Yaowarat
Completed:
2023
Roles:
︎ Brand Strategy
︎ Logo & Identity Design
︎ Collateral & Signage
︎ Interior Design
︎ Custom Dishware
︎ Art Story
︎ Social Media Assets
Collaborators:
︎︎︎ Katherine Garber, interiors
︎︎︎ Danridge Geiger, contractor
︎︎︎ Nui Sitthisak, contractor
︎︎︎
Megan Goldstein, contractor
︎︎︎ House of Vonne, upholstery
Bringing Bangkok-style Chinese food to Portland, OR. Yaowarat is the latest concept of Earl Ninsom, a chef and restauranteur known for introducing Portlanders to hyper-regional Thai food. Ninsom grew up in Bangkok eating the distinct Chinese-Thai cuisine that has been honed in Bangkok’s Chinatown, Yaowarat. He partnered with long-time Portland big hitters—Eric Nelson (Phuket Cafe, Eem), Sam Smith (Tusk, Sweedeedee), and Kyle Linden Webster (Expatriate)—to make it happen.
Press:
︎ NYT’s Favorite 50 Restaurants in the US
︎ Portland Monthly’s Restaurant of the Year
︎ Yaowarat Brings Bangkok’s Chinatown to Portland
︎ Portland’s 10 Best Restaurants of 2023
Concept
The restaurant pays homage to the dense and layered neighborhood upon which it’s based—Yaowarat, Bangkok. To develop an understanding of the hyper-region-specific menu and culture, our team embarked on a research trip to Bangkok. Through discovery in the neighborhood, we knew the space needed to harness the vibrant energy of Yaowarat Road. It’s a lively tourist destination rich with vendors, the scents of street food, crowds of people in wonderment, and endless bright signage.
Brand Identity
We were tasked with developing a brand that transported diners to the sensory-rich neighborhood. Inspired by the dense signage and colors seen in the Yaowarat neighborhood, we set the brand in an electric, primary-based color palette, paired with text-heavy lockups set in Thai, Chinese, and English.
We designed a bootleg Shell Shuan Shim sign (like Bangkok’s version of a Michelin award) and modeled our main sign off the huge vertical signage found on Yaowarat road.
Interior Design
In true Bangkok fashion, we kept the existing elements of the previous restaurant and layered on top. On the bar side, we painted every surface an intense red, then added patterned wallpaper and art we had sourced from vintage malls in Bangkok. The dining side is calmer, with a cloud of glowing hand-made lanterns floating overhead. The bathrooms offer a special surprise, one not to be missed in person.
We had great fun sourcing everything we could (between stuffing our faces every 2 hours) while in Bangkok, including lanterns, fabric, and all the art in the space.
