Bud Sayso of Tuk Tuk Thai: The Dish That Saved His Life

Bud Sayso, co-owner of Tuk Tuk Thai restaurants with three locations serving Tucson, says that his Spicy Crispy Chicken Basil recipe is the foundation of his success.

He passionately exclaims, “That dish saved my life!”

Decades ago, as a young restaurateur in Beaverton, Oregon, Bud was feeling the ups and downs of competing in a market already saturated with Thai restaurants. “Did you know that between Oregon and Washington states there are over 400 Thai restaurants? Thai food is everywhere.”

At that time, his restaurant, Zab Thai, was struggling to make ends meet. Bud knew that Zab’s survival was dependent on creating a signature dish that would stand out in the crowd of Pad Thai and Satay that Northwesterners were flocking to eat at their corner Thai restaurants.

Bud, an innovator and tastemaker at heart, spent late hours in the kitchen brainstorming and testing recipes inspired by traditional Laotian and Thai dishes that his Mom cooked and thinking about what Americans love about fast Chinese food.

His Mom used to say, “Bud! Come eat Zab Zab!”

Zab Zab is a colloquial Thai phrase used to describe everything from spiciness to deliciousness in food. After some trial and error, just like Zab, Spicy Crispy Chicken Basil was born. The signature dish became a sensation and has been on every menu at Bud’s subsequent restaurants, Khao San, in Portland, Oregon, and all three Tuk Tuk Thai restaurants in Tucson.

“I have had customers who have lived in Portland and moved to Tucson cry over finding their favorite Spicy Crispy Chicken Basil,” said Bud, mentioning that he’s had Khao San customers from Portland video call family members while at Tuk Tuk Thai to show them that they can find the dish here.

They take selfies with Bud because they are so jazzed.

Thai people have an old proverb “Wrapped in rags you may find gold.” In America, the equivalent sentiment is “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

When you first meet Bud, right away you will notice his open smile and friendly eyes. He looks like a regular guy wearing his Tuk Tuk Thai t-shirt and black Sketcher sneakers. He’s tall and fit, and like every restaurateur everywhere, he’s a little tired and his back hurts from fixing the most recent thing that is on the fritz.

Like many immigrants who have lived in America since a young age, his accent is slight, just hinting that there is more to him than meets the ear.

Bud’s welcoming energy makes it obvious that his desire to feed you comes from the heart. It’s easy to assume that you already know his story. Like all great books, though, the plot of Bud’s life contains more twists and turns than a rollercoaster.

We can’t spill all the secrets here since Bud is working on a biography to be published at a later date but, suffice to say, his path includes everything from knowing profound hunger and loss as a Laotian refugee in Thailand to emigrating to Texas as an adolescent, then moving to Ohio to reunite with his family and, later on, living in Oregon for several decades after graduating from college as an electrical engineer. 

Bud moved to Tucson during the pandemic at the urging of his wife, Noy, who is of Thai heritage and from Tucson.

Together, they co-own and operate all the Tuk Tuk Thai restaurants. Bud credits Noy with doing a lot of the heavy lifting of cooking and training in addition to the preparing of laborious traditional dishes like Hoy Joh which is housemade sausage wrapped in bean curd.

He shares that their partnership is a big reason that in a few short years, they are three restaurants strong.

Their rise to success happened during a harrowing time in the local and national economy. How did they do it? Bud’s long-standing experience helped him to open their first location on Campbell Avenue by pivoting immediately to a takeout-focused operation.

The couple’s work ethic and family-style care for their employees provided the teamwork and stability to keep each other physically well and financially supported.

When you walk into any of the Tuk Tuk Thai restaurants, you are treated to a vibrant mural depicting two children who are bowing with hands together above the heart in the traditional Thai greeting of Sawasdee. There also are images of the famous tuk tuk taxis that zip in and out of Bangkok traffic.

The restaurants incorporate indoor and outdoor spaces to encourage interaction, blending temperatures and environmental textures.

Bud is intentionally inspiring the spirit of what it’s like to stand on the crazy busy streets of Bangkok to eat street food. For anyone who has had this experience, the sights, smells, tastes, and sounds are immersive. Thai culture is infused with hospitality and the striving to create harmony in dining, whether on the sidewalk or at the dinner table.

Tuk Tuk Thai attempts to provide a similarly immersive experience to Tucsonians.

Bud wracked his brain thinking about how to give customers an old-school Thai experience. One of the ways he’s done this is by custom manufacturing the hanging skewers for their Ping Chicken or Pork to mimic the feeling of eating on the go while sitting in the dining room.

Bud wants Tucson eaters to know that Tuk Tuk Thai is bringing authenticity to their experiences by paying attention to the smallest details such as their dedication to using Thai products and ingredients. For example, their coconut milk, curry spices, and some sauces are imported from Thailand. Ingredients to make in-house sauces and seasonings are sourced from Thailand as much as possible.

Bud and Noy are mindful of the health of their customers. They build flavors in layers so as not to overuse salt or use MSG. What you read on the menu is what you get. If a dish is listed vegan or vegetarian you can feel confident that no expense or attention has been spared to make it both true and delicious. Tuk Tuk Thai’s philosophy is printed front and center on each menu and their website. They are not cutting any corners on quality, service, or presentation.

Bud and Noy are not done expanding the vibe of Tuk Tuk Thai in the Tucson area. They know that Tucson needs more excellent Thai food and they want to be the taxi to our palates. Expansion at this level of service and quality takes hard work and is exhausting.

If you want to know why Bud is driven to carry the message of his life’s journey through food, just notice the smiling children in the mural on the walls of each restaurant. Bud is inspired by his deep love of family, especially the joy he carries in his heart for his son and daughter. 

When you walk through the doors of his restaurants he wants you to feel like family too. He knows that food brings us together across rivers, oceans, miles, and cultures. So, the next time you see Bud, stop and say hello.

He would love to take a selfie with you.

Tuk Tuk Thai is located at 6878 E. Sunrise Dr. #160, 2990 N. Campbell Ave. #130, and 12125 N. Oracle Rd. #169. For more information, keep up with Tuk Tuk Thai on Facebook or visit tuktukthai2990.com.