Photo by Neidy Gutierrez / SOC Images.
When David Rosario and his husband, Tang Srimanee, opened their business in Guttenberg they knew what they wanted it to be—more than a restaurant that just serves you.
Rosario told Slice of Culture they wanted to know their customers’ names, their favorite dish and, ultimately, be a safe space for everyone. And after 14 years at 7007 Park Avenue, that’s what Lotus Thai Cuisine has turned into: a place for locals to enjoy food and connect with one another through events.
“I love serving the community and I love speaking with everybody. That’s the most important thing. Often in a lot of restaurants, you go and you sit, you see your menu, they come [and] they serve you… We kind of know everybody. We know their names. We even know what they ate the last time,” Rosario told Slice of Culture.
“… Me and my husband opened the restaurant together, and that therefore we’re fully LGBTQ-owned. And we strive to find a safe place for all people. It’s not just LGBTQ, everybody’s welcome here. [It’s] a safe place [where] you can come in and just enjoy yourself and relax.”
Restaurant + Entertainment + Events = Lotus Thai
In his previous career, Rosario worked as a dancer and was heavily involved in entertainment and events. He worked in Japan for about 15 years, teaching and performing around the world, before transitioning to drag, which is where he now expresses himself in his character, Vebeka.
Because of his past career, he and his partner decided to open a restaurant where the space can also be used as an event and entertainment hub. And the choice of food comes from Srimanee, who is of Thai background and is “the one that brings to the table all of the fresh and unique food dishes,” said Rosario, who is Puerto Rican and Irish.
During that point, they had the idea of the business and what type of food they wanted to offer. Now they needed a name.
“Lotus” is the nickname of Srimanee’s mother, who originally created the restaurant’s menu. Rosario said after learning that was her name, the couple decided to name it after her, which created “Lotus Thai.”
He smiled, “[I think she felt] excited.”
Next was going for a liquor license, but after signing their lease, they learned they couldn’t get that. Instead, the restaurant is BYOB.
“So we made a decision, ‘Is this about liquor or is this about the quality of food?’” Rosario added. “And we chose the quality of food, and that’s what we’ve been [inspired] to create: the best dishes that we can create.”
Best Thai Restaurant In New Jersey
And it seems that Rosario and Srimanee did just that.
In November 2022, Lotus Thai was recognized as the best Thai restaurant in the state by Eat This, Not That!, an online publication that’s nationally recognized as the “leading authority” in food, nutrition and health. They praised the Guttenberg spot for the “freshest and finest” ingredients.
And some of those “freshest and finest” ingredients can be found right in the backyard of the restaurant.
Walking along the vibrant Park Avenue, customers are immediately greeted with greenery and a pride flag as they approach Lotus Thai. Upon entering, you may notice there’s not a specific theme—black, white and brown pelt seat covers; a green wall on one side and a brick interior on the other; hanging white flowers (which Rosario designed himself); and a red chandelier dangling in the center—yet the aesthetic somehow comes together.
“I oversee everything [in the design] and it starts out with a palette of olive green [and] earthy mossy colors, and it just kind of morphs through the seasons,” Rosario said. “Every year is different. I have no idea what will happen next year.”
Making way to the backyard, customers will see the restaurant’s green space, which expands with each step they take outside. Outdoor furniture is intentionally placed just outside of the patio that holds extra seating; the decor somewhat matches the inside of the restaurant, but holds a vibe of its own. A ramp, that’s painted with lotus flowers and tree frogs (or maybe coquis), provides more accessibility to the patio.
Sprinkled around the backyard is where you can find their ingredients: lemongrass, cucumbers, tomatoes and chili peppers, to name a few.
These ingredients can be found in dishes like Tom Yum, shrimp in spicy hot and sour lemongrass soup; sauteed Sweet and Sour dish; and Chili Jam Fried Rice. As for a customer favorite, Rosario said the Bangkok Chicken is one of their “famous” dishes.
“You will not get that anywhere at all,” he said. “All of our duck dishes, Pad Thai Duck, Crispy Duck Basil are exquisite dishes. If you’ve never ventured into duck, this is the place to do it. It is the best duck around anywhere.”
‘Enjoy An Experience’
Visiting Lotus Thai on an early weekday, you might not see much going on. But as you eat inside and look up at the TV hung right beside the door, you won’t see pictures of food—instead, you’ll see smiling customers, ranging from two people to big groups, sitting where you might be at.
“When you come in, if it’s not busy, you’ll realize suddenly that it is busy. You just gotta come in at the right time,” Rosario laughed.
Rosario was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia and had moved to the area in 1985 to pursue his career in dancing. Now, living in North Hudson and owning his restaurant in Guttenberg, he told Slice of Culture that he really likes living here.
From the food to the decor and events, Rosario and Srimanee try to help their community feel the same sentiment.
Lotus Thai has been hosting a number of events, especially within the last five years where they’ve partnered with The Hudson Pride Center, which featured a DJ, drag performances and complimentary drinks.
Every Thursday night from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., you can find their resident DJ, DJ J. Florez whip up party beats.
“It allows people to get out and come to a place like [here] to enjoy an experience,” Rosario said.
Lotus Thai’s next big event will be their Halloween Ball, which is to be announced on their social media platforms.
