Wilmington’s Tokyo 101 owners expand their restaurant operations to Porters Neck with the opening of Umaii this spring.

Under construction in the former Mattress Capital store at Porters Neck Center, 8209 Market St., Umaii will be a Thai and sushi restaurant, Umaii co-owner Toth Somsnith said. Japanese food is served at the 4½-year-old Tokyo 101 at Mayfaire Town Center on Military Cutoff Road.

Somsnith runs the operations with his brother, Lai Somsnith, both from Laos, and Pamuka Holt, a Thai native who is crafting Umaii’s menu. She has clocked time at both Big Thai at Landfall Center and Thai Spice at Monkey Junction, Toth Somsnith said.

Look for Thai classics such as curries, pad thai, drunken noodles, crispy duck with basil and whole fish presentations, Toth Somsnith said. House specialties, still in the works, may include spicy fried catfish with chili and garlic sauce.

The 2,000-square-foot space seats 70 diners inside and another 16 on the patio, which Toth Somsnith said he hopes will grow to host 30 people. Tokyo 101’s dining room seats 120 diners in 3,800 square feet, Toth Somsnith said.

Sushi makers will work one end of a bar spanning the near-full horizontal length of the restaurant. Beer, wine and cocktails will be served, Toth Somsnith said.

Doors are scheduled to open in mid-April or early May, he said.

The owners of Umaii, which in Japanese means “delicious” or “good,” had been looking at Hampstead and Topsail Island spots before deciding on Porters Neck, Toth Somsnith said. They chose the shopping center because of planned surrounding business development, including construction of a Walmart.