Of several eateries located within the Promenade at Pacific Beach Shopping Center, Coconut Thai Asian Bistro is the only exotic choice.
Labeled by one Yelp commentator as “a really yummy little Thai place right by the beach,” Coconut Thai is a family owned and operated authentic Thai and Lao cuisine restaurant at 4150 Mission Blvd., Suite 113.
“This is our first restaurant,” noted Watthana Miller, who along with sister Soukkha Munesaleum, has run the beach bistro since February.
The two sisters come from divergent business backgrounds. Watthana was a manager at Best Buy for 17 years. Soukkha worked as a supervisor at the Barona Indian Reservation for nine. Previously, both were paired up operating a food truck based off Market Street in downtown San Diego.
“We were operating out of that (truck) throughout San Diego,” said Watthana, who pointed out that food trucks can be 10 degrees or more hotter than the outside temperature inside. “We had the opportunity to look around to see if maybe we could get a brick-and-mortar location, someplace to come to every day and work,” she said.
The two women found a space for sale at the Promenade. Pointing out the bistro’s name derives from coconut, which is one of the core ingredients of Thai and Laotian cuisine, Watthana said she likes their location being in the center of the Promenade mall near local lodging.
“We get a lot of tourists from the Catamaran and the other hotels,” she said.
Coconut Thai is surrounded by other restaurants that feature more classic fare, the likes of steak, seafood, pizza, and an old-style American diner.
Watthana said they like being the neighborhood’s “alternative” choice for food.
“We just had a patron in from Boston, and they said, ‘I’m so sick of having American and Mexican food — I’m so happy that you’re here,'” Watthana said, adding, “She came for lunch today, and she’ll be back again tomorrow.”
The Asian bistro is very comfortably appointed with lots of pillows lying around in the booths along with wall murals and even some local beachy photography that had been in the retail space, which previously was Diego’s hot dogs and a Submarina sandwich shop.
Noting the bistro is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., 5 to 9 p.m. Mondays, Coconut Thai’s lunch menu boasts edamame steamed soybeans, fried tofu, Thai egg rolls, chicken satay, dumplings stuffed with chicken, crab puffs, fresh summer rolls, steamed mussels and fried shrimp and calamari.
“Our lunches are very good, and for $6.95 you get a side house salad with peanut sauce or one of our spicy or sour soups,” Watthana said.
For a $3 delivery charge, the restaurant will deliver food within a 5-mile radius.
The dinner menu is equally attractive, featuring items like mixed vegetables in oyster sauce, a spicy papaya salad combo plate, curries and rices of various styles, eggplant and cashew nuts. Lao entrees include Larb Kai (chicken), Larb Seen (beef) and Larb Tofu.
The sisters plan to expand the menu to include children’s choices. Soukkha said they will also be featuring seasonal vegetables like pumpkin as well as offering their family’s homemade pork sausage recipe.
Watthana said their family with seven children immigrated to the United States in 1983. There are now 22 children and grandchildren, all pictured in a photo mounted on one wall. Watthana and Soukkha’s older brother is also a restaurateur, owning a Thai restaurant, The King and I, in Connecticut.
“We came with the mindset of family first, and we make sure we take pride in this restaurant, from the front of the house all the way to the back,” said Watthana, noting she and her staff “make sure we take care of the customers’ needs any way possible.”
“We want to make sure we grow with our customers,” Watthana said noting, “We want to make sure you walk out of here happy,” adding, “Our main focus is to make sure everyone comes back.”
For more information, call (858) 272-2456 or visit www.coconutthaipb.com.