Tee Rak Thai

07/04/2026

🇺🇸 Happy Independence Day 🇺🇸

Five and a half years ago, I left everything I had ever known in Thailand and moved to America with three suitcases.

I had never lived anywhere else before.

To be honest, I was scared.

I didn’t know anyone here except my husband. I didn’t know what my future would look like, or if I would ever truly find my place in this country.

But America gave me something I will always be grateful for.

A chance.

A chance to work hard.
A chance to start over.
A chance to build a life.

I went to cooking school because I wanted to become a better chef. ,my husband and I started selling Thai food at Tower Grove Farmers’ Market.

It was just the two of us.

Loading the van before sunrise.
Preparing every ingredient by hand.
Cooking every meal ourselves.

Some days were exhausting.

Some days we wondered if we were doing the right thing.

But every week, more people came back.

Some brought their friends.

Some became regulars.

Before we knew it, those regulars felt like family.

Because of your support, we were able to save enough to open Tee Rak Thai.

I still remember walking into an empty building for the first time.

There was nothing inside.

Just four walls…

and a dream.

Today, when I look around our restaurant and see people laughing, celebrating birthdays, going on first dates, introducing friends to Thai food, or simply sharing a meal together…

I realize that Tee Rak Thai has become so much more than a restaurant.

It has become a place where people connect.

A place that reminds me why I took that leap five and a half years ago.

A few months ago, I became an American citizen.

Standing there with the American flag in my hand, I couldn’t stop thinking about the girl who arrived here years ago with three suitcases, so many questions, and so much uncertainty.

If I could go back and tell her one thing, it would be this:

Everything is going to be okay.

To everyone who has ever visited our farmers market booth…

Walked through our restaurant doors…

Recommended us to a friend…

Or simply believed in us…

Thank you.

You didn’t just support a small business.

You helped me build a life.

Happy Independence Day.

With all my heart,

Alada
❤️🤍💙

07/02/2026

06/23/2026

Tomorrow’s lunch plans? We’ve got you covered. 😋

🍜 Choice of Entrée
🥢 2 Spring Rolls
🧋 Thai Tea or Soda

Only $16.95

Monday–Friday | 11AM–2PM

See you at TEE RAK THAI 💙💛

05/21/2026

Hey friends, I hope you’re all doing well. I have some exciting news to share TEE RAK THAI has been nominated for Thai Restaurant in the St. Louis Magazine A-List Awards 2026. 🥹

What started as a small dream of an immigrant selling Thai food at a farmers market has grown into something I never could have imagined. Because of the love and support from this community, I was able to open my own restaurant — and now, just six months later, my team and I are honored to be nominated for this award.

No matter what happens, I truly want to thank everyone who has supported me from the very beginning. Thank you for believing in me, encouraging me, and allowing me to share a piece of my culture with this city every single day.

None of this would have been possible without you.

Every visit, every kind word, every recommendation, and every person who stood in line at the farmers market has meant more to me than I could ever put into words.

I promise to continue giving this restaurant my whole heart to maintain the quality of our food, keep improving every day, and create a place that always feels warm, welcoming, and worth coming back to.

If you’d like to support TEE RAK THAI, you can vote once a day until June 16. I’ll leave the voting link in my bio.

Thank you again, truly, from the bottom of my heart. My team and I are so grateful to be part of this community. ❤️

Credit 📸 :

05/15/2026

Chef’s Special 👩🏻‍🍳👩🏻‍🍳

🐟🐟 Pla Lui Suay 🫑🌶️🧅
Crispy whole fried tilapia, topped with our house-made sweet and tangy sauce, stir-fried with colorful bell peppers, white onions, and crunchy cashews. Finished with roasted dried chilies and fresh cilantro for the perfect balance of flavor and texture.

Served with jasmine rice, this is the ultimate summer dish bright, refreshing, crispy, savory, and perfect for sharing with family and friends.

We only serve 10 orders per day because we source fresh fish from the market every single morning.

If you’re visiting Tee Rak Thai restaurant, this is one dish I truly recommend you don’t miss. 🍽️✨

04/02/2026

I liken myself to a seed. Those of you who have supported me are the ones who provided the fertilizer, watered and tended the soil, and nurtured this seed until it grew into something beautiful.

Every time I share the story of my restaurant the very beginning of my business I feel a deep sense of pride knowing it all started at Tower Grove Farmers’ Market. Thanks to the unwavering support of a strong community, I was able to save up and successfully open my own restaurant.

I am delighted and excited to announce that I will be returning to the farmers’ market once again. It truly feels like coming home. I will be doing all the cooking myself, just as I did on day one, because I genuinely miss all of you. And I promise you this: if you have been one of my regulars over the past three years, I still remember exactly what you like to eat 🤣🤣

I won’t ask you to come out and support me, because I know that all along, you have never left me to chase my dreams alone.

Instead, I invite you to come out and enjoy some Thai food the very harvest of the seed you helped plant right here at this market. Join us this Saturday

Can’t wait to see yall again 💙