Sara Rosenthal
Audio By Carbonatix
Platte Street’s renaissance continues with Insee Father Noodles House, which is now open at 1700 Platte Street. Following the recent debuts of Malinche Audiobar and the new location of the Devil’s Drink, the noodle shop is offering guests 30 percent off its entire menu on November 6 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. as a “test kitchen special” ahead of its official grand opening.
A Family Affair
Insee Father Noodles House
The new fast-casual joint comes from the team behind Daughter Thai Kitchen & Bar, which is located right next door. “This menu is for Thai food lovers, it’s the food that Thai locals eat, things you don’t normally see at Thai restaurants in the United States,” says owner Ounjit Hardacre.
Insee borrows its namesake from Hardacre’s father, and is a departure from Daughter Thai’s polished dining experience – but is clearly still related.
“I feel like my dad is always watching me,” Hardacre says with a laugh, referring to the photo of her father hanging on the wall in the new eatery. “He was always very serious, but he was hardworking, and everything he did was for the business. So, Insee, which is my father’s name, is for him. It connects to Daughter Thai – father and daughter, side by side.”
The vibe of the space, which seats around fifty, reflects its all-in-the-family nature. Meant to evoke a homey feel, the restaurant is adorned with nostalgic touches like family photos, a replica of the grocery store sign from Hardacre’s family shop in Kanchanaburi, an eye-catching wall display crafted from traditional woven serving plates, bird cages lining the ceiling, wooden chairs and tables, curated decorative pieces sourced from Thailand, and Thai street signs.
Sara Rosenthal
“I didn’t want it to look too elegant, I wanted it to look like a cozy old house, like the neighborhood where I grew up,” she continues.
A Full Circle Moment
Hardacre first opened Daughter Thai Kitchen & Bar in 2019 with her business partner Dueanphen “Pom” Rungrueang. The elegant Thai joint has earned many accolades, including the Reader’s Choice award for Best Thai Restaurant in Westword’s Best of Denver 2025. It has become a local favorite, known for dishes that intertwine flavors from Hardacre’s hometown of Kanchanaburi in western Thailand with those of Rungrueang’s, who hails from Chiang Mai in northern Thailand.
But the pair first met many years ago in San Francisco, while working at the King of Thai Noodle House off the city’s bustling Powell Street. Between the long hours and nonstop rush, a friendship was forged.
“That was the first restaurant job for both of us in the U.S.,” Hardacre recalls. “We learned everything — how to run a noodle house, how to move fast, how to make people happy. So when we talked about opening another concept, we said, ‘Let’s go back to noodles.’”
At Insee, the two are tapping back into their roots with a menu that pays homage to Thai street food culture. There will be a variety of noodle bowls like Khaosan (tom yum noodles), Silom (chicken noodles), and Siam (pork rib noodles), featuring two broths that will anchor the menu: a light, clear broth and a darker, aromatic one layered with spices. Street rice plates like Khao Man Gai (chicken on garlic ginger rice) and Khao Moo Moo (crispy pork belly with rice) will also be featured.
“Khao man gai, chicken and rice, is a dish that people always eat in Thailand after a night out at the bar,” Hardacre explains as she describes the street food vibe the joint is going for.
Insee Father Noodles House
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There will also be snacks like Thai dumplings, moo tod (fried pork jerky), and octopus salad; sweets like Thai coconut pancake cups for dessert, ice cream, and sticky rice; and beverages like Thai iced tea, Thai iced coffee, and beer.
In contrast to the full-service experience offered at Daughter Thai, Insee will take a more streamlined approach. Customers will be seated by a host, but instead of waiting for a server to take their order, they’ll scan a QR code, order and pay from their phone, and have food and drinks delivered to the table.
“It’s faster and easier for everyone,” Hardacre explains. “People are busy. They want good food, but they don’t always have time to sit for two hours. And for us, it’s efficient, we can serve more people without losing the quality.”
For now, Insee Father Noodle will be open for lunch and dinner, but Hardacre hopes to eventually extend into late-night service to stay true to the restaurant’s theme. However, she says it will depend on the neighborhood’s turnout. “In Denver, we don’t really have much open late…I have to see if the customers will come here,” she notes.
Ultimately, she’s looking to serve up her own personal plate of nostalgia, the dishes that remind her of home. “All the food we’re making is inspired by Pom and I’s childhood. It’s not just Thai food, it’s my Thai food,” Hardacre concludes.
Insee Father Noodles House is located at 1700 Platte Street. Its regular hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit daughterthaikitchenandbar.com.
