One of the best hidden gem Thai cuisine restaurants in Portland, Maine has decided to close up shop for good. And for fans of the home-cooked meals they get there, it will be a heartbreaker.

Thai Esaan announced on social media last week that they would be closing permanently over the weekend. The post thanked her friends and loyal customers for allowing a mother and son to achieve their dream, at least for a short time.

According to the Portland Press Herald, it was likely health concerns that contributed to Esaan's eventual closure. The small restaurant had only one cook, the mother of the mother-son duo, who had recently struggled with a series of health problems that made it impossible for her to maintain a grueling schedule.

It's an unfortunate end for a place that was loved by the people who discovered it. Esaan started in 2016 as a small diner on Forest Ave. Their secret was in the sauce (incredible family recipes from Northeast Thailand). Esaan always served delicious dishes, including some of the best drunken noodles you could find in the city.

A building fire forced them to close in 2021, with plans to reopen at the same location soon. That didn't happen and it looked like Esaan was finished. Instead, they surprised their fans by reopening last year in the space that formerly housed the Back Bay Grill.

Esaan's last day of service was last weekend.