NEW ORLEANS — Good Catch Thai Urban Bistro is bringing a taste of Thailand to COOLinary this August, offering special lunch and dinner menus inspired by Executive Chef Aom Srisuk’s favorite cities.
“We are participating in COOLinary, and we have some really fun sets to go with it,” said co-owner Frankie J. Weinberg, who runs the downtown restaurant with his wife, Chef Aom. “Our COOLinary dinner sets are inspired by three of Chef Aom’s favorite cities in Thailand. She developed each set to represent each of those cities.”
Good Catch COOLinary
Located at 828 Gravier St., Good Catch is serving a $25 two‑course COOLinary lunch daily, with a choice of appetizer or dessert — such as Tom Kha Soup, Fried Pot Stickers, or Fresh Rolls — and entrées like Spicy Clam Udon, Green Curry with Mixed Seafood, and Pineapple Fried Rice with Chicken.
For dinner, Chef Aom has created three menu sets inspired by:
- Chiang Mai in northern Thailand;
- Loei in the northeast; and
- Koh Samui, an island in the south.
Wine pairings have become a growing part of the Good Catch experience. “We have traveled to different wine regions lately, building a few relationships and gaining inspiration for wine pairings and even some wine‑forward cocktails,” said Weinberg. “In particular, our recent visits to Napa, California and Porto, Portugal inspired some particularly worthwhile potential opportunities.”
The Business
Weinberg said business has been “slowly growing overall, despite having to deal with the usual summer slowdown.” The couple’s other venture, Pomelo, has been “pretty stable overall, but has had a more noticeable summer slow down than we had experienced in the past couple years.”
Rising costs remain a concern, especially for a restaurant committed to authentic Thai flavors. “The issues that are more concerning for us are the ever‑increasing costs which have been multiplied with the 19% tariffs that have now been levied on products from Thailand,” Weinberg said. “Everyone knows that we already face very small margins in this industry, and especially with the number of authentic Thai ingredients that we are required to use to make our recipes as special as they are, we’re going to have to respond to this very carefully.”
Chef Aom said she remains focused on quality and authenticity. “As for now, we really just want to focus on continuing to do what we do well while maintaining our authenticity and quality,” she said. “And to continue to build our loyal following.”
Chef Aom also reflected on the couple’s other restaurant, Pomelo, a Thai boutique spot on Magazine Street. “We had a really positive reaction from the community when we participated in the Magazine Street Restaurant Week this year, so we are thankful to the Magazine Street Merchant’s Association for putting that together,” she said.
Mentorship
Outside the kitchen, Weinberg is preparing to publish a book that reflects the leadership approach he and Chef Aom bring to their restaurants. “Mentorship: Empowering Mentees to Take the Lead and Co‑Create their Development” introduces a mentee‑led model emphasizing initiative, trust, and collaboration in guiding growth.
Scheduled for release in March 2026 by University of Toronto Press (Rotman imprint), the book’s principles mirror the team‑focused, growth‑oriented culture the couple cultivates at Good Catch and Pomelo.
Good Catch Thai Urban Bistro is open Sunday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
