Simply Asia | Pavilion S Cntr Spine Rd, Westville 3630, KwaZulu-Natal

Five years after his arrival in South Africa, Thai national Chai Lekcharoensuk walked into a Thai restaurant in Johannesburg to sample the local take on Thai cuisine. Disappointed with the meal, which hardly tasted like real Thai food, he became inspired to introduce South Africa to a more upmarket take on Thai dining, opening the first Wang Thai restaurant on Cape Towns Foreshore in 1993.Wang Thais combination of sophisticated elegance, Thai chefs and delicate spicy food was a hit with locals and tourists alike, and following the success of the Wang Thai chain, Mr Chai saw the opportunity to open a second, more mainstream Thai restaurant chain which would combine the authenticity and flavour of Wang Thai with the convenience and simplicity of a European noodle bar.