Clifton Park Center has two new reasons to stop by this week: a Thai chicken and rice restaurant serving up Khao Man Gai, and a kickboxing academy that teaches more than just how to throw a punch. Gai Chicken & Rice and PFP Kickboxing Academy both celebrated grand openings at the mall, adding fresh dining and fitness options to a shopping center in the middle of a broader makeover.
According to the Capital Region Chamber, Clifton Park Center celebrated continued growth with the grand openings of both businesses. Gai Chicken & Rice specializes in Khao Man Gai, a Thai chicken and rice dish featuring tender poached or crispy fried chicken served with signature sauces and traditional accompaniments, per the chamber. Owner Patrick Chiou said his vision is to offer guests an experience close to enjoying the cuisine in Thailand, sharing carefully made food while building a distinctive Capital Region dining destination, the chamber reported.
A Growing Thai Chicken Chain, With Some Confusion Over the Count
Chiou told the chamber that the Clifton Park restaurant marks Gai Chicken & Rice's third location in the Capital Region and ninth overall. That tally doesn't quite match what News10 has reported elsewhere: the station described the chain's first Capital Region location opening in Troy in January and its second landing at Clifton Park Center, while a separate News10 piece referred to a later Empire State Plaza location as the chain's third in the region. The exact sequence remains unclear, but what's not in dispute is the chain's rapid regional footprint — the station notes Gai Chicken & Rice also has two locations in New York City and one in New Jersey.
The Clifton Park restaurant sits in the mall's food court. Its menu includes roasted and fried chicken, chicken tenders and wings, rice, fries and more, according to the outlet's coverage of the chain's Empire State Plaza opening. The chain's Troy location, which opened at 3301 6th St. in January, according to the Troy Record, runs Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 8:30 p.m.
Kickboxing With a Side of Character Building
PFP Kickboxing Academy is led by Dr. El-Java Abdul-Qadir, a multi-time World Champion, and Tyreeke Pierre, co-owner and World Champion and Head Coach, the chamber reported. Rather than sticking purely to the ring, the academy combines kickboxing instruction with character development, accountability, responsibility and civic volunteering through what it calls its PFP University philosophy, per the chamber's account.
The grand opening celebration welcomed Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh, Senator Jim Tedisco, Clifton Park Town Supervisor Phil Barrett and Deputy Supervisor Agatha Reid, among other local representatives, who offered congratulations and recognized the businesses with official citations. All 2026 ribbon cuttings of the Capital Region Chamber and its affiliates are sponsored by Community Bank, N.A., the chamber noted.
Part of a Larger Mall Makeover
Faraz Khan, managing partner of Clifton Park Center Mall, highlighted the center's ongoing modernization and growing mix of regional and global brands, dining, recreation and family-focused experiences, according to the chamber. Khan and his development group purchased the mall in 2023 and have set out to drastically alter its footprint, WNYT reported, with stores being moved around, the food court being revitalized and new tenants brought in.
That overhaul has already produced a string of other openings. The station reported the mall recently celebrated ribbon cuttings at Pita and Olive, a new Mediterranean eatery, and welcomed The Good Feet Store shortly before that. Time Square also marked 45 years in business at the mall with a new location on the outside strip of shops, the station noted. Gai Chicken & Rice and PFP Kickboxing Academy add two more distinctive experiences to that evolving mix, according to the chamber.
