# King and I Thai Cuisine

> King and I Thai Cuisine is a locally focused Thai restaurant in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, descended from a downtown Minneapolis institution opened in 1981. It serves dine-in and takeout customers a concentrated version of its original menu - including pad Thai, curries, stir-fries, soups, vegetarian dishes, beer and wine - and stands apart less through novelty than through continuity: familiar recipes, a retained phone number, and customer loyalty strong enough to help bring the restaurant back after a lease dispute closed its Minneapolis location.

- **Founded:** 1981
- **Headquarters:** Mendota Heights, United States
- **Founders:** Paul DeMuth (Co-founder), Surin DeMuth (Co-founder and original cook)
- **Team size:** Approximately 11 employees in the supplied third-party record; the restaurant itself does not publish a current headcount.
- **Products:** Thai noodles and fried rice, Curries and stir-fries, Soups, salads and appetizers, Dine-in and takeout
- **Notable:** Opened in 1981 as the second Thai restaurant in Minneapolis, according to the company's history., Ranked first in the Star Tribune's 2010 and 2011 reader lists for Best Thai., Completed a 31-year Minneapolis run before the 2012 closure.

## Products & services

- **Thai noodles and fried rice** — Pad Thai, pad kee mao, pad seyu and several fried-rice preparations; a publicly listed menu priced Pad Thai at $12.25.
- **Curries and stir-fries** — Hot-and-spicy and mild dishes including gaeng puk, Holy Basil Stir-Fry, roasted hot pepper sauce and garlic sauce preparations; listed entrees generally ran from $16 to $21 before protein or ordering variations.
- **Soups, salads and appetizers** — Tom kha, tom yum, chicken satay, egg rolls, fried tofu and other starters, with vegetarian and vegan-friendly choices.
- **Dine-in and takeout** — Lunch and dinner service, phone and online takeout, beer and wine; reservations are accepted for parties of five or more.

## Achievements

- Opened in 1981 as the second Thai restaurant in Minneapolis, according to the company's history.
- Ranked first in the Star Tribune's 2010 and 2011 reader lists for Best Thai.
- Completed a 31-year Minneapolis run before the 2012 closure.
- Reopened in Mendota Heights in July 2015 after roughly two and a half years away.
- Has now served the Twin Cities across more than four decades and three locations.

## Latest updates

- **2026-04** — King and I Thai appeared in the City of Mendota Heights agenda packet for renewal of its liquor licenses.
- **2026-01** — A Pioneer Press dining column highlighted King and I Thai among favorite immigrant-owned restaurants still serving the Twin Cities.
- **2015-07** — The restaurant reopened in Mendota Heights with beer, wine and favored dishes from its earlier menu.

## Links

- Website: https://www.kingandithai.com/
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/king-and-i-thai-cuisine
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kingandithai/

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Last updated: 2026-09-14