Wilmington Mayor James M. Baker today hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the official grand opening of Wilmington’s newest restaurant: Ubon Thai Cuisine, located in Wilmington’s Riverfront District at 936 Justison Street (on the eastside of the Shipyard Shops facing the Christina River, next to Timothy’s Restaurant). Joining the Mayor were 3rd District Council Member Eric Robinson, Riverfront Development Corporation Executive Director Mike Purzycki and Christine Serio from the Wilmington Renaissance Corporation.

Ubon is owned and operated by the Jeenwong family, who also operate Jeenwong’s in the Riverfront Market. After 10 years in Delaware, and due to heavy demand for more delicious, creative, and unique Thai food, the Jeenwong family decided to expand. The result is Ubon—a stunning new restaurant named after the family’s ancestral home—the Ubon region of Thailand.

According to chef Norrawit (Wit) Milburn, the secret behind their restaurants’ unique flavors come from recipes passed down through generations of family cooks.

“Jeenwong Thai Cuisine restaurants have been family owned and operated for three decades,” said Chef Wit. “We have successfully opened locations in three different cities and have offered our customers exceptional Thai food that has earned many awards, including the recent 2010 Best of Delaware award.  Our family strongly believes in the importance of freshness and quality in our food.  This means we include only the best ingredients in our distinguished Thai cuisine.  Our recipes have been preserved and passed down from grandmother to grandsons and the traditional flavors will stimulate every taste bud.”

Ubon’s unique flavors stem from the creative talents of the Jeenwong family. The menu at Ubon features Chef Wit’s best family recipes, beginning with his grandmother’s famous egg rolls. Ubon also offers spicy soups, flavorful salads, savory rice and noodle dishes, sizzling stir-fry, and delicious curries. For dessert, Ubon is proud to partner with Dana Herbert—owner of Desserts by Dana and winner of TLC’s The Next Great Baker. Diners can enjoy four desserts created exclusively for Ubon by Chef Dana: Thai mango-infused cheesecake; Ubon chocolate ganache; chai tea-infused ganache, and a special “dessert of the week.”

Open for lunch and dinner, Ubon features friendly, attentive service in a modern, upscale environment. In addition to the main dining room, Ubon also welcomes diners to enjoy their luxurious Lotus Lounge & Bar as well as their Mekong Lounge, which offers great view of the Riverfront and city skyline. Ubon is available for corporate events.

Ubon is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.; and Sundays from 12 noon to 9 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.

For more information on Ubon Thai Cuisine, visit www.ubonthaicuisine.com.