2016 as Mr. Donahue's, an American diner that received two stars from the New York Times , but closed a year later. In 2017, the couple rebranded the space as Uncle Boons Sister, a takeout offshoot of Uncle Boons, their uber-popular Thai restaurant — which received heaps of praise from critics and Michelin recognition — around the corner on Spring Street. It was more than just spillover seating, though, with its own, more casual identity.
A couple of years after Uncle Boons Sister debuted, Eater named the couple — who first met working at Per Se — one of the 'new guard' of restaurateurs in the city. But, after pivoting to delivery only, it fell victim to the pandemic, alongside Uncle Boons itself, which shuttered in 2020 after seven years. In the ensuing years, nothing replaced the prime-location storefront. Lately, though, passing by it in Nolita, there appeared to be something new under construction, a hint that life was returning. And now we have confirmation that it's remained with Redding and Danzer, after all. See More: NYC Restaurant News
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