Co-owners of Scotts Valley locals’ favorite Thai Heart, Richie Yimsamrarn and Sarah Kitphongsri express deep appreciation and gratitude for the community’s support during adversity. Born in Thailand before moving to San Francisco at 13 and eventually settling in Santa Cruz, Richie says he met Sarah at a local restaurant on her birthday, “crashing her party” as he describes it.
After marrying in 2011, they were about to take their honeymoon when they saw what would become Thai Heart for sale, deciding to buy the restaurant instead of taking their vacation. Sarah runs the kitchen as head chef and Richie manages the front-of-house.
He describes their restaurant as a “small, cute little place” with traditional and classic Thai décor and cuisine. Preferred starters are chicken satay skewers, fresh-wrapped spring rolls, tom kha coconut soup and Thai-style hot and sour soup. Main dish favorites are a classic Pad Thai in sweet and sour tamarind sauce and Drunken Noodles with protein choice, basil and zucchini in a spicy oyster soy sauce.
The curries are another favorite, available in red, green and yellow and pineapple fried rice is a crowd-pleasing staple. Dessert is traditional mango sticky rice and beverages are Thai iced tea and coffee, as well as Thai beer and local wine.
What have you been going through?
RICHIE YIMSAMRARN: I’ve been dealing with a brain tumor, but luckily not cancer, so the community has really meant a lot to us and has helped us keep the business going. I am deeply thankful and touched by all this support, both emotionally and financially. The owner of the building, Benjamin Ow, along with his family have helped our restaurant and he has been the best landlord ever. The Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce also helped create a GoFundMe for me, so everyone has really helped me and the restaurant tremendously as we get through this hard time.
Where did Sarah learn to cook?
She began cooking from a very young age in Thailand with her mom and sister, and they also had a restaurant in Santa Cruz where she cooked. Our cuisine at Thai Heart is based on her family recipes from the central Thailand province of Autthaya, where she and her family are from. The recipes are very authentic, similar to what you would find in Thailand.
218 Mount Hermon Road Suite G, Scotts Valley, 831-438-1800
