Nov. 17 update: Yummy Thai Cuisine updated its look Tuesday with a green awning. Sililack ‘Lack’ Chanthamaly, the new owner of Yummy Thai Cuisine on Broad Street, said she's also planning to paint the front a golden color.


“The first time we saw it, we just fell in love,” said Sililack ‘Lack’ Chanthamaly, the new owner of Yummy Thai Cuisine, formerly Crystal Thai Restaurant on Broad Street.

The new owners, who have just moved to Rome from St. Paul. Minn., were looking to operate a small business in a small town. Chanthamaly said they were looking on a Thai Web site and saw the owners of the Crystal Thai had the business for sale. She and her husband Samroeng Ngian Wan drove to Rome and were so impressed with the city, “we decided to buy in a week.”

Ngian Wan and a family friend, Lloyd Chanachai, who comes to Rome from Vermont, are the primary chefs at the 526 Broad St. eatery.

Chanthamaly says the menu will be new with “more traditional, more Thai spices. It’s going to be Thai hot, not like American hot.” She showed off a new menu with 20 different chef’s specials, which will be changed out frequently.

She said that after three days of operation, she senses that Romans really enjoy the traditional curry menu items and have not been as adventurous with the wok stir-fry section of the menu.

For those who are challenged by Thai dishes, the new menu will feature pictures of the food in the future. Chef Lloyd says his favorite items include a lobster curry.

The name was changed from Crystal Thai to Yummy Thai Cuisine because Chanthamaly said that when children find something they like, they call it ‘yummy’ and the logo for the new business will feature a child.

This will be the first ownership venture for Ngian Wan and Chanthamaly, who have plenty of restaurant experience in other states as well as in Australia.

The new sign proclaiming ‘Yummy Thai Cuisine’ is already up over the business. The restaurant will be open seven days a week and Chantamaly already has her eyes set on expansion.

Hours are Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4 to 9 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4 to 9:30 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 9 p.m.