This ginger salad – with fresh ginger, mango, puffed rice, sesame seeds, crispy rice noodles, peanuts, cashews and a ginger/mango dressing – is one of the Siam Orchid dishes that reflects the north Thailand background of Pepsi, Lek and Nikki Phunmongkol, who have run the Orinda institution since 1991.
When you think of comfort food, what pops into your mind? Mac and cheese? Chicken noodle soup?
How about pad thai?
OK, it’s a bit of a jump from American classics to Thai food, but Siam Orchid has been an Orinda staple for 34 years thanks to its consistent delivery of stick-to-the-ribs noodle dishes, curries and soups.
“We have some customers who we have known since we first opened,” said Pepsi Phunmongkol in an email response. “We have changed the menu a few times, but in general, everything has remained the same.”
Phunmongkol and his two partners, his wife Lek Phunmongkol and brother Nikki Phunmongkol, have run the restaurant since 1991, after learning their trade in north Thailand. And that background is also reflected in one of their more popular dishes, khao soy, or Chiang Mai noodles.
The equally popular ginger salad, with fresh mango, sesame seed, nuts and coconut, is also a window into the north Thailand flavor profiles favored by Lek and Nikki, who do most of the cooking. And as with many dishes, chicken or prawns can be added for another layer of flavor.
But the Chiang Mai noodles really hit all the sweet spots for comfort food. The smooth sauce, the egg noodles in curry and especially with beef or prawns, make for a satisfying main dish that soothes as well as satiates.
And of course the Thai appetizers fit right in. The shrimp fresh rolls feature a generous portion of shrimp and a savory peanut dipping sauce, while the chicken satay and crab dumplings are familiar starters that work well with the menu.
In addition, the full bar delivers the familiar (an excellent margarita) along with Thai beer and a tequila-based Thai-tini.
Put it all together, and it’s clear why Siam Orchid has had a successful 34-year run in Orinda.
Pepsi arrived in the United States in 1988, and immediately went to work at a restaurant in Lodi. The commute from Berkeley was a long one, though, and soon he, Lek and Nikki were looking for their own place closer to home.
“We always imagined Orinda would be a good place to open up a new restaurant,” he said, and soon they moved to Orinda as well.
And they’ve never left. The Phunmongkols created a menu that found a permanent place in the Orinda dining scene – and it’s been comforting locals ever since.
