Thai Bloom “Three-Peats” at ISing Fundraiser

For the past 3 years, Thai Bloom has been proud sponsor of the ISing Choir annual fundraiser. This award-winning choral group has been a fixture in the Beaverton arts community for over 10 years. Its mission is to share innovative and exceptional choral music while supporting local nonprofit organizations.

Under the direction of Conductor and Artistic Director, Stephen Galván, ISing Choir offers two concert series annually free of charge to the public. The repertoire features material that is high quality, educational, and culturally diverse. Free will donations at these concerts combined with matching grants support local non-profits. To date, ISing Choir has raised and donated over $179,000 to charity.

The annual fundraiser secures resources to cover the organization’s operating expenses so that every penny of donations collected at benefit concerts can go to worthy causes. This year’s two-night event takes place on Friday, March 4th and Saturday, March 5th at the Bethel Congregational Church in Beaverton. Doors open at 6:30pm for a silent auction and 7:15pm for a concert.

This year’s program theme is ISing on TV. It features popular theme songs from the “small screen” as well as a medley of tunes from the hit series Glee. Performances feature the 80-voice choir as well as individual vocalists and small ensembles.

ISing Choir

Thai Bloom is Judge’s Choice at Soups On

For the third straight year, Thai Bloom participated in the annual Soups On co-sponsored by the City of Beaverton and the Sisters of St. Mary’s of Oregon. The event gathers area residents to taste ladle-full samples of soups prepared by local restaurants. This year’s entrants also included the Beaverton Police Department, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, and the Maryville Nursing Home.

Thai Bloom was honored with the 2015 Judge’s Choice Award. We featured our Tom Yum soup made with chicken, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, fried shallots, and a fresh cilantro topping.

This year’s gathering raised $17,500 to fight hunger. The event has drawn $48,000 to the cause over the past 4 years.

soup's on judges choice award   IMG_0370

Thai Bloom Chosen for Guest Chef Series by Portland Trailblazers

Portland-TrailblazersPremier season ticket holders enjoyed a “Taste of Thai” at the Portland Trailblazers game Friday night courtesy of Thai Bloom’s Co-Founder and Executive Head Chef Sayan Promwongsa. Guests sampled spicy wings and salmon in an intimate setting at the Moda Center’s Courtside Club.

For this select group of Trailblazer fans, the Guest Chef Series provides a unique and personal experience with the top chefs in the region while enhancing their game day experience. As a featured chef on the Portland Food Adventure, Mr. Promwongsa was an obvious choice for this renowned collective.

“It was a pleasure working with the Portland Trailblazers and having the opportunity to showcase our food. We were delighted to see guests come back for seconds and thirds, sometimes carrying several orders at a time back to their tables,” said General Manager Walter Bowers. “I’d call the evening a success.”

Thai Bloom Opens Restaurant in NW Portland

Thai Bloom is pleased to announce the opening of a second restaurant located at 333 NW 23rd Avenue in downtown Portland. Profitable since opening its Beaverton location in August 2012, the restaurant enjoys a loyal clientele, 1,650+ friends on Facebook, and consistently high marks from Internet-based consumer reviews.

Nunda “Noot” SybimNunda “Noot” Sybim has been named the restaurant’s Head Chef. She has over 30 years’ experience in all aspects of kitchen management. She joined Typhoon Restaurants in 1996 and served as the Head Chef and Kitchen Manager in downtown Portland until 2011. She has been with Thai Bloom since the beginning and is known for her creativity in the kitchen. Local residents eagerly await her return to the Portland culinary scene.

“We have been looking for the right place to launch our Portland operations for some time,” said Walter Bowers, general Manager of Thai Bloom. “We are pleased to make our new home close to staff’s former patrons. The site also offers ample parking to welcome new customers.”

Thai Bloom has been recognized publicly for its cuisine and friendly staff. The Portland Food Adventure featured Chef Sayan Promwongsa in its February 2013 outing. Assistant Manager Samphone “Sam” Saisiri was named a Washington County Front-Line Hospitality Hero in March 2013. Thai Bloom won the 2013 and 2014 Golden Ladle Awards at Soups On, an annual fundraising event sponsored by the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon and the City of Beaverton.

Thai Bloom! is also excited to let you know that it is expanding it’s catering in Portland OR as well as Beaverton. If you are thinking about hosting an event where you would like to have amazing Thai cuisine, give us a call for more catering information: (503) 644-8020

Thai Bloom Repeats as Golden Ladle Winner

For the second straight year, Thai Bloom garnered the popular vote for the tastiest soup at the Fourth Annual Soup’s On fundraiser hosted by the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon and the City of Beaverton. The restaurant featured its Kao Soy Noodle soup and triumphed over 21 other entrants. Proceeds benefitted The Oregon Food Bank (OFB).

This year’s event was held at the Valley Catholic High School Athletic Center. Despite the festive atmosphere in which area residents sampled soups, desserts, wine, and coffee donated by local businesses, OFB CEO Susannah Morgan reminded the audience of the grim reality of food insecurity in Oregon. Through a statewide network of hunger-relief agencies, OFB provides emergency food boxes to 270,000 people per month. Of those, 92,000 are children.

Thai Bloom's 2014 Golden Ladle Award

“We accept this award with gratitude for our supporters and deep appreciation for the Oregon Food Bank’s lifesaving work,” said Walter Bowers, general Manager of Thai Bloom. “We look forward to returning next year.”

Thai Bloom Wins Golden Ladle Award at 2013 Soup’s On

chicken tom kha soupThai Bloom’s Chicken Tom Kha soup received the top honors last night at the Third Annual Soup’s On tasting hosted by the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon and the City of Beaverton. This fundraising event featured entrants from 20 local restaurants, and $12,000 in proceeds benefitted The Oregon Food Bank.

Food insecurity is a serious problem in our community. For the past 2 years, the Oregon Food Bank’s statewide network of regional food banks distributed more than 1 million emergency food boxes. Most adult emergency food recipients are looking for work, working, retired, or disabled. Thirty-four percent of those receiving emergency food are children.

This year’s event was held at the Valley Catholic High School Athletic Center. For a modest entrance fee, residents enjoyed soups, desserts, wine, and coffee donated by local businesses. Guests sampled a wide variety of soups and voted for their favorites. Awards were presented to the top three vote-getters.

“We were honored to be given the opportunity to showcase our most popular soup while joining others in service of our community,” said Walter Bowers, general Manager of Thai Bloom. “It was a pleasant and unexpected surprise to walk away with the Golden Ladle at our first appearance at the event.”

Assistant Manager Recognized For Stellar Service

somphone "sam" saisiriSomphone “Sam” Saisiri has been named a Washington County Visitors Association Front-Line Hospitality Hero for 2012. The award honors individuals who consistently provide top notch service and contribute favorably to visitor impressions of Washington County.

Located in the heart of downtown Beaverton, Thai Bloom brings the beauty, exquisite cuisine, and warm hospitality from the “Land of Smiles” to the Portland metro area. Whether visiting for a spirited Happy Hour or a comfortable meal with friends, family, or colleagues, patrons enjoy the quiet elegance of the bar and dining areas while feasting on sumptuous food.

As Assistant Manager, Sam selects, trains, and supervises the wait staff and provides oversight of the beverage service. A native of Thailand, he embodies both the gentle grace and the strong work ethic of his people. His knowledge of Thai food is unparalleled, and his long tenure in the food and beverage business gives him the capacity to model service excellence while cultivating a strong staff.

Sam makes sure that all customers have an opportunity to render commentary – not just the select few who express their opinions in public forums. His genuine concern for their dining experience leads him to quietly and unobtrusively secure valuable insights that he shares with the kitchen and wait staff. This feedback fuels the chefs’ creativity and drives continuous improvement in systems and processes.

“Sam has an incredible eye for detail and the capacity to retain it in memory. He can recall the names of hundreds of customers – and their family members – and the specific meals and/or events that they’ve enjoyed at the restaurant,” noted Walter Bower, General Manager. “His personal touch is among the many reasons why we enjoy repeat customers and a vibrant referral business.”

Acclaimed Thai Chef Thrives in New Venture

Thai Bloom marks its first six months of business with an impressive set of achievements. Profitable from the start, the restaurant takes pride in a loyal clientele and high marks from Internet-based consumer reviews. The restaurant has a coveted position in this month’s Portland Food Adventure. IPhone’s Siri even provides a referral when asked to search for a Beaverton Thai restaurant.

Today’s success is a welcome relief from the devastating news a year ago that the staff’s former employer – Typhoon Restaurants – would cease operations. Dozens of Thai nationals found themselves out of work and at risk of losing residency status in America. Among them was a highly experienced, award winning chef named Sayan Promwongsa.

sayan promwongsaA native of rural Thailand, Sayan spent over a decade studying with accomplished chefs in Bangkok and South Africa where he mastered the preparation and presentation of a treasure trove of Thai food and beverage recipes. He also proved adept at intricate fruit and vegetable carvings which adorned the finest Bangkok buffet tables. As the Chef De Partie at the Siam Inter-Continental, he was awarded the 1998 Bronze Medal and 1999 Gold Medal by the Thailand Chef’s Association. Sayan came to America in early 2000 where he served as the Typhoon’s Head Chef in Beaverton until the February 5, 2012 closing.

“I really love to cook. For me, it is like making art. When I was at Typhoon, I was able to share my work with many people and help train young chefs,” Sayan said. “When the restaurant closed, I knew that I did not want to leave my future up to someone else. It was time for me to be the boss.”

Sayan found an able partner in a long-standing Typhoon customer, Walter Bowers. Walter was already a seasoned entrepreneur with two software start-ups to his credit when he and Sayan joined forces. Walter incorporated the business, authored the business plan, managed site selection and building improvements, established supply lines and banking relationships, and launched the marketing efforts to build share. He serves as the restaurant’s General Manager.

The two partners are committed to operating the restaurant from top-to-bottom according to their high professional standards. They support a full range of dining services with deep experience and expertise among the kitchen and wait staff, which includes 3 Typhoon Head Chefs and an Assistant Manager. Top tier ingredients, service excellence, and an attractive setting are other hallmarks of quality. Thai Bloom is a fair trade establishment that respects employees, vendors, and governmental agencies.