Anna and David Rasavong (center) are joined by community members at the grand opening for their new restaurant, Love & Thai. Photo by Gabriel Dillard

A Fresno restaurant closed for six months after racist rumors went viral online celebrated its reopening Friday, with community leaders congratulating the family owners for their courage and resilience.

With a traditional dance performance, appetizers and words of love and encouragement, Love & Thai owners David and Anna Rasavong cut the ribbon on their new location at 4281 E. Butler Ave., in the Vallarta-anchored shopping center north of Fresno Pacific University in Southeast Fresno. 

David Rasavong reflected on those events in May after a video posted on Facebook showed a dog tied up in front of a house next door to Tasty Thai, their previous restaurant near First and Belmont avenues. The woman who posted the video suspected the dog was being neglected. Soon, online commenters began to suggest Tasty Thai was serving dog meat.

“It was a whirlwind morning in May when we woke up to a lot of messages and direct comments of hate and vitriol,” said Rasavong, who operates the business with his parents. “I told them, ‘hey, I don’t think we can open today.’”

 

He said the ensuing hate storm didn’t feel real, but his family chose to draw on the support that soon followed in the form of encouraging messages from the public, elected officials and organizations including The Fresno Center and the state Attorney General’s office. 

“The amount of love and kindness we received is something we wish upon everyone,” he said.

People speaking in support of the Rasavongs and their new restaurant, Love & Thai, include Fresno City Councilmember Luis Chavez; Diane Phakonekham of Big Brothers Big Sisters Central California; Pao Yang of The Fresno Center; Khampha Thepphavong of the Laotian American Community of Fresno; Efrain Cisneros of the California Department of Justice; and Sonia Valadez of the Sierra Health Foundation.

Chavez said this “vile and hateful” incident, and most importantly how the Rasavongs responded, represents the shared history of immigrants in this area.

“We see ourselves in your story, of immigrants not giving up but building something bigger,” Chavez said.

Yang of The Fresno Center said it was unfortunate that something bad had to happen to mobilize the community, but now it can come together to support this family-owned business.

“We call everyone to come out and support this restaurant,” Yang said.