Chabaa Thai returning to Manayunk and adding a market
Binto will serve a cafe menu plus ingredients for sale as well as pre-prepped meals designed to be finished in the home kitchen.
Chabaa Thai Bistro, chef Moon Krapugthong's long-running Thai BYOB in Manayunk, closed in fall 2014, in favor of larger digs at the corner of Main and Grape Streets.
The year and a half's wait will yield not only a new Chabaa Thai but an Asian market and cafe next door called Binto.
Projected opening is May 12.
Expect new and cool things from Binto, which will serve a cafe menu of noodles, maki, spring rolls, and the like, plus ingredients for sale (curry paste, pad thai sauce, salad dressings, hot sauce, etc.), as well as pre-prepped meals designed to be finished in the home kitchen, much as Blue Apron does.
There will be 12 seats, plus a public space downstairs.
Krapugthong's 9-year-old daughter, Tinnha, is listed as the proprietor of a play area aimed at customers' kids.
The Binto side will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Chabaa Thai, which Krapugthong opened in 2004, will be BYOB and open for dinner during the week and lunch on the weekends, plus Sunday brunch.
It will be larger than its previous location (now home to Maya.J) - the better for off-premises catering. ,