Notch & White Orchids Owners Open Third Restaurant: Little Orchids

We’ve partnered with the Virojanapa family and we’re thrilled to see their culinary vision expand to Bucks County with Little Orchids Kitchen & Bar. Below is the full article announcing this latest venture, detailing how the family continues to bring new and inspiring flavors to the region.

Original Article: WFMZ Channel 69 News

Ryan Kneller / November 5, 2024

RICHLAND TWP., Pa. – The family behind two popular Lehigh Valley restaurants is almost ready to welcome foodies to another top-notch dining establishment.

Little Orchids Kitchen & Bar, a new Asian fusion restaurant from the owners of White Orchids Thai Cuisine in Upper Saucon Township and Notch Modern Kitchen & Bar in Lower Macungie Township, will hold a soft opening at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5, at 640 N. West End Blvd. in Richland Township, Bucks County, co-owner Jeff Virojanapa said.

The new restaurant, with seating for around 100 customers, will operate in a renovated space that previously housed an I Love Kickboxing studio in the Richland Marketplace shopping center, about a mile north of Quakertown.

Little Orchids will offer familiar favorites – from bold Thai dishes to creative Asian fusion cuisine – found at its sisters restaurants “with an approachable and light twist.”

“The menu will blend some of the most popular dishes from Notch and White Orchids with new and creative selections,” Virojanapa said. “We’re really excited to show everyone what we’ve been working on.”

Virojanapa and his parents, Chumroon and Pornpun Virojanapa, opened their first restaurant, White Orchids, in 2007 at Promenade Saucon Valley on Center Valley Parkway in Upper Saucon.

Dishes are scratch-made “with the intent of providing a great depth of Thai flavors,” according to a message on the restaurant’s website.

Menu highlights include shareables such as traditional Thai money bags, chicken lettuce wraps, pork belly satay and crispy spring rolls; classic entrees such as pad Thai, drunken noodles, basil fried rice and massaman curry; and specialties such as crab fried rice, Bangkok curry noodles, mango curry roast duck, pad gra’ prow and crispy haddock.

In 2019, after exploring Thai cuisine at White Orchids for more than 12 years, the Virojanapas decided to open a second restaurant, Notch Modern Kitchen & Bar, at 5036 Hamilton Blvd. in Lower Macungie

The family wished to embrace different fare while sticking to their roots, which inspired Notch’s American menu with Asian influences.

Notch menu highlights include shareables such as Buffalo chicken egg rolls, crispy sweet potato wontons, seared scallops and tuna tartare; handhelds such as a wagyu truffle burger, Notch house burrito, crispy fish banh mi and salmon BLT; and bowls and “wok shop” selections such as Notch brisket chow mein, Hawaiian pad Thai ramen, bibimbap rice bowl and Thai red curry bowl.

Both restaurants are local favorites, receiving community awards and distinctions such as being named “favorite new” restaurant (Notch) in 2020, “favorite Allentown” restaurant (Notch) in 2021, “favorite bar” (Notch) in 2022 and “favorite Thai” restaurant (White Orchids) on multiple occasions in Lehigh Valley Style’s annual Restaurant Awards.

The Virojanapas have been looking to open a sister restaurant in the Quakertown area for a while, and at Little Orchids, guests will enjoy “the best hits” of both White Orchids and Notch, with the menu showcasing a variety of Thai specialties alongside unique dishes that incorporate influences from other Asian countries, Jeff said.

Some of the popular dishes that will carry over from White Orchids include traditional Thai money bags, corn fritters, spring rolls, potstickers, papaya salad, crispy calamari salad, pad Thai, pineapple fried rice and tropical fried rice, with the latter three able to be customized with chicken, veggies, tofu or shrimp.

Notch menu highlights such as confit chicken wings, chow mein, a wagyu truffle burger and pork belly and chicken katsu bao buns also will be available.

“We’ll also have our lettuce wraps and crispy calamari, along with some of our soups – like lemongrass and Thai coconut – from White Orchids,” Jeff added. “We’re also going to have a grilled section, with items like flank steak, chicken satay and shrimp satay.”

The menu will have a “tapas-style focus,” with several small plate options at affordable price points, along with a variety of entrees and handheld selections, Jeff said.

Customers will be able to enjoy starters such as curry fries, crispy popcorn shrimp, crispy sweet potato wontons and shishito peppers; entrees such as pad Thai, drunken noodles, basil fried rice and green and red curry; and specialties such as sesame scallops, bibimbap rice bowl, seafood paella, pad gra’ prow and crispy haddock.

“We’re looking to focus on approachable, tapas-style dishes that can be shared,” Jeff explained.

“Entrees – like various noodle dishes, curry dishes and rice dishes – also could be shared, and guests also could choose to order an individual entree if they want. So, while we’re looking to encourage shared experiences, we’ll also have options for people who just want their own individual dish as well. Everything will be customizable.”

Little Orchids is a nod to a menu option that was originally available at White Orchids, Jeff said.

The family found it to be an appropriate name that pays homage to its restaurant roots while helping convey the new establishment’s focus.

“When we first opened White Orchids, we had a menu for large groups where parties could choose from family-style meal options that included a Big Orchid – with a lot of different foods – and a Small Orchid – with less food choices,” Jeff said.

“When we were brainstorming possible names for this restaurant, I was thinking how I wanted to focus on that communal shared experience, and I thought about that menu that we originally had. It’s really a great way for people to try several different dishes for the same price as one individual dish at most other restaurants.”

Little Orchids will feature a mix of booth, banquette and chair seating, and a private dining room – accommodating up to 10 guests – will be situated at the back of the restaurant.

“You could book the room for birthday parties, business meetings and other occasions,” Jeff said. “There will be a TV mounted on the wall.”

Like Notch and White Orchids, Little Orchids also will feature a premium bar program, showcasing a variety of hand-crafted, signature cocktails.

Popular drinks such as an Asian peartini and Thai lemon drop martini will carry over from Notch and White Orchids, and new creations such as a “Bucks County Housewives” cocktail also will be available, Jeff said.

The 12-seat full bar also will offer a variety of wines by the glass, bottled beer and six rotating draft beer selections.

“We’re definitely going to have a great bar program, just like our other two restaurants,” Jeff said. “We’re looking at offering a really nice mocktail menu, too.”

The restaurant’s aesthetic will feature primarily light, soothing blues on the walls, with a few pops of purple, gold and other vibrant colors in the pendant lighting and other accents.

“We wanted to have softer color palette, with approachable tones,” Jeff said. “Our tables will be a golden oak color.”

Little Orchids, operating 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, will join a diverse lineup of more than 20 tenants at Richland Marketplace.

The shopping center, at the corner of Route 309 and Pumping Station Road, is home to other small businesses such as Frank’s Trattoria Italian Restaurant and well-known chains such as Target, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Best Buy, PetSmart, Staples and Planet Fitness.

Jeff noted that Little Orchids’ first few weeks will be filled with staff training and polishing up routines in the new space, and customers should expect the dining experience to be longer than the team’s ultimate goal.

“We look forward to taking care of you soon and growing roots and meeting the community,” he said.

Reservations can be made on the restaurant’s website, littleorchidsknb.com, or on resy.com.

For the latest Little Orchids updates, follow the business’ pages on Facebook and Instagram.