Dining With Denise Neil

An ‘express’ version of this popular Rock Road restaurant will open on the west side

Tuptim Thai on North Rock Road is opening a west-side express location, and pad Thai will be on the menu.
Tuptim Thai on North Rock Road is opening a west-side express location, and pad Thai will be on the menu.

A Thai restaurant that has been operating in east Wichita for six years is preparing to expand to the west side.

Tuptim Thai, which opened at 2121 N. Rock Road in October 2018, is opening an “express” version of the restaurant in the space at 1317 N. Maize Road that was just vacated by No. 1 Kitchen.

Tuptim Thai Express is taking over the former No. 1 Kitchen space at 13th and Maize Road.
Tuptim Thai Express is taking over the former No. 1 Kitchen space at 13th and Maize Road. Courtesy

The restaurant will be called Tuptim Thai Express, said co-owner Johnny Chandra, and he’s hoping to have it open by the end of the month.

The new restaurant will have a smaller menu than the Rock Road location, Chandra said, but it will include favorites like pad thai, pad see ew, tom yum and tom kha soups and fried rice. People will order their food at the counter, and the dining room will have two or three tables if they choose to stay to eat, he said.

Tuptim Thai opened at 2121 N. Rock road in 2018.
Tuptim Thai opened at 2121 N. Rock road in 2018. Courtesy Nancy Shih

The owners are making the move, he said, because the west side is pretty limited on Thai food options.

“We’re just trying to expand to the west side,” Chandra said. “There was an opportunity. “

Nancy Shih of Re/Max handled the deal.

No. 1 Kitchen, a quick-service Chinese restaurant, has operated since late 2011 out of the space, which is in a strip center at 13th and Maize Road.

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This story was originally published July 1, 2024 at 11:46 AM.

Denise Neil
The Wichita Eagle
Denise Neil has covered restaurants and entertainment since 1997. Her Dining with Denise Facebook page is the go-to place for diners to get information about local restaurants. She’s a regular judge at local food competitions and speaks to groups all over Wichita about dining.
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