When: Dinner, Monday to Thursday; lunch and dinner, Friday to Sunday
Info: charmrestaurant.ca\/<\/a><\/p>\n
There\u2019s discretionary income in the tony west side of the city and, you would think, an appetite for good food. Yet, restaurant activity west of Macdonald rarely gets pulses racing.<\/p>\n
Well, I\u2019m happy to inform you of a new one that accelerated mine. Charm Thai Eatery on West 4th Avenue is run by the owners of Zab Bite, which received a Michelin Guide nod in 2024. My review of Zab Bite that year described it as cheerful and affordable, with the food hitting yum notes with bright, pleasant, clean flavours.<\/p>\n
Well, same, same at Charm, although this second spot is more upscale and ambitious than their first, on Fraser Street. But, wouldn\u2019t you know, their first dine and dasher was at this west side location. \u201cIt\u2019s crazy, the guy actually drove a Mercedes SUV,\u201d says Gift Laohongvichit (goes by the shortened surname Lao), a co-owner and marketing point person.<\/p>\n
The West Fourth location previously housed several pub-like iterations, including Displaced Hashery Beach Bar, which was frequented by Michael Bubl\u00e9 when his sister was co-owner. Charm Thai gave it a cosmetic cleansing, asserting its Thai conversion.<\/p>\n
At Zab Bite, the food is northern Thai, but at Charm, the amped-up chef and co-owner of both, Percy Tanwattanaku (goes by Tan), expands to other Thai regions. And his amplitude reaches beyond the Vancouver restaurants. He operates five casual restaurants (\u201cpoke bowls with a twist\u201d) in Bangkok. \u201cI would have opened more than 10, but COVID happened and I stopped extending and came here,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Although not formally trained as a chef, Tan\u2019s family operates a resort in Thailand. \u201cWhen I was young, I grew up in the kitchen,\u201d he says, \u201cand I opened a restaurant after I graduated.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s not all. By this summer, the owners will open Zab Bite Express in the revitalized Burrard Food Court concourse of Bentall Centre, along with some other local concepts. \u201cThey reached out to us to be a part of it,\u201d says Lao.<\/p>\n
The food at Charm isn\u2019t all from scratch nor does it have the sophisticated techniques and depth of, say, Maenam, but flavours are focussed and bright and friendly. The menu doesn\u2019t overlap the one at Zab Bite except for some classics like pad Thai and the green curry.<\/p>\n
On my visit, I began with shrimp crackers served with a pork and peanut dip, with two whole Thai chilis served as a garnish for heat-resistant diners ($14). The crackers were light, non-greasy and the sauce brought all kinds of umami. \u201cIt\u2019s usually served with rice crackers,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Shrimp cakes with sweet chili sauce ($23) was a tasty and good-value starter with six large pieces. \u201cIt should be with plum sauce but I ordered the sweet chili sauce from Thailand,\u201d Tan says.<\/p>\n
A trio platter of appetizers, with crispy tofu, taro fritters, and corn cakes and chili sauce ($16)\u00a0was another good-value dish, enough for two, and gluten-free and vegan.<\/p>\n
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Duck Curry Salmon Fried Rice. Photo by Nattida C.<\/p>\n
A best seller, for good reason, is roasted duck breast red curry ($35). Tan sources his curry pastes from Thailand but tweaks with more spices. Coconut milk delivers soothing magic. Eggplant added more savoury tones but grapes and sweet pineapple lifted the mood with flirtatious notes. \u201cI met a celebrity master chef in Thailand and she told me that in the (Thai) palace, they add sour fruit like grapes to red curry to make it balanced,\u201d Tan says, explaining the presence of grapes.<\/p>\n
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Tiger prawns with glass noodles at Charm Thai Eatery.<\/p>\n
Tiger prawns with glass noodles ($26) was nicely executed with loosely tossed noodles in a sauce that, in Tan\u2019s words, includes shrimp fat extracted from the head. It adds a hint of ocean to the dish.<\/p>\n
Another popular main is the khao soi soft shell crab ($29), with crispy egg noodles in coconut curry broth. \u201cI make my own paste for this and pickles to add a bit of sour to balance,\u201d Tan says.<\/p>\n
Wok-fried squid with salted egg yolk ($29) is actually not squid, but cuttlefish. \u201cIt\u2019s bigger and the texture is more bouncy,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
I worry when classic dishes I love, like mango sticky rice, are tweaked. Here, the sticky rice is infused with butterfly pea for colour (usually blue, but in this case, warmly pink) but crisis, averted \u2014 the rice, heart shaped, had lots of chopped mango hugging its curvature, along with a tall wave of piped whipped cream and honey tuile. I loved it.<\/p>\n
Tan says he\u2019ll change up the menu for the regulars who visit as much as twice a week. In summer, as beachgoers come out of hibernation, he\u2019ll do a regular lunch menu (now only available on weekends). He also plans on an occasional chef\u2019s set menu.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a wide selection of beverages available, including signature cocktails and mocktails, a reasonably priced and well-chosen mix of BC and international wines, bottles of local craft beer and a couple of Thai brews. Other Thai beverages include teas and coffees, fresh longan ice and violet lime soda. Of note are the herbal teas, blends that focus on specific health benefits. One is even called Spa in a Cup and combines lemongrass, Japanese mint, and mulberry leaves to support digestion and relaxation. And count on\u00a0fun. On April 22, for example, Charm hosted a drag show with the winner of Drag Race Thailand performing.\u00a0\u201cWe\u2019re not planning on stopping (with projects),\u201d says Lao. \u201cWe\u2019ll be moving forward but want to make sure each place is up to par.\u201d<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.x.com\/miastainsby<\/a><\/p>\n