LAKEWOOD — The family owners of the Mae Phim Lakewood Thai Restaurant, at 17020 Twin Lakes Ave., C106, put on a splashy grand opening April 22 with three children all dressed up in traditional clothing played traditional Thai music and a beautiful young lady in glittering gold silks danced a traditional Thai dance.

“They are my nieces,” said Kai, one of three owners, along with Eddie and Jack.

Offering a range of Thai specialties, the new restaurant is the fourth Mae Phim Thai restaurant in the Puget Sound region. The family-owned and operated business started with the Mae Phim Pike Thai Restaurant at 213 Pike St. in downtown Seattle and they opened a branch in Marysville more than a year ago, according to co-owner Kai. It was his niece who played the traditional string instrument during the grand opening celebration, when Marysville Mayor Dennis Kendall and the city’s public information officer Doug Buell assisted in the ribbon cutting.

After the ribbon cutting, visitors were offered lots of tasty morsels, from mini cups of pad thai noodles to the tasty bites of roasted coconut served on a green leaf.

The decor of the new restaurant is elegantly Thai in style with dark red walls, and very tall ceilings with gold accents.

“We are your mobile kitchen,” is the motto. “We cook as you desire.”

The new branch of Mae Phim at Lakewood Crossing is open Monday through Thursday and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and from 3 – 9 p.m. for dinner. On Fridays and Saturdays dinner is served until 10 p.m.