When the Moose is Loose building in Soldotna first went up for sale two years ago, it caught the eye of the Siam Noodles and Food owners down the Sterling Highway.
Co-owner KK Piwon said the iconic wood-beamed Germanic-style space had more room for customers than their former location.
“It’s a good spot," she said. "And near the park, and on the main road.”
But they were too late. And someone else bought the space and reopened a new bakery there.
Then last year, that bakery closed and the space went back on the market. This week, the Siam owners are preparing for their business’s grand re-opening.
Piwon said the opening is a tribute to the restaurant’s customers.
“We still have customers supporting us all the time,” Piwon said. “That’s why we still survive, until now.”
Piwon runs the front of the house. Her wife, Noi Apaipak, runs the back. They’ve been together for 11 years — Piwon said they met in high school, in Thailand, and were friends for years before they got married.
They moved back to Alaska, where Apaipak has roots. Her mom runs Thai Town in Kenai.
Piwon said it was a big change from Bangkok, where she’s from. But she said she likes the people and climate of Soldotna. The couple opened the original Siam location five years ago.
“And I don’t want to go back to the big city anymore,” Piwon said. “It’s like, 90% is our existing customers. I know what they like, what they don’t like. And they are very nice people supporting us in the beginning.”
She said they’re excited to own the place instead of renting. They’ve been remodeling the new building for five months, adding in new floors and fixing the plumbing.
The kitchen in the new space is smaller but the dining room is bigger, with space for 80 diners. Piwon said they’re looking to hire more help, but that it’s been hard to find workers, so far.
They’re also rolling out an updated menu, with new salmon and halibut curries, and new deserts, like coconut ice cream and bingsu, a type of shaved ice.
Indoors, the space has dark blue walls and decorations. Piwon said they imported them from Thailand — including a mural that was painted on a canvas there and shipped to Soldotna. She said she wants customers to feel the Thai touch when they’re there and is excited to show off the new space at the opening.
“We just want to thank them. We’re here today because of their support,” Piwon said. “And that’s why we have to give something back to them.”
The grand opening starts 11 a.m. Saturday at the old Moose is Loose building.
