Over a decade of Thai food in Mount Pleasant

• Over a decade of Thai food in Mount Pleasant
• Over a decade of Thai food in Mount Pleasant
• COURTESY PHOTOS

A cozy and welcoming restaurant is celebrating over a decade of bringing Thai food to Mount Pleasant.

When Jeed Castle started up her restaurant, Thai Lanna, she knew it would be hard work. Today, her business continues to thrive as she introduces more Texans to the food of her homeland.

Jeed spoke about her struggles to get her restaurant off the ground, “I knew someday, to find success, I had to go for it and never turn back. It was tough. It was a bad economy in those years, people losing jobs and many companies getting shut down. That’s when I bought this building that was on the market for many, many years.”

Jeed comes from Chiang Mai, Thailand. It’s a large city that sits on the northern, mountainous part of the country and it’s even considered the capital city of that region. Jeed moved to the United States in the early 90s with her former husband. She says her love for cooking and eating Thai food stems from a very young age.

“Maybe it came into my DNA from my mom. She owned her own restaurant. I grew up cooking with my mom and helping her sell the food,” Jeed said.

After settling in Mount Pleasant, Jeed pursued the American dream. She worked day in and day out, waiting tables and serving people. She studied the business of restaurants through her employers, as well as learning about different food lifestyles and diets from gastrologists.