Thai restaurant filling former Patxi’s space in Denver’s City Park West

In 2022, Orrapan Botthaisong opened Edgewater’s La Mai Thai Kitchen, named after her mom.

That made choosing a moniker for the new restaurant she’s preparing to open in City Park West easy, Botthaisong joked her dad would be jealous if he didn’t get a restaurant named after him too.

“This is my dream to open for my mom and dad,” Botthaisong said. “They are both important in my life. Family is number one. That’s why I’m here, why I built my life here.”

Som Dee Thai Kitchen will join Olive & Finch on the ground floor of the Ascent Uptown apartment building at 1598 E. 17th Ave. The 3,500-square foot space was formerly home to Patxi’s Pizza, which closed in 2022.

Botthaisong said the restaurant will focus on authentic street food that you can’t find in the states, paired with cocktails like Thai tea with rum.

“I want to bring Thailand to Colorado,” Botthaisong said. “I want to show the real Thai food from where I grew up.”

Som Dee will b...