Spice Island Tea House made waves when it opened in Pittsburgh in 1995. It was the first restaurant with a menu that featured Indonesian, Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian food alongside more recognizable dishes like pad thai, owner Ron Lee said. Like lots of restaurants, Spice Island took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. A rescinded government grant that would have helped with pandemic-related revenue losses “really hurt.” Even with takeout and extended hours for lunch service, “we never got back on track,” Lee said with a sigh. So in September 2023, the restaurant ended its 28-year run, with promises of occasional pop-ups while Lee ponders a future that includes seeing his daughter, Alice, head off to college in the fall and his son, Henry, follow in a couple of years. While he misses the restaurant business and the community it built — he met his wife, Danielle, there in 1999 — “I haven’t found what I want to do yet,” he said. One idea he’s considering is a smaller eatery ...