It has been around a month since the opening of Thai Time, a new restaurant in Knoxville. The restaurant is owned by the same family that opened Jai Dee Thai and Japanese on UT’s campus.
Jay Pomanee, son and co-owner of Thai Time, said that the new restaurant brings a different kind of Thai food that may not be easily accessible in some areas — so they opened in South Knoxville.
“We wanted to offer different dishes and Thai food where it’s not widely available here,” Pomanee said.
Though Pomanee said Jai Dee, the original Thai and Japanese restaurant on Melrose Place, became a very successful restaurant, it was time to branch out and take a different approach on Thai cuisine.
“People tend to go for Pad Thai or fried rice and stuff like that. And so we try to do a rotating special that features all of these Thai traditions and cultures. It just kind of gives a minor view of, like, a broad Thai cuisine because each region has their own flavors and ingredients and take on Thai food.”
Jai Dee had well over 100 dishes, including various types of Japanese cuisine and sushi. Now, with a smaller kitchen, Pomanee’s family is able to narrow down and hone in on more traditional Thai dishes, as well some special foods, so people can try something new and experience more Thai culture.
Taking over the “old” Kay’s ice cream parlor, Thai Time still serves plenty of ice cream flavors as well as their flavorful menu, with special entrees occasionally rotating. Unlike Jai Dee, because the new Thai Time location is smaller, it almost forces them to make a smaller menu.
With the new location comes a new community. Pomanee said everyone has taken the new restaurant better than expected.
“Everyone’s been so welcoming and supportive,” Pomanee said. “I didn’t really know how people would feel with, like, having a Thai restaurant open up here in the old Kay’s and just in South Knoxville in general.”
“But everyone has literally said that they needed another restaurant of some sort down here. So, hopefully, more variety of flavors and cuisines will follow suit, because Knoxville definitely needs a lot more variety.”
Pomanee also mentioned that there’s talk of some events in the near future for Thai Time. He plans to get in touch soon and partner with some other local businesses like SouthSide Garage and Beardsley Farm, which is a large food provider for restaurants in the area. There’s also talk of a potential silent auction like at High Wire Brewery and offering some sort of prize at the auction.
“Please come down and try something new that you haven’t before,” Pomanee said. “I know that there are many Thai places around here, and I do want everyone to support our Thai brothers and sisters and also the local business, as well, in Knoxville.”
And if nothing else on the menu is your cup of tea, there are many flavors of ice cream available within the Thai restaurant.
“Also, we still have ice cream,” Pomanee said. “Everybody loves ice cream.”
More recently, Thai Time had a small Veteran’s Day special where if a member was a veteran or active military member, the restaurant offered free ice cream.
Meanwhile, Gina Chakpuang, co-owner and mother of Pomanee, says her favorite part about Thai Time is the location.
“Not too crowded,” Chakpuang said.
Selling desserts was actually a dream of hers that she can finally achieve, and now she gets to do it with her family. All the food seen on the Thai Time menu is made in house.
Thai Time is open Tuesday through Friday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 12-8 p.m. and Sunday 12-6 p.m.
To see their full menu visit https://www.thaitimenow.com/.
