After escape from Laos as a child, Sichanh Patana finally fulfills his American Dream
With the Lieutenant River in the background, owner of the property Jim Graybill (right, seated) places his order at the Morning Glory Cafe while Ron Swaney (left) enjoys his breakfast.
More than 30 years ago, in a desperate bid to escape the Communist uprising in their homeland of Laos, a two-year-old boy along with his parents and five brothers climbed onto inner tubes on the banks of the Mekong River. They drifted slowly across the dangerous waters finally landing in Thailand.
Yesterday morning, in a classic achievement of the American Dream, Sichanh (pronounced See-Sean) Patana – the two-year-old on the inner tube – proudly opened the Morning Glory Café on the banks of the Lieutenant River in Old Lyme.
A file photo of the Patana family shortly after their arrival in January 1980. Sichanh is pictured front row, far right and his father stands behind him.
Patana and his family arrived in Old Lyme in January 1980. He remembers nothing about the escape from Laos nor the long journey that took them first to a crowded refugee camp in Thailand, where they lived for two and half years, and ultimately to Old Lyme, Conn.
The effort to bring the family from Laos to the US was spearheaded by Old Lyme residents Lou and Cathy Connick with the support of four local churches (the First Congregational Churches of Lyme and Old Lyme, St. Ann’s Episcopal and Christ the King.)
Lou Connick had strong connections with Laos having worked there for many years as the Director of the Asian Foundation for US Aid and Sichanh’s father Peng had been employed by US Aid as a mechanic. This is the first of a series of special bonds that make the story of Sichanh opening Morning Glory a special one.
Sichanh catches up with Ron Swaney of Commercial Construction LLC for a relaxing moment after breakfast was over.
After the Connicks had successfully worked to bring the Patana family to Old Lyme, they stayed involved with them, assisting with all the day-to-day difficulties that face a family with six children under 13 living in a country where none of them speak the language. Sichanh says he doesn’t recall learning English, “We just grew into it,” he explains.
Peng found work with local garage owner Jim Graybill and stayed employed there for 30 years. Meanwhile Lou Connick was named Sichanh’s godfather. Sichanh has one very special memory of his godfather, who passed away some eight years ago, which relates to his current endeavor. He recalls, “Mr. Connick always encouraged me to open my own business some day.”
All six boys went through Lyme-Old Lyme Public Schools, where Sichanh excelled at soccer. After college, he took off for Hawaii where he lived for six years working first as a bus boy and then in three different Italian restaurants, where he learned all aspects of the trade. Returning to Connecticut, Sichanh attended the Center of Culinary Arts at Cromwell and then worked first at the now closed MiaMama’s in Middletown and then became sous-chef at The Hideaway in Old Lyme.
The handsome exterior of the Morning Glory Café.
Later he joined his brother in his Thai-Basil restaurant in Danielson but finally, deciding his prospects of ever owning his own restaurant were fading first, Sichanh moved into the landscape business .
Three years later he was well settled in his work when a phone call came out of the blue from Jim Graybill asking Sichanh if he was interested in running a restaurant in a property Graybill had recently purchased. In another fotuitous link, Graybill’s daughter-in-law had worked with Sichanh when they were both employed by The Hideaway and had suggested him.
Sichanh didn’t give Graybill a reply immediately, but then he came and visited the property, admired the view and says, “The river just sold me.”
Inside the café, the color scheme has been carefully chosen.
That was 2007 and now after completely renovating the property the Morning Glory Café is ready to open tomorrow. Why the name? The romantic answer is given in the welcome message written in the menu where it says, “Like our travels to the United States, the nights were hard but the glory of the morning always renewed our hopes for a brighter tomorrow.” In an off the cuff response, Sichanh smiles and says, “It rolls off the tongue nicely!
The restaurant boasts a food and coffee ‘To Go’ section (pictured above), stools at the breakfast bar (pictured below), tables inside and a delightful stone patio outside with a view looking over the river and marshes. The menu, to which Sicanh says all members of his family gave input, offers familiar favorites as well as some dishes from Laos including “my mom’s famous egg-rolls!” Speaking of family, one of Sichanh’s brother’s, Pon, is the restaurant manager.
A very successful trial opening for some 50 friends and family was held Saturday morning and at the end of it a clearly pleased and cheerful Jim Graybill told LymeLine, “I thought the idea would be great for the town. The town deserves a nice relaxing location. There’s no real place to sit and appreciate the water.”
He mentioned his sincere appreciation of all the work done outside by Ron Swaney of Commercial Construction Group LLC and inside by Bob Gianardi of Questa, “that’s made this possible” and said of Sichanh, “I think he’ll do a great job. He has a great menu and I wish him the best success.”
Watching the world (or in this case, a kayaker) go by from Morning Glory’s inviting patio.
And what are Sichanh’s hopes for the Morning Glory Café? He answers quickly with a grin, “That we’ll still be here in 10 to15 years!” and then adds, “I hope everyone is happy that comes here. If everyone is happy, then we’ll be happy.”
Taking a more serious tone, Sichanh says, “I want to thank everybody that helped us in the early days, especially the Connicks.” He notes wistfully that though they may both have passed away now, “We owe our success to them. Without them we wouldn’t be here.”
Editor’s Note: The Morning Glory Café is open daily from 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and orders can be called in ahead to 434-0480 or faxed to 434-0465.