HUDSONVILLE, Mich. — For Sawalee Taylor, opening the doors to Thai Landing is about more than serving authentic Thai cuisine. It's the realization of a dream that was put on hold by personal loss, months of construction delays and countless obstacles.
The Thailand native has called the Jenison area home for more than 20 years. She previously owned a successful Thai restaurant in Grand Rapids with her late husband before stepping away from the business to care for him after he was diagnosed with cancer. He died in 2023.
"I still think that cooking is my dream work," Taylor said. "I like to see people smile when they eat my food or when they walk out."
Now, after months of construction setbacks, permit delays and inspections, Taylor is back in the kitchen doing what she loves.
She says reopening a restaurant also fulfills a promise she and her husband shared.
"I think right now he is smiling because we always talked about giving something back to the community," Taylor said.
That commitment extends beyond the food.
Each Christmas, Taylor hosts a "pay what you can" dinner, allowing families to enjoy a meal regardless of what they can afford. She recalled one father who told her he only had two dollars to take his three children out to eat.
"The free-will offering is for everyone," Taylor said.
The donations from those dinners have benefited organizations including David's House and local women's shelters, a tradition she plans to continue through Thai Landing.
"I don't want this restaurant just to sell food," Taylor said. "I want people gathering, smiling and becoming friends."
Customers say that welcoming atmosphere is already making an impression.
"Every owner should do that. Make everybody feel comfortable," customer Thomas Updike said. "That's how you build customer relations."
Others who helped build the restaurant say finally seeing it open has been rewarding.
"Very exciting," David Cruz said. "How it came together from the bottom up, and now it's open finally."
Supporters also say the restaurant brings something unique to the community.
"I believe that it's very important," Roberto Perez said. "That way different cultures blend. They get to experience the different cultures."
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