What is the best Asian restaurant and best new business in Summit County? Readers chose this restaurant in Frisco.

When Summit Thai co-owner Lance Traylor and his wife visited Summit County looking for a community to share their passion for Thai cuisine with, they felt like this was a perfect fit.

They were looking for an ideal brick-and-mortar store to showcase their team’s skills honed in Seattle’s dynamic and competitive culinary scene when they stumbled upon the charm of the mountain town of Summit. Traylor said they knew they wanted to make the Valley their home, so they waited patiently for the right opportunity.

“For the last couple of years, until the beginning of this year when we finally found a place, we just kept our eyes open,” Traylor said. “It was like a shot in the dark, hoping something would come along.”

On April 5, their search officially ended. Summit Thai opened at 842 N. Summit Blvd., Unit 19, in Frisco, and Traylor said business hasn’t stopped since.

Traylor’s suspicions that Summit County was craving more authentic international cuisine have been confirmed now that readers have voted Summit Thai the best new restaurant and best Asian restaurant in the 2023 Best of Summit competition.

“The community support has been tremendous,” Traylor said.

He believes the restaurant’s success is due to the recipes he fell in love with when he met his wife in Seattle.

She grew up learning to cook traditional Thai recipes from her grandmothers and eventually became involved in her extended family’s thriving business in Seattle, Traylor said. They later branched out by opening a food truck business in Arkansas before making the jump to the Rocky Mountains with the help of Ekawat Sunti, a cousin of Traylor’s wife who owned restaurants throughout Colorado.

Spicy. Dirty. Soft. Savory.

These four flavors come together in Thai dishes, and Traylor said his team spent years refining and developing the recipes people will find on the menu.

“It’s so bold, this flavor,” Traylor said. “If you’re eating Thai food and it’s bland, it’s not done well. »

From pad thai to larb gai, the menu features a mix of signature dishes and more traditional favorites, some of which feature unique twists influenced by the staff’s experiences across the country.

Entrance fees range from $13 to $19.

The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday to Sunday and is closed on Mondays.

For more information, visit SummitThaiCO.com.

This story appeared in the Best of Summit 2023 Winners Guide. See full results at SummitDaily.com/best.