Faded Hot Spot Lotus of Siam Takes a Mysterious Vacation

Remember back in fall of 2010 when every Thai food fan in this city was freaking out about the arrival of famed Las Vegas restaurant Lotus of Siam? The critics mostly loved Lotus when it opened, but a lot of people lost interest in the project when principal owners Bill and Saipin Chutima bailed on the restaurant and went back to Vegas. By fall of 2011, the once hot restaurant started appearing on deal sites — never a good sign.

Now, several tipsters note that the Lotus NY (the name changed after the Chutimas left) has been dark for days. The vital signs don't look good: their OpenTable account is no longer active, nobody's checking in on Foursquare, and all Eater's calls to the restaurant have gone to message. Could this be the end of Lotus NY? Or is the restaurant just taking an unannounced vacation so that the owners can tweak the concept? Only time will tell.
· All Coverage of Lotus of Siam [~ENY~]