Like a beauty | East Bay Express
These Thai dishes are guaranteed to please
At the end of a tiring day, I stepped inside Charm Thai Bistro like a sanctuary. Even though I had arrived alone, the host made no fuss to seat me while I waited for my friend to arrive. He returned to the table several times to refill my cup, never prompting me to order. Those few minutes gave me a break from the day and a chance to regroup.
From my corner, I watched the pedestrians hurrying to work or strolling slowly. This was a 180° turn from my last experience at 4063 Piedmont Ave.
When I showed up there during Kronnerburger’s busiest season before the pandemic, the employees wouldn’t seat us inside the empty restaurant. We were told that the entire space was reserved for reservations only. So we headed over to Fenton’s and sat at the counter to get our fill of fries and ice cream. I didn’t go back to Kronnerburger before they closed in 2018.
Charm co-owners Anchalee Natasiri and Mia Kitcharoon take a different approach to hospitality. Natasiri and her husband, Chuck Natasiri, opened Anchalee over two decades ago in Berkeley. When the Natasiris’ owner asked them if they were interested in opening a second restaurant on his Piedmont Avenue property, Anchalee Natasiri asked her longtime friend Kitcharoon to join her. Both Natasiris are chefs—they created the restaurants’ menus—while Kitcharoon manages the front of the house at Charm.
“Charm in Thai means a bowl,” explained Anchalee Natasiri, “We think a bowl of food will make everyone happy.” The food bowl that made us happiest at Charm was listed on the specials menu that night. Halibut green curry ($26) came out perfectly cooked. A common bitterness was fried from the thick slices of eggplant. The kitchen almost convinced me that, when cooked properly, eggplant can also evoke a mild sense of sweetness.
The last crispy rice salad I tried was at the Fruitvale Camchilao food truck. Charm’s version, yum nam kao tod ($14), rivals that. The dish hinges on fresh lettuce leaves and an array of complementary green herbs to round out the rice salad. Yum nam kao tod is one of those food dishes that I can eat every day. It’s beautiful to look at, fun to collect and refreshing to eat. It has replaced the Basil Salad Wraps ($13), which aren’t bad, as my favorites. The usual lettuce wraps though can’t compete with the addition of crispy rice. It adds that extra, “I’m over the moon” feeling.
A second delicious special, an asparagus salad ($14), included grilled shrimp. Both ingredients were perfectly charred. My friend took a picture of it, and we were both surprised by the result: a bright wrap of thinly sliced carrots on various vibrant shades of green. Natasiri and Kitcharoon said the dishes Charm offers are from central Thailand and Bangkok. “It’s food you can find anywhere,” Natasiri said. “Curry, this is the basic thing we eat all the time in Thailand.” They agreed that you can call it street food or comfort food. “It’s simple and what we ate growing up,” she added.
Kitcharoon’s favorite dish on the menu now is moo krob ($13), crispy pork belly with a spicy lime sauce. “When you eat it, it’s the dish that makes you feel good!” Kitcharoon said as she and Natasiri laughed in agreement. “If you ask Thai people, it’s everyone’s favorite,” she continued. Charm has also invented a great technique for making sticky rice. Anchalee and Chuck’s secret is to use two types of rice. And they soak it for 24 hours before steaming it. Their version is noticeably sticky, but also a little softer than what is usually served.
With the opening of Pla Daek nearby, along with a general boom in Thai restaurants in the East Bay, Natasiri and Kitcharoon aren’t worried about the competition. “We focus on what we’re doing,” Natasiri said. “We put effort into everything we do and our customers have good things to say about it.” Kitcharoon believes Charm’s concept is working because, “We cook what we like to eat.”
Charm Thai Bistro, open for lunch daily 11:30am to 2:45pm, dinner Monday to Saturday 4-8:45pm, Sunday 4-7:45pm. 4063 Piedmont Ave., Oakland. 510.817.4768. charmthaipdm.com.