New Thai restaurant serving up noodles, cocktails in Tacoma’s Stadium District

Sapp Sapp Thai Noodle House has opened in Tacoma’s Stadium District with a menu of about 30 dishes, a few signature cocktails, beer and sake on tap.

The footprint of the former tenant, Moshi Ramen Bar, remains largely intact, but the color scheme has changed in favor of scarlet red, mustard yellow and sunny orange, with the Sapp Sapp name and logo emblazoned on each table.

Kevin and Thip Merrell bought Moshi and Indo Asian Street Eatery, its older sister restaurant, last year from Yu Nanakornphanom and Buoy Ngov. The original owners had been seeking a buyer as they pursued more time with family and their personal health, they told The News Tribune at the time. They had stepped away from the day-to-day of both restaurants in recent years. While Indo was in better shape financially, they said they struggled to make ends meet at Moshi, which they opened in 2018 — even considering closing shop until the Merrells began the process of purchasing both businesses in 2025. Although staff had been aware that a sale was in progress, several who spoke with The News Tribune in May said they were caught off guard when the incoming owners decided to shutter the ramen bar.

Its replacement, Sapp Sapp, was designed to honor Thip’s home of Thailand, where the couple met, as Kevin Merrel explained last spring. He started a motorcycle tour company while living across the Pacific, and locally, the Tacoma native has also run a landscaping business. Thip wanted to return to the restaurant business, he previously told The News Tribune.

“Indo has its own little niche,” said Merrell as Sapp Sapp soft-opened just before the holidays. Although Indo serves some Thai dishes, it’s more about “twists” on several Asian cuisines, he said, while Sapp Sapp focuses on Thailand, leaning into Northern flavors in a “variation of what we really don’t have in Tacoma.”

At Indo Street, which opened in 2015, the menu veers from Korean chicken wings to Chinese egg rolls, Vietnamese banh mi to Thai curries, khao soi and Szechuan mapo tofu. Nearby, Stadium Thai opened in 2021 with limited seating but a sizable menu of Thai favorites.

Sapp Sapp menu

Sapp Sapp’s menu starts with shareable plates ($15-$24) of moo ping (pork marinated in coconut milk, soy and garlic, then grilled on skewers), fried chicken wrapped in pandan leaves, coconut prawns with plum sauce, fried beef “jerky” seasoned with coriander and fish sauce, and pork laab.

Entree or family-style options, depending on your dining preference, are separated into three sections: wok noodles, noodle soups and signatures (most $18-22).

The rad nah arrived in a deep bowl with pork, wide rice noodles and a whole lot of gravy. Other “wok” noodles include woon sen and gauy tiew kua gai (with a crunchy element of fried garlic and chicken or another protein).

Noodle soups offer bamee (thin egg noodles) in a clarifying broth with BBQ pork and pork dumplings; housemade pork wontons in broth; and tom yum with with shrimp, squid, mussels and fish balls.

Among the signatures, the server recommended the massaman curry, served with either beef or lamb plus potatoes, carrots and onions, as well as the pineapple chicken fried rice. You’ll also find curried salmon steamed in banana leaf and pepper-garlic steak ($32 each), stir-fried eggplant and crispy pork belly.

Many of the dishes are listed with a recommended protein, but you can substitute another for no charge, or double up for $4.50.

To drink, on the NA side there’s traditional Thai or green milk tea ($7.50) and fresh coconut water ($12). Beers include Thai imports and a made-for-Indo IPA from E9, and a brisk wine list has three reds and three whites. Cocktails lean classic with a twist ($12-$15): vodka mule with yuzu, mezcal margarita with mango, pisco sour with pomegranate.

The bar, small but visible from most of the dining room, has a decent-sized television screen, and music was audible but not intrusive. It seemed that just one server was working, but he was kind, generally attentive and helpful in ordering. Staff from the kitchen greeted us and said goodnight on our way out. In stark contrast with neighboring Indo — bustling at peak dinnertime — just two tables joined us at Sapp Sapp.

Indo, which also closes at 9 p.m. on weekends, had cleared by half as we left its new neighbor.

Sapp Sapp Thai Noodle House

• 110 N. Tacoma Ave., Tacoma, 253-301-4688, sappsapptacoma.com
• Tuesday & Friday-Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m, Wednesday-Thursday 4-9 p.m.
• Details: new Thai restaurant with beer, wine and cocktails; call for pickup, large orders and reservations available online

This story was originally published February 13, 2026 at 5:00 AM.