University Heights’ Plumeria Thai Expands to Encinitas

Park Boulevard’s Plumeria Vegetarian has arrived in Encinitas, where it’s operating as a pop-up as owner Pimwara Thongchua gears up to remodel the restaurant. Thongchua, who runs a number of well-respected eateries around town including Chi Extraordinary Kitchen and Thai Joint on Adams Avenue and Hillcrest’s Asian Bistro, recently took over the Siamese Basil space on South Coast Highway after the previous business shuttered after nearly three decades.

Following a quick refresh of the dining room, it’s up and running as Plum pop-up from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch, 4:30 to 9 p.m. for dinner on weekdays, and until 10 p.m. on weekends. Thongchua tells Eater that she expects to continue the pop-up for a few months as she waits for permitting to do a larger overall renovation, after which the restaurant will close for a month and officially reopen as Plumeria Encinitas.

In the meantime, the eatery intends to donate all of its profits to charity, splitting the proceeds between local charities that will be chosen by diners and a charity based in Thailand that raises funds to buy medical equipment for hospitals there.