Smooth as Silk
Silk Thai owner and entrepreneur Warin “Ammy” Jompakdee.
Authentic Thai favorites wrapped with warm hospitality and community connection
By April and Andrew Bartel
Thai food seems to be everywhere these days, taking tables by storm with its reputation for being (potentially) healthy, quick, customizable, competitively priced, and alluringly “exotic” with plenty of familiar ingredients, too. The cuisine incorporates a hallmark zing of sweet, salty, sour, spicy, and umami in just a few bites. Now, it ranks among the top choices for American dining dollars, standing shoulder to shoulder with enduring favorites like Italian, Mexican, and Chinese when folks ask, “What do you want to eat?”
With thousands of restaurants popping up all over the U.S., Hagerstown’s Silk Thai restaurant at 1580 Wesel Boulevard showcases the culture and flavors of Thai food with gracious style. The place is bright and spacious, with understated décor and a full bar. It’s comfortable enough for business luncheons, family meals, casual gatherings, or date night. The menu boasts popular highlights like Pad Thai, crispy duck, fried bean curd, drunken noodles, and a variety of curries.
Food is artfully arranged at Silk Thai.
Heartfelt Hospitality
We caught up with the owner, Warin “Ammy” Jompakdee, a serial entrepreneur, world traveler, and recent immigrant. Bubbly and outgoing, she’s quick with a smile to make customers feel right at home. Born in Chiang Mai, the historic capital of the Lanna Thai kingdom, her background includes running a family restaurant, an antique shop, and an inn in Thailand, as well as working at J. Walter Thompson in their tourism marketing department. She also served as a cabin crew member for Japan Airlines, eventually becoming a trainer for other employees.
“My father inspired my move to America,” says Jompakdee, who came here in September 2023. “He was an exchange student in Ohio and had a really good experience.”
She evaluated U.S. business opportunities from Oregon to Connecticut before connecting with Silk Thai’s original owner, Mongkhol “TK Chin” Chinsetthagit, through friends on Facebook. He wanted to sell; she wanted a fresh start. The restaurant became the perfect place to merge her hospitality industry skills, entrepreneurial drive, and love for people into one enterprise.
“We made a few changes and additions, like our made-to-order spring rolls,” says Jompakdee, who meticulously reviewed the original menu for authenticity and appeal against her knowledge of regional Thai favorites and family recipes. She lowered the sodium content of some dishes in response to market demand and added more fresh options.
“But most of the recipes are the ones people already know and love,” she says.
Silk Thai has a variety of tasty appetizers.
Spice of Life
Her favorite dish on the menu is Massaman Curry, an exacting and beloved dish from her hometown. Jompakdee explains that Massaman Curry was created for royalty, blending influences from India and Malaysia.
The dish features a deep, complex base that takes several days to prepare. Its flavors pop with coconut milk and palm sugar for sweetness against salty shrimp paste and tangy tamarind.
“The time and effort result in a really intense flavor,” she says.
Curries are usually classified by color, based on the chilies used: red, green, or yellow. Red is typically the spiciest, followed by yellow, which is blended with golden turmeric. Green Curry is popular for its comparatively mild warmth and additions like basil, coriander, and kaffir leaf.
We tried the Panang Curry during an unannounced visit, toned down to the mildest heat setting, and found it luscious and nutty from roasted peanuts and coconut milk. There are savory stir-fries, refreshing salads, and oodles of noodle dishes. Classic Tom Yum soup stands alongside Silk Thai’s version of Vietnamese pho. It’s a generous portion of delicate rice noodles, fresh herbs and vegetables, and long-simmered broth, served with side sauces for personalizing the dish.
We recommend the classic mango sticky rice dessert, with fresh, silky mango slices over steamed, slightly chewy rice, and a drizzle of creamy coconut sauce. For drinks, there’s sweet Thai tea, potent Thai coffee, or boba teas in flavors like melon and taro.
Jompakdee highlights one fan favorite: “Our pad Thai is very authentic. We order dried tamarind and make our own sauce,” she says. They hand-cut meats and veggies, blend seasonings, and make stock from scratch instead of relying on premade ingredients from a distributor.
The Silk Thai kitchen also avoids a common flavor shortcut in America: adding vinegar. “This is not traditional,” she insists. “Making sure everything is the best quality is the number one thing—the way Thai food should be. It’s the attention to detail, the harmony, that makes Thai food what it is.”
Part of the Community
Community spirit is a big part of Thai culture, too, and Jompakdee embodies this. She makes fast friends with customers and has regulars who travel from D.C. to dine with her. As a proud ambassador for her culture, she brings back treats from her trips to Thailand, like handmade scarves and jewelry, as gifts for friends and special guests.
Warin Jompakdee says “Making sure everything is the best quality is the number one thing.”
Chiang Mai has a rich tradition of handcrafts created by its surrounding hill tribes. “I want to support the indigenous people and encourage others to remember the folkways. It honors our history,” she says.
Eventually, she’d like to sell imported goods from native artisans in the restaurant. She sees the exchange as a way to support disadvantaged communities while giving local people an opportunity to personally connect with the beauty of a far-away culture.
Jompakdee finds the idea of a melting pot an appealing analogy for her restaurant. “I want to create an atmosphere where all people are welcome,” she says. “They can have food and enjoy things. It’s not just business. We support each other.”