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Synergy plays key role in DC's 1st fast casual Thai concept

July 16, 2013

Tom Yum District, Washington' D.C.'s first fast casual Thai restaurant, opened recently with great success, said Danny Bendas, partner and co-founder of Synergy Restaurant Consultants, the company that helped owners Chef Aulie Bunyarataphan and Mel Oursinsiri develop and market the new concept.

"We were really excited to be part of the concept development team, since the owners already own two other full-service Thai restaurants in the D.C. area," Bendas said.

Chef Aulie Bunyarataphan and Restaurateur Mel Oursinsiri, who have operated T.H.A.I. and Bangkok Joe's for years, realized that there was a significant opportunity in the fast casual arena for busy diners who crave the flavors of Thailand. To quickly launch the concept, they decided to partner with Synergy. What emerged was a menu of rice bowls (white or brown) and noodle bowls that guests could customize with their choice of meats and toppings, Bendas said.

"Our team's cumulative expertise assisted in helping them develop this new brand which entailed the menu creation and restaurant design, customizing and implementing appropriate systems including training materials and POS methodologies," he said. "We also provided meaningful guidance in management recruitment and oversight to assure that this first location would position the brand strongly, setting the stage for the rollout."

Tom Yum District is in Arlington, Va., and provides seating for 48 guests.

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