SEATTLE — An iconic Cambodian restaurant that closed after more than 30 years in Seattle is making a comeback.Sisters Diane, Dawn, and Darlene walked KIRO 7's Siemny Kim through the new home for their beloved family restaurant.
The new Phnom Penh Noodle House is still under construction. It will be located in the new Thai Binh Building on Jackson St.
“It feels amazing. We've been waiting for this moment for over a year and half now,” said owner Dawn Ung.
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The original restaurant, just blocks away on King Street, was a staple in the Chinatown International District for three decades. Sam Ung, a refugee who escaped the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, opened it in 1987. It was the city's first Cambodian restaurant and a go to for many other Cambodian immigrants looking for a taste of home.
“All of us come to this place for lunch and bring our kid. We kind of grew up with the restaurant,” commented customer Pakun Sin.
Dawn and her sisters, Diane and Darlene, took over when their father retired in 2013. But then in the fall of 2017, Dawn's son, Devin, was hit by a car. He suffered a traumatic brain injury. Dawn wanted to focus on her son, which left the family with a difficult decision. The restaurant closed in May 2018.
KIRO 7 was there for the last day when customers packed the restaurant for one last bite.
“To have this out of the area, it's like where do we go?” asked customer Sameth Mell.
Dawn's son still has a long road ahead of him. But he's stable. That's given her and her family some room to work on the new restaurant, which is something they'd always hoped would happen. Dawn didn't realize how much she would miss everyone.
“After a little bit of time off, it really hit. Most of our regulars became like family,” added Dawn.
The Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority and the Office of Economic Development are helping with their comeback. The sisters are also turning to the community for help.
So far, they've raised a little more than half of their $30,000 goal on Indiegogo.
If all goes as planned, the sisters hope to serve up your favorite Khmer dishes again in January. They’ll be bringing back the same recipes and continuing the legacy their father began back in 1987.
Cox Media Group
