(Image: Fern)

A space born in a brief era on Capitol Hill when bigger was better will finally go back into motion next month with a new restaurant at 10th and Union.

Fern Thai is expanding from its Bellevue Main Street original and taking over the large space left empty when Capitol Hill Thai concept Soi went dark during the pandemic.

Fern Thai says it plans to be open on Capitol Hill in September.

Husband and wife restaurateurs Gabe Wiborg and Yuie Helseth Soi were the first to grace the restaurant space, opening with a northeastern Thai-flavored menu and cocktails in the expansive Broadstone Infinity building in August of 2015. After finding success with their first restaurant venture in Kent Thai concern Banyan Tree, the couple were joining the booming Capitol Hill food and drink scene.

Soi in 2015 (Image: CHS)

The summer 2015 opening was one of a string of major food and drink complexes to debut that year as developers rode the hot Capitol Hill market hard and required owners to take on multiple concepts to fill up enormous commercial spaces boosted even further by generous preservation bonuses.

Renee Erickson’s three-pronged landing on Capitol Hill —Boat Bar, Bateau, and General Porpoise Doughnuts — was part of that super-sized generation and debuted later that year just up the street.

A year earlier, Trove debuted on E Pike trying to carry multiple concepts including Korean BBQ, noodles, an ice cream counter, and a bar. The pared down Meet now carries on at that corner.

Like Meet, Fern Thai and owner Sudarat Tiacharoenwat will bring a simpler approach that echoes with the flavors of the original tenant on its menu of Thai classics including Pad Thai, Tom Yum, Pad Kra Pao, and curry dishes.

Soi, meanwhile, stumbled during the pandemic and remained closed. It lives on with a location in Kirkland still operating. The original owners have moved on and the restaurant has new ownership.

The Fern Thai Eatery and Bar is planned to open soon at 1400 10th Ave. Learn more at facebook.com/FernCapHill.

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