If you think Thai food is about small places serving $7 plates of noodles then the Bang Bar is likely to come as a complete paradigm shift.

Set for a soft open in the West Seattle Junction Friday June 10 with the grand opening a week later on June 17, the new restaurant at 4750 California Ave. s.w. is presenting an Asian Fusion style they call "Modern Thai" in which every dish is literally a work of art.

The name “Bang Bar” (pronounced “bahng”) means a town, city, district, or province in Thai.

Kay Fuengarom and Aom Tiacharoenwat are the owners and the Bang Bar will be the third restaurant they have opened in the Northwest. One is in Everett, called Zab Thai Cuisine, open since 2007 and another in Northgate called Chaiyo Thai Cuisine, has been open since 1993. The Manager at the Bang Bar is Michael Anthony Pascua.

Their approach to the meals they will serve is meant to bring an upscale ideal to Thai food with elegant, artistic presentation, using very high quality ingredients to differentiate it from conventional Thai food restaurants.

The key to that is their Executive Chef Jahn who learned to cook when she was a very young child in Bangkok, and went on to open her own restaurant in Bangkok. Later she studied under the training of Executive Chef Norbert Kostner in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

She had the desire to learn about other cuisines around the world and over the next few years would not only cook in many countries but teach Thai cooking to restaurant owners.

She said the way she thinks about meals she serves is, "First is the smell, second is the look, and then the taste."

She has been to Switzerland, Belgium, France, Germany, Austria and Italy to learn their cooking styles and teach her own. Her food has won many awards in the process.

Jahn came to the United States in 2005.

Everything in the Bang Bar is made from scratch, and is fresh, locally sourced and as often as possible, organic. Virtually nothing comes from a can. That, and the approach to the presentation Chef Jahn takes makes the dining experience "like a five star hotel," said Feungarom. Holly Basil, lime leaves, and other spices, such as chilies and curry are all imported from Thailand. They will offer homemade ice cream and other desserts.

The ladies each have their own favorite dish. Tiacharoenwat favors the Beef Short Ribs in Massaman Curry, Fuengarom likes the Pan Seared Scallops which she described as very large but tender, and Chef Jahn favors the King Crab Soup with a secret chili paste she makes from three chilies (the soup is a rich coconut type). The full menu can be found here.

The price range is reasonable. Appetizers range from $7 to $16.

Dinner will be priced from $12 for Pad See Ew Beef, Chinese broccoli, egg, back soy sauce up to $26 for Thai Beef - New York Steak, red peppers, caramelized onion, Chili confit & chalfonte cognac sauce.

The menu also features poultry, seafood and Spa (or healthy) choices such as the $14 Vegetable Compote - garlic with mushroom soy sauce.

Lunch will be similar to some Japanese restaurants in that it will be presented in a box. So for example you will find Bang Bar Lunch Box for $12 with Pad Thai, Papaya salad, chicken BBQ.

Throughout the menu are 20 types of special rice, and more than 60 sauces.

The Bang Bar has that name at least in part because the bar itself is special. They have equipped it with computer controlled illuminated panels that will change color frequently. To drink, visitors will find an array of 15 different $5 martinis and several specialty drinks including the Tom Yum Cosmo made with Kaffir Lime Leaves, lemongrass, and lime juice.

Happy Hours are from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm and from 10:00 to close. The Bang Bar will be open from 11:00 am to Midnight Sunday through Thursday and from 11:00 am to 2:00 am Friday and Saturday.

Visit them on the web at www.bangbarthai.com and by phone at 206-935-8888.