The new restaurant from the owner of Golden’s Citizen Thai is now open in LoHi
Daughter Thai Kitchen & Bar, the new Thai restaurant from the owner of Citizen Thai in Golden, has opened in the new Riverview building in LoHi, bringing an elegant new dining option to an upscale address in the rapidly-developing area between the Platte River and Interstate 25.
Owner Ounjit Hardacre told Eater that Daughter is her attempt to bring the type of boutique Thai restaurant she says is common in her old home of San Francisco to the Mile High City. For her, that meant focusing not only on the food but also on creating a well-decorated space that would provide an inviting place to spend a leisurely lunch or dinner in.
“I want people to walk in here and remember my place,” Hardacre said. “You have to have something iconic. Food is important but decorations you remember.”
In the case of Daughter, that iconic something is a set of large red and gold lanterns that weigh around 80 pounds and are meant to look like the large bells that are rung in temples throughout Thailand. Those lanterns, Hardacre said, are the centerpiece of the restaurant’s design, which combines a prevailing simplicity with elegant flourishes like white curtains and its red bar.
Then there’s the mural from a local artist depicting the silhouette of a dancing woman and a Thai temple set against a sunset, which takes up one wall in the dining room. Hardacre said she chose to have the woman’s silhouette in the mural because the restaurant had to “have a daughter in it.” She chose that name for the restaurant because she and her husband always wanted to have a daughter but never had one.
“This restaurant is our daughter now,” Hardacre said.
Hardacre’s focus on decoration extends to Daughter’s take on flavorful Thai cuisine. Dishes such as the Kang Ped Duck and Pad Thai Gong are beautifully presented, with the latter’s jumbo prawns being complimented by a purple orchid. So too are the richly colored and properly garnished cocktails.
Here is a closer look at the stylish new spot.
Daughter Thai Kitchen is located at 1700 Platte Street in the LoHi neighborhood | Jonathan Phillips/Eater
The host stand sits right inside the front door as the rest of the space opens up in the background | Jonathan Phillips/Eater
Giant bell-like red lanterns hang from the ceiling in the main dining area filled with four tops and booths | Jonathan Phillips/Eater
A row of six tops line the windows along the front of the dining room | Jonathan Phillips/Eater
A close up view of the large bell lambs and mural inside Daughter | Jonathan Phillips/Eater
A view of six-tops in the bar area with the bar behind them | Jonathan Phillips/Eater
The bar at Daughter Thai Kitchen & Bar | Jonathan Phillips/Eater
The Deep Fried Whole Stripped Bass with the Daughter Secret Sauce, a mix of spicy sweet tamarind sauce, pineapple, onion, red bell pepper and crispy basil | Jonathan Phillips/Eater
The Kang Ped Duck, a duck confit leg with cherry tomatoes, pineapple, red bell peppers and green beans topped with crispy basil | Jonathan Phillips/Eater
The Khao Soi Kai with northern Thai-styled egg noodles, curry sauce, shredded chicken, egg, bean sprouts and red onion, topped with green and crispy onions. | Jonathan Phillips/Eater
The 5 Dilemmas but a Kratury Isn’t One cocktail with Pisco, mezcal, lemon, Thai chili, orange, vanilla and aquafaba | Jonathan Phillips/Eater
The One with the Bubbles cocktail made with Japanese whiskey, Aperol, strawberry, lime, sparkling wine and Thai basil | Jonathan Phillips/Eater
Credited article by : Denver-Eater
