A dream they could not put down
Ken T. came to America to study, with a dream he could not put down: one day he would open a restaurant of his own.
He took the long way there. Years of working in kitchens, managing dining rooms, learning the business from every angle. And of course applying his secret family recipe.
In 2003, the story of On Rice really begins in Bellingham.
Ken came up to visit and fell in love with the town: the pace of it, the people, the way it felt like somewhere that could be home. A few weeks after OnRice opened he was at the post office, he overheard a small conversation. Where should we have lunch? People named places, traded recommendations. Not one of them mentioned his.
He drove back and told his wife, “I will make On Rice successful here.”
Built from day one for the students and families he most wanted to serve. Real Thai food, made with care, at prices they could actually afford. That was the promise.
Two decades later, OnRice is a staple in this town. Ken stands behind every plate that leaves the kitchen, and the mission has not changed since the day he made it: good food, fair prices, for the community that made all of this possible.
"Rooted in the community, guided by tradition"
On Rice Thai Cuisine -- Est. 2003
Serving Bellingham for over two decades.
Traditional recipes refined over a generation.
Not a chain. Not a franchise. A real restaurant.
