Thai restaurant brings whole seafood dishes, sweet treats to Louisville
Growing up in Hawaii, dinners often consisted of my father’s fresh catches. Seeing whole — and sometimes live — lobsters, crabs, octopuses, and fish in our kitchen was nothing out of the ordinary, and things like chicken feet and pigs' heads were readily available at our neighborhood grocery store. Needless to say, seeing food in its complete form never seemed like a big deal to me.
Katherine Aphaivongs-Harrod would say the same. Born and raised in Bangkok, she is the head chef and owner of All Thai’d Up at 4812 Brownsboro Center — and one of her newest dishes features glass noodles with whole, head-on prawns.
I sat down with Aphaivongs-Harrod to talk about authentic Thai cuisine, new menu items, and updates to her bakery offerings. Here’s what you should know.
All Thai'd Up began as a food truck
Aphaivongs-Harrod started All Thai’d Up as a food truck in 2017. A few years later, she opened her first brick-and-mortar space in downtown Louisville, eventually moving to her current spot in Brownsboro Center in 2023. Earlier this year, she made another change, adding a small bakery within the 2,200-square-foot space. Through it all, one thing has remained the same: the core menu items are authentic Thai.
Guests can expect a variety of soups, curries, rice and noodle dishes, and salads made the way Aphaivongs-Harrod enjoyed them while growing up. That means no spice levels — something Aphaivongs-Harrod explains is an American concept — and whole seafood items.
“It’s very popular in Thailand, but I didn’t know how it would go over here,” Aphaivongs-Harrod said of the aforementioned prawn dish. “But as long as we preface that that’s how it’s going to show up, people are OK with it. I think people are finally figuring out that I’m gonna do what I’m gonna do.”
Whole fish equals whole flavor at All Thai'd Up
Like the prawns, specials such as fried fish in fish sauce and lime-steamed fish are served whole. The way these items are presented is clearly noted on the menu and cannot be altered — though that hasn’t stopped guests from asking if the kitchen can remove the prawn tails or filet the fish.
“The whole point of it is the whole fish,” Aphaivongs-Harrod said. “There’s zero waste in Thai Cuisine."
She adds that this zero-waste concept is something she’s slowly incorporating into more menu items. The grilled chicken and sticky rice dish, for example, will soon be served bone-in.
“It makes food taste so much better,” Aphaivongs-Harrod exclaimed.
First-timers will enjoy these comforting Thai classics
For those who don’t feel ready for full prawns or whole fish, there’s a plethora of other items to choose from. For first-timers, Aphaivongs-Harrod suggests the pad see ew, a sweet soy noodle stir-fry. It features large rice noodles, eggs, Chinese broccoli, carrots, and sweet soy sauce with a choice of tofu, chicken, pork, beef, pork belly, shrimp, or crab.
“It’s a unique taste,” she added, “and it’s not as sweet as it sounds.”
A variety of food served at All Thai'd Up restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky.
The ginger curry stir fry is another popular go-to, especially for spice lovers. The dish is made with long beans, red curry paste sauce, kaffir lime leaves, and a choice of protein.
“We also have awesome fried rice,” Aphaivongs-Harrod said. “Thai fried rice is very different from Chinese fried rice, and people are quite impressed with it. I usually get it with crab.”
Fall specials feature a different kind of pumpkin spice
Aphaivongs-Harrod has created a few fall specials, too, including the pumpkin red curry, which gives a whole new meaning to pumpkin spice.
Served with jasmine rice, it's a cozy, creamy, and soothing option for a cold day, and it packs just the right amount of heat. Like the pumpkin and egg stir fry — another fall special — it features chunks of pumpkin.
“People have not had pumpkin in its chunk form,” Aphaivongs-Harrod said. “I think most Americans have it blended into soup or some kind of dessert, but never as a savory dish or in chunks, so I think it’s been a nice alternative.”
Guests can complete the fall feeling with a freshly made glass of apple cider, served warm or cold.
Fresh pastries are back at The Bakery Inside of All Thai'd Up
The Bakery Inside offers a variety of cheesecakes in flavors familiar to the American palate. But like the regular All Thai’d Up offerings, the sugary treats differ slightly from what most Louisvillians might be used to.
“I try to keep everything as natural as possible,” Aphaivongs-Harrod said, adding that she recently used beetroot juice instead of food coloring while whipping up a red velvet cheesecake. “It’s better for your health. Thai food is (about) freshness, so there’s that health consciousness, (and) it’s not overly sweet.”
Caramel apple pie cheesecake at All Thai'd Up restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky.
Seasonal offerings include a pumpkin latte cheesecake, which Aphaivongs-Harrod explains is “literally a latte and cheesecake,” and caramel apple pie cheesecake, which she says several customers have sworn is “the best damn dessert they’ve ever had.”
Cheesecakes — which are available by the slice or as a whole cake when ordered in advance — have been the focus of The Bakery Inside while Aphaivongs-Harrod took a brief break from pastry making to focus on the restaurant and food truck.
But as of last week, she and her team have gotten pastry options back up and running. Guests can now enjoy everything from apple turnovers and chocolate croissants to a variety of danishes starting at 9 a.m., six days a week.
Know a restaurant that would make a great feature? Email writer Lennie Omalza at [email protected] or Lifestyle Editor Kathryn Gregory at [email protected].
All Thai'd Up
WHAT: This is a locally owned restaurant that serves authentic Thai cuisine and features an in-store bakery.
WHERE: 4812 Brownsboro Center
SERVICES: Dine-in, outdoor seating, carryout, and online ordering; Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; closed Tuesday
