New restaurant: Not your ordinary Thai restaurant serves crepes, ramen and poke bowls

Cheryl Smith, Treasure Coast Newspapers
·5 min read

What's the name of the new restaurant in Fort Pierce?

Happy Garden Cafe

Where is Happy Garden Cafe?

109 S. Second St., Fort Pierce, in between Rosslow's and the Sunrise Theatre

What kind of restaurant is Happy Garden Cafe?

Authentic food from Northeast Thailand — a region and style called esan, isan or issan, which means "northeast" — combines sweet, sour, spicy and other notes. The menu includes crepes, ramen, poke bowls and an assortment of Thai coffee and tea (milk, boba and fruit). Larb and grilled rice are featured.

There's a variety of seating areas, including tables, a lounge with a faux fireplace, and a bar running along the front window, which offers a panoramic view of Second Street that's great for people-watching.

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Happy Garden, next to the Sunrise Theatre in downtown Fort Pierce, serves Thai fusion in a trendy, relaxing atmosphere.
Happy Garden, next to the Sunrise Theatre in downtown Fort Pierce, serves Thai fusion in a trendy, relaxing atmosphere.

Who owns Happy Garden Cafe?

Chef Saw Myat and Jirawan "J.J." Butsadee co-own the restaurant. Some of the crew came from Wasabi Thai Sushi around the corner. Butsadee, who lives in Vero Beach, hails from Udon Thani, Thailand. Her husband, Khon, is a carpenter who made all the wood tables and seating areas, and helped with the trendy decor.

They wanted to create something unique in downtown Fort Pierce, a place with a special atmosphere where people could come to relax and have some tea, maybe socialize and enjoy a meal. Butsadee said she eventually wants to create an area where kids can play and perform.

What's on the Happy Garden Cafe menu?

BREAKFAST

  • Coconut waffles: Fresh baked coconut waffles with strawberries, blueberries and banana topped with powdered sugar and whipped cream ($12.95)

  • Egg On The Pan: 2 eggs, ground chicken, grilled shrimp, steamed carrot, steamed broccoli, sausage, slice of bread, topped with fried garlic, scallions and cilantro ($11.95)

  • Khao Tom: Tradtional Thai boiled jasmine rice soup served with boiled egg, shrimp, chicken, topped with scallion and fresh ginger, and a slice of bread ($11.95)

SWEET CREPES ($15.95)

  • Happy Garden Lover: strawberry, banana, blueberries, whipped cream, honey-caramel sauce

  • Nutty Banana: banana, walnuts, almonds, Nutella, whipped cream, chocolate sauce

  • Strawberry Lava: strawberry, banana, caramel, whipped cream, strawberry sauce

  • Happy Crackers: Graham crackers, sweet coconut, banana, whipped cream, caramel and chocolate sauce

  • Banana Split: banana, walnuts, chocolate and vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, caramel sauce, strawberry sauce and chocolate sauce

Nutty Banana crepe at Happy Garden, next to the Sunrise Theatre in downtown Fort Pierce.
Nutty Banana crepe at Happy Garden, next to the Sunrise Theatre in downtown Fort Pierce.

SAVORY CREPES ($15.95)

  • Lemon Grass Chicken: stir fried chicken breast marinated in lemongrass spices, spinach, chili paste, crispy onions, Thai bang bang sauce

  • Garden Krab Lover: spicy krab, avocado, cheddar cheese, spicy mayo, masago

  • Garden Roasted: roasted pork, bean sprouts, spicy seaweed, spicy mayo, sesame seeds

  • Spicy Garden Fish: spicy tuna/salmon, seaweed salad, mayo, avocado, spicy mayo, crispy onion

  • Garden Ham: ham, mozzarella, spinach, mustard, scallion, fried onion

APPETIZERS

  • Boa Buns: Asian steamed buns with choice of one filling and topped with scallions and cilantro ($6.95)

  • Eda Chili Garlic: shelled edamame sauteed and tossed in house garlic and sweet chili sauce ($8.95)

  • Chicken Curry Puff: ground chicken, sweet potato, curry powder ($12.95)

  • Coconut Shrimp: Ebi shrimp, house made batter, shredded coconut flake, sweet chili ($14.95)

  • Aburi Poke Tart: spicy tuna, spicy salmon, avocado, scallion, sesame seeds, Japanese dressing ($12.95)

  • Garden Dip: spicy krab, cucumber, avocado, sushi rice, taro chips ($9.95)

  • Takoyaki: octopus fritter, Japanese BBQ sauce, mayo ($11.95)

  • Garden Rolls: rice paper wrap, crispy tofu, lettuce, cucumber, carrot, mint, cabbage, basil, sesame dressing ($9.95)

  • House Dumplings: steamed chicken dumplings, house special sauce

SALADS

  • Happy Garden: egg, cucumber, tomatoes, carrot, lettuce, spring mix, seaweed salad ($6.95)

  • Seaweed: $6.95

  • Spicy Seaweed: $7.95

SPECIALS

  • Garden Larb: Traditional Thai chicken larb, iceberg lettuce, garden veggies, steamed white rice ($22.95)

  • Miso Baked Salmon: 7 ounce Norwegian salmon filet, marinated, yuzu-miso reduction, brown rice onigiri, honey glazed carrots, grilled asparagus ($23.95)

  • Red Roast Pork: marinated, slow-roasted pork, steamed white rice, garden veggies ($23.95)

Roast pork wonton ramen at Happy Garden, next to the Sunrise Theatre in downtown Fort Pierce.
Roast pork wonton ramen at Happy Garden, next to the Sunrise Theatre in downtown Fort Pierce.

RAMEN

  • Tonkotsu: 12-hour slow-cooked pork broth, char siu pork belly, kikurage mushroom, soft-boiled egg, menma (bamboo), scallions, nori ($17.95)

  • Miso: miso broth, marinated and seasoned ground pork, corn, soft-boiled egg, bean sprouts, scallions, nori ($17.95)

  • Spicy Miso: spicy miso broth, chashu pork belly, soft-boiled egg, corn, bean sprouts, scallions, nori ($17.95)

  • Shoyu: Lite soy broth, char siu pork belly, fish cake, soft-boiled egg, scallions, bean sprouts, nori ($18.95)

  • NY Steak: beef broth, grilled New York steak slices, corn, soft-boiled egg, shitake mushrooms, cilantro, scallions, crispy onions ($17.95)

  • Roast Pork Wonton: daily homemade wonton, roast pork, bokchoy, soft-boiled egg, cilantro, scallions, crispy garlic, crispy wontons ($17.95)

  • Tantanmen: marinated and seasoned ground beef, kikurage mushrooms, soft-boiled egg, corn, scallions, nori ($17.95)

  • Vegetarian: vegetable broth, crispy tofu, bokchoy, kikurage mushrooms, soft-boiled egg, corn, menma, scallions, nori ($17.95)

  • Roasted Pork: clear broth, roasted pork, bokchoy, bean sprouts, soft-boiled egg, crispy garlic, scallions ($20.95)

  • Thai Spicy Seafood: lemongrass broth, shrimp, squid, scallops, mussels, mushroom, tomatoes, cilantro ($20.95)

POKE ($18.95, all served with miso soup)

  • Build your own: Choose 1 base, 2 meats, 3 veggies, 2 sauces, 2 toppings ($18.95)

  • Classic: tuna, salmon, edamame, pineapple, watermelon radish, seaweed salad, ikura, nori, cream cheese, spicy mayo, eel sauce

  • Gangnam: yakitori chicken, grilled shrimp roasted corn, watermelon radish, avocado, crispy onion, crispy wonton, spicy mayo, ponzu

  • Hurricane: spicy salmon, spicy tuna, pineapple, cucumber, red onion, fresh jalapeno, spicy seaweed salad, wasabi tobiko, nori, spicy mayo, miso

  • VIP: sesame, tuna, cucumber, avocado, red onion, cilantro, red tobiko, wasabi tobiko, spicy mayo, wasabi dressing

  • Veggie Lover: crispy tofu, roasted corn, watermelon radish, pickled carrots, avocado, crispy onion, power seed mix, sesame dressing, sweet chili

DESSERTS

  • Matcha affogato: $6.95

  • Affogato: $6.95

  • Rainbow Thai glutinous rice balls: $6.95

  • Coconut sticky rice with ice cream and coconut sauce: $8.95

  • Banana split: vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream, fresh bananas, chocolate and caramel sauce, almonds, cherry and whipped cream ($8.95)

  • Yuzu cheesecake: $8.95

  • Ube cheesecake: $8.95

  • Taro puff: $8.95

When did Happy Garden Cafe open?

Saturday, July 20, 2024

What are Happy Garden Cafe's hours?

7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily, with the menu changing from breakfast to lunch/dinner at 11 a.m.

What are Happy Garden Cafe's phone number, website and social media?

772-241-9260 and website

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: New restaurant: Happy Garden, Fort Pierce has crepes, ramen, poke bowls

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