LAKEVIEW — Thank the unspoken rule of listening to your mother-in-law for a new Thai restaurant on Broadway.
Atichat Srisawangpan is opening In On Thai, 3821 N. Broadway, in the next couple weeks at the behest of his mother-in-law, Korakot Vongsatit.
"She has 30 years experience," Srisawangpan said. "I trust her. She convinced me to open the restaurant with her."
Vongsatit had a restaurant in Thailand with homemade curry paste and crispy noodle dishes. Many years ago, she even won a televised pad thai competition in an "Iron Chef"-type event in Thailand, Srisawangpan said.
She moved to Chicago last year to be closer to Srisawangpan, his wife and their daughter.
Srisawangpan was born here but grew up in Thailand. He moved back to Chicago about 16 years ago to find work with his wife, he said. He's been working as a cook and then server at the Peninsula Chicago Hotel since then.
"This country is the country of opportunities," he said. "More than my country."
Vongsatit will be running the kitchen. The menu will feature many Thai staples like pad thai and pad see ew, but the restaurant also aims to offer different items from typical Thai restaurants, Srisawangpan said, such as with whole fish.
"The flavor itself is real Thai flavor," he said.
In On Thai will be offering dine-in, carry-out and delivery service.
