You won’t notice too many restaurants opening additional locations in the middle of a pandemic but Beau Thai just opened its newest spot on 32nd Avenue in the heart of Highlands Square. The owners — Anita Gurung and her husband — have been working on renovating the location for almost two years and ultimately decided to start selling delicious Thai fare to diversify the options in the area in the midst of the pandemic. Beau Thai combines flavors and spices from Indian and Thai cuisine to create a delicious fusion between the two, bringing a unique concept to the Denver food scene.
“It wasn’t an easy decision to make and we decided not to open dine-in to ensure safety for our customers. However, we aspire to make our restaurant opening a turning point from the dreary reality all restaurateurs faced in the last couple months,” stated Gurung. She and her husband opened the first Beau Thai restaurant over 10 years ago in Evergreen and later opened a second in Castle Rock. Since much of Beau Thai’s business comes from takeout orders already — it made sense to open the Highlands location for takeout only. The restaurant is fairly small inside — it can seat about 30 people — but renovations will be completed on an outdoor patio space soon that will be able to fit about 10 additional tables.
Gurung and her husband are originally from Nepal and got their start in the restaurant business by opening an Indian restaurant before transitioning to Thai food a few years later. “We visited Thailand a lot and I really loved the food over there,” stated Gurung, “Thai food is fresher and more approachable than Indian food for most people, too.” The menu at Beau Thai consists of classics like pad Thai, drunken noodles, several types of stir fry and three varieties of curry. “We do a little bit of fusion and mix in techniques from Indian recipes to make our food unique,” Gurung said. The crab and cheese wontons contain more crab than most Chinese versions of the dish which gives it a delightful texture and flavor. The curries meld the Indian and Thai spices together to create a thick, creamy and bold sauce that pairs perfectly with the steamed vegetables. All items can be personalized with your choice of protein and come in six levels of spice to cater to all preferences and prevent you from ordering a “medium” that ends up tasting like a “hot.” There are also over 10 vegan options and over 15 gluten free options on the menu and you can even get a free order of egg rolls with all takeout orders over $15. “We want everyone to be able to enjoy our food,” Gurung explained.
Beau Thai will open for dine-in when the outdoor patio is complete and when Gurung and her husband determine the time is right. For now you can enjoy a flavor-packed bowl of drunken noodles or pad Thai at home — just make sure to add the duck, you won’t regret it.
Beau Thai is located at 3464 W 32 Ave, Denver. Open Tuesday – Sunday 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.