In Business: New Thai-American Fusion Restaurant Opening in Downtown Bemidji

The 4th Street Lodge in downtown Bemidji is nearing its official opening date after months of renovations. Formerly the Elks Lodge, the building was sold and renovated into a hotel and event venue, along with a Thai-American fusion restaurant opening within the month known as the Blue Oyster.

Downtown Bemidji may already have a Thai restaurant, but Tara Thai owner Keng Dechawuth wanted something new.

“I had an idea of doing something of my origin,” he explained. “Thai cuisine is not limited to just pad Thai or noodles. We have something else that we want to offer, and it’s going well together with other cuisine. So this one would be like combining all these cultures together.”

The Blue Oyster is named after a specific type of mushroom that they use in some dishes. Many of the restaurant’s menu items will contain different types of mushrooms, most of which are grown by Keng himself. After taking an interest in mushrooms a few years ago, he started growing them out of his own basement and then upgraded to a farm in Puposky.

“Then that’s the idea [that comes to me] – I should have the place that I can supply the mushrooms, too,” said Keng. “So I got the idea of having the restaurant that we can use the local grown mushrooms.”

“We have a large variety of mushrooms, specifically pink oyster, blue oyster mushrooms, lion’s mane mushrooms,” said Blue Oyster server and bartender Hannah Mestemacher. “Mushrooms are great for you, they’re super healthy. I think it’s really exciting that we are bringing the knowledge of mushrooms to the Bemidji area.”

One important aspect of the Blue Oyster is to keep everything as local as possible, not only in regards to the food but also with having things like the decor painted by local artists.

“I like the vibe of the Seventies,” Keng said. “I feel like there’s a vibrant color [to] it and it has the charm of old things and new things together. One word that I can think about it and combine all these together is the cultures. So it’s the cuisine, the farm, and the community.”

And on top of having a local focus, the Blue Oyster wanted to be as authentic as possible.

“Our chefs are from Thailand,” explained Mestemacher. “It’s going to be the best Thai food that we can get. And then also, accommodating the American side of things to have a fusion is going to be really exciting.”

Keng is already the owner of several other restaurants, and lives by one simple rule.

“If you make good food, affordable price, and a good service, people will come. And that’s the most exciting moments for me.”

The Blue Oyster is already catering events at the event venue on the third floor of the Lodge, but it is scheduled to open to the public as a full restaurant within the next couple of weeks.