YUI, a Returning Thai Restaurant, Opens in 2026 in Portland

Good news: YUI, the celebrated Thai restaurant from Chalunthorn “Yui” Schaeffer, is reopening in the new year. They will occupy the space that Musashi’s Sushi and Teriyaki Grill held for about five years on SE Belmont. I had heard so many wonderful things about Yui’s work in the past, that I wanted to have a chat to find out more about this next phase in restaurants for her. Here is what I learned.

Previously on YUI—a Timeline

I first knew of the restaurant Yui when it was located on NE 30th Avenue in the Concordia Neighborhood. It was at 5519 NE 30th Avenue, the northernmost storefront of that building. I believe that and the space next door was combined to make Teote Tavern, which is now Pleasure Mountain.

She originally opened there in August 2020, subleasing it from Dayna McErlean when she decided to close DOC (and Yakuza, where Yui was cooking) in this location. This was the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, so she offered takeout during lockdown. She reopened in March 2022 for dine-in service.

Yui closed in July 2023, took a break, and later did a series of pop-ups at Bonne Chance on NE Alberta. It looks like she did her last meal there last June.

Yui Herself

Yui started to develop her culinary skills while growing up in Thailand, with family recipes that she learned from her mother and grandmother. Before moving to Portland in 2017, she worked in sales and marketing for a four-star hotel in Thailand. In New York, she worked with top-tier restaurants, including a one Michelin-star Japanese restaurant, Sushi of Gari, and restaurants connected to three Michelin-star chef Masa Takayama, such as Bar Masa, as well as Morimoto at Chelsea Market, which is recognized among the world’s top restaurants.

“Working in these high-level restaurants inspired me to elevate Thai cuisine,” said Yui. “I observed how chefs work, how deeply they care about quality, and how much attention they give to every detail. That experience shaped my belief that if I were to open my own restaurant, the food must not only taste amazing but also look beautiful, use fresh ingredients, and thoughtfully combine local ingredients available here—while still honoring authentic Thai flavors, not just recreating what we ate in Thailand.”

Additionally, she has a bachelor’s degree in management and hospitality.

Willamette Week wrote a restaurant review of Yui back in 2022 and wrote about the origin of the name of the restaurant, which is no surprise that it is connected to Yui: “The business’s moniker comes from a Thai nickname meaning ‘chubby cheeks, given at birth to owner, manager, host, server, bartender and busser Chalunthorn Schaeffer by her mother ‘Mama’ Ta Triamchainon, who runs the entire kitchen. This restaurant is these two women.”

Yui shared some praise for her mom: “I am not a chef, but I am incredibly fortunate to have my mother as my private chef. She has always been the heart of YUI’s food. This time, I am committed to learning even more from her and ensuring that anyone who cooks at YUI prepares the food exactly the way Mama Ta does—or the way I do.”

The Lease and the Closure

In March 2023, Yui reached out to the landlord to ask if she had the option to renew the lease, and what the monthly cost would be. “They were aware and seemed happy to let me renew, but it took months to hear back from either the landlord or management,” said Yui.

So, about three months later in June 2023, the landlord got back to her, who said she had heard that Yui was no longer interested in renewing the lease past its expiration in the fall. By then, Teote had approached and expressed interest in the space.

“At that point, I was going through a mental breakdown and worried that the lease might increase and that I wouldn’t be able to afford it,” said Yui. “I didn’t have clear information about the renewal terms.” In the end, Yui decided to not renew the lease.

She felt mentally and physically spent. “At that time, I was standing in negative thoughts, and very drained” she said. She still regrets having to close the restaurant. “It turned out to be a terrible mistake,” she said.

The Next Step at the Time: Pop-Ups

“When I closed, everybody reached out to me about my food,” she said. It was clear that many of her fans were going to miss her food. Her mom didn’t understand the closure at first, either.

She decided to give pop-ups a try and looked for a place to regroup and get back to cooking—that would become Bonne Chance where they did “Tasty Tuesdays” showcasing Yui’s food. This helped boost her sense of confidence and pride—and it was clear that people still enjoyed her food.

“It gave me energy!” she exclaimed. Her new landlord is happy that she’s moving in, too.

The New YUI

She has been looking for a new space over the past year—and she saw a bunch of them. A series of rejections met her during this process, but happily, the Musashi space on Belmont worked out.

“I reached out and gave a proposal to the landlord, and finally they gave me a very good opportunity,” Yui explained. “So I took the risk and signed a lease.” She gathered all the money she had access to and put it into this project. She has regained the energy to open a new restaurant and it feels good.

The Space and Menu

She says the space is bigger than her last location NE 30th Avenue, which is understandable—that place seemed petite. “We have more equipment, so I can bring out more my family’s food to serve the people, but it’s still going to be the same concept.” There are about 50 seats in the new restaurant.

She says that the menu is not going to be the “whirlwind” like she’s seen at a lot of Thai restaurants you’d encounter. “We will try to find a good balance with the bold flavors that I and my mom like to eat. We think that this is good to serve the people in Portland.”

You’ll find less in the way of standards on Yui’s menu. “When I had a restaurant, I had a lot of really good feedback from people,” she said. “They said that my food is really close to when they eat in Thailand. I mean, the way that my mom makes it is, ‘If it’s not like the way that we eat in Thailand, we don’t make it.'”

She also recognizes there are already a lot of Thai restaurants in Portland. So why open yet another Thai spot? “I’m not here to take the people out, but I am here to be another choice for the people. People have a different palate. People have a different style. If you love our food, and we make you guys happy, that’s good.”

Details on the Food at YUI

I wondered if she will bring back things that were really popular on her previous menu. “Yes, of course!” she exclaimed. But they will also offer some seasonal specials that were not part of the old menu. The menu will also be a little bit larger than her previous one, “but not by much.”

“We’ll bring back the food that we used to be serving during the old restaurant—and we added new stuff,” she said.

Northern Thai Specials

“In January, our specials are going to be about Northern Thai food,” she explained. “We’ll serve Khao Soi, which we did during the pop-up. And we’re going to bring another noodle soup, which is a combination of the Thai style and Burmese style, mixed together.”

That would be Khanom Chin Nam Ngiao: Rice vermicelli served in a rich pork and tomato broth, topped with pork ribs, ground pork, pork blood, bean sprouts, tomatoes, dried chili, fresh herbs, and pickled cabbage. She says, “This is the most beloved northern Thai dish in northern Thailand.” It has influences from Myanmar (Burma) and Yunnan province in southern China.

She added, “You know, some Thai restaurants serve this dish, but not many. And the way that my mom makes it is so flavorful. So we want to see if people really like it.”

Boat Noodle Soup, Curry, Dumplings, and More

They will also serve boat noodle soup, made with a broth they make in-house. “The boat noodle soup has a very rich-flavored broth of beef. It makes a big difference that it’s made here. The noodles are similar to pho noodles, too.”

Also look for Massaman curry (with roti), and Kraprao Wagyu Beef (Thom Hilton called it a “notable signature dish” in his 2022 review).

One of Yui’s personal favorites is the shumai, dumplings made with pork, shrimp, yams, and carrots in wonton wrappers. Her mom makes them like the ones she eats in Thailand, and Yui says this style is hard to find in the U.S.

They are also offering Sakoo. These are tapioca dumplings with sweet radish, peanuts, shallots, palm sugar, and soy sauce. “I am the first one to bring Sakoo to the people to try,” she said. “So when people like it, I like it!”

She also says that the Panang curry (Panang curry paste in coconut milk, bell peppers, lime leaves, basil, served with riceberry) is a traditional approach, how they make it in Thailand. “It’s very flavorful—it has a lot of flavor from the lime leaf.”

Just looking at the menu, a couple things stand out for me: Tom Zab Nua soup: “Braised beef in lemongrass galanga broth dried chilli, red onion top with herbs” and Khao Tod Nam Klook: A salad made with seasoned crispy rice, egg, minced pork, sour pork, shredded coconut, lemongrass, Thai chili, cilantro, scallions, peanuts, shallots tossed in a housemade dressing. Served with red lettuce.” This dish can be made vegetarian, too.

Riceberry

I mentioned “riceberry” above, which is “a nutritious, dark purple whole-grain rice developed in Thailand by crossing black jasmine rice with another jasmine variety, known for its high antioxidant content, nutty flavor, and soft texture, blending the benefits of brown rice with the ease of cooking.” It’s considered a “superfood.”

Dietary Issues

There some vegan options on the lunch menu, served as a set of four dishes. On the main menu there are some vegan and vegetarian options. There are gluten-free options; allium allergies, onion intolerances, and cilantro issues (due to a genetic variation, some people think it tastes like soap) can also be accommodated. Bean sprouts can be left off.

What’s Special About YUI

I often ask what sets a restaurant apart from their peers, and Yui responded to that question with, “Well, the only thing that we can offer is the taste. The taste and then the quality of the food. We try to use fresh product and then make the taste with bold flavor, as close as that in Thailand.”

She added, “I’m very excited to bring my food back to Portland. I’ve missed serving and seeing people’s happy faces. I truly believe good food can heal a hard day. And one thing I focus on a lot is consistency—making sure every dish tastes the same and is made with the same love.”

Opening YUI

Their opening day is slated for Friday, January 2. They still need to go through some inspections and such, but that’s on track.

Wishing Yui and her team all the best as they prepare to open in January!

YUI [opening January 2, 2026]
4246 SE Belmont Street, #2, Portland
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Updated December 17, 2025 to further clarify the lease/closure timeline and expand of Yui’s background in food and hospitality.
Updated December 19, 2025 to add photo credit of Hayley Estep to some images.