For the last six years, Wy Thai, a family-owned-and-operated Thai restaurant, has run a successful food business in a small trailer on Big Horn Avenue. That changed on June 8th when they opened a new, sit-down restaurant in the building of the old Noon Break breakfast place at 2619 Sheridan Avenue.
The new Wy Thai location on Sheridan Avenue. (photo courtesy of Grace Ballou).
Originally started in Ralston in a space even smaller than the well-known red trailer they were known for off of Bighorn Avenue, Wy Thai owner Darawan Emmert (Dar) and her husband, Mike Emmert, lived in Cody for a long time before Dar decided to open her own restaurant. Dar worked as a manager for Rocky Mountain MoJoes before making the decision that she wanted to work for herself and open her own restaurant the reflected her own heritage.
The idea of opening a food business first presented itself when her mother, Samorn Marshall, moved to the United States from Thailand.
Mike Emmert said that Samorn Marshall was always a wonderful cook, and could always be found in the kitchen. When she moved, it seemed like a great idea to take advantage of her skills by bringing the rich flavors and unique taste of authentic Thai Cuisine to Wyoming.
One of the most distinctive features of Thai food is its complex flavor profile. Thai cuisine is a harmonious blend of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors, creating a symphony of tastes in every dish. The combination of these flavors is what makes Thai food so addictive and mouth-watering. (Photo courtesy of Pexels.com).
The move from the red trailer they occupied for five years is long overdue. Dar said finding a bigger, more permanent space is something that they’ve “wanted to do for a long time.” But despite the incredible opportunity of moving into a bigger, permanent building, there were still some major adjustments that came along with it. This was a huge change for the mother-daughter duo.
As the only two chefs, opening weekend threw a lot on their plates.
Although their new location is bigger than their last, they have significantly less kitchen space, and an incredibly important appliance to contain smoke, odors, and heat from the cooking. They had to make accommodations in order to cook a greater amount of food quickly for their new and devoted customers.
With the change of a new kitchen and space came challenges that the cooks had to adapt to, and with the rush of the excited customers, they did not have much time to exercise practice runs.
Wy Thai now has a permanent space on Sheridan Avenue. (Photo courtesy of Grace Ballou).
However, they met their challenges head on, learning about their new space, and, in their words, did an “excellent job” during their first week, getting food out, and tasting even more delicious than when they were in the red trailer.
The Emmerts said that they were hoping for a good turnout, but the opening weekend “exceeded expectations,” and even bordered on chaos. But in a good way.
They are not the only ones who are excited about the move. Wy Thai’s loyal customers could not be happier that they have the opportunity to sit down and enjoy great Thai food in a comfortable atmosphere instead of a picnic table or just taking their order home or back to the office or job site.
When asked, a regular customer commented what they really enjoy about Wy Thai is the authentic flavor of the food, and that the value makes the restaurant stand out.
“I like that they can actually make something spicy,” he says. “There’s a little more of a flavor punch.”
The Emmerts say they take pride in the flavor that they cater to in their authentic, flavor-packed dishes. Thai food is inherently flavorful, but Wy Thai takes pride in the consistency of their dishes because serving consistently wonderful food can be a difficult task for any good restaurant.
