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I really don't know my new town of Oakland very well (and with my partner's lack of interest in dining out, I have to sneak out like a wanton housewif…
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Chai Thai Noodles
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Chai Thai Noodles is open for Casual Dining. Chai Thai Noodles serves Thai dishes. Incorrect or missing information? Make a report, or claim the restaurant if you own it!Details
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1 Reviews on “Chai Thai Noodles”
I really don’t know my new town of Oakland very well (and with my partner’s lack of interest in dining out, I have to sneak out like a wanton housewife during the day to explore the restaurant scene). Last weekend, inspired by Yelp reviews, I put on dark glasses, slipped out of the house, and set out in the rain. And drove and drove and drove to a gray part of the city I’d not yet been. As soon as I saw all the Southeast Asian businesses with Thai and Lao and Khmer lettering, I was kicking myself for forgetting that real cities have immigrant neighborhoods and wasting my time in mainstream places!Chai Thai Noodle is a cross between a mom-and-pop ethnic joint and an upscale cross-over restaurant. With its silk tapestries, Thai knickknacks and big screen TV, it’s warm and comfortable, reminiscent of the houses of the middle-class families I lived with in Chiangmai and Chiangrai. And like those houses, food is served all the time, even 2 to 5 pm, the hours Oaklanders are apparently not supposed to eat!Just as fans of central Thai cooking judge a restaurant by its pad thai, I’m always trawling for khao soi in northern joints (and if you ever find nam prik ong with sticky rice, please email me!). The bowl of lunchtime street food (curried egg noodles topped with crunchy fried noodles, pickles, and lime) was piping hot and earthy-aromatic, though skimpy on the fried garlic and shallots garnish. They made up for it with the requisite condiment tray. Given the Phaak Neua/Lao menu, I had to try the sai oua. While the sausage wasn’t as flavorful as Vientiane’s, it was served Chiangrai-style with wedges of raw cabbage and lime, slivers of ginger and red onion, and a sprinkling of peanuts and fresh chili – yay again. Now, I’ve only dined once, so take this review with a grain of salt (which is how I like my limeade, though Chai Thai uses mint instead), but it was yummy and cheap, like the Buddha intended. I’ll be back ( as soon as I check out Champa and Green Papaya and Old Weang Ping).