Big Blue Thai BBQ to close restaurant, move back to Candalaria food trailer

Owners Kanyanat Puthdee and Ray Johnson have reopened the Big Blue Thai BBQ food cart in Candalaria on weekdays. Soon, they will be there full time. 

The couple has decided to close their brick and mortar restaurant location at 1130 Royvonne Avenue SE Suite 105. 

Though their food trailer has always had a robust patronage, they said, that didn't always translate to the operations of a restaurant.

They have missed the immediacy of cooking and serving regular guests at the trailer and the face-to-face interactions, Puthdee said.

For the remainder of May, they are maintaining the restaurant's normal hours. They will close the restaurant's doors for good after service on May 31. Until then, the trailer is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. On June 3 they will have a grand re-opening at the trailer and expand their hours thereafter. 

Barbecue Trailer Upgrades  

One big change at the barbecue trailer is they no longer "hot-hold" meats. Instead, they're grilling pork and Thai sausage to order. This means that a stop by might not be as quick as a drive-through run, but it guarantees, said Johnson, that diners get to enjoy the key temperature contrast of crisp and smoky grilled meats against cool salad greens and citrusy, spicy papaya salad. 

Two seating areas, including custom-built picnic tables designed to sit flat on the parking area's sloped surface, offer places to sit while you wait or enjoy your meal once it's ready. 

When the couple opened their brick and mortar restaurant at in February 2018, their plan was to reopen the truck and operate the two in tandem once they got comfortable running both locations. 

Though they have occasionally popped up in the Candalaria space, health and staffing issues have until this point prevented them from opening it on a consistent basis. 

MORE:Spring 2019 Food Truck Frenzy offers local vendors, beer and plenty of pups

Emily Teel is the Food & Drink Editor at the Statesman Journal. Contact her at eteel@statesmanjournal.com, Facebook, or Twitter. See what she's cooking and where she's eating this week on Instagram: @emily_teel

If you go

Big Blue Thai BBQ Trailer

Where: 2679 Commercial Street SE

When: Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Information: www.bigbluethaibbq.net