WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA – Lots of Thai food places are happy to offer the basics–some chicken satay, drunken noodles, and mango rice–and call it a day.
Others, though, do things differently, bringing different flavors or styles to their dishes.
Walnut Creek has several creative Thai places like that. And sadly, one of them has now closed.
Kacha Thai, located right by the movie theater, has long been my family’s choice of Thai food for a tradition of ordering the cuisine on New Year’s Eve.
I’ve also eaten there many, many times over the years. Kacha did things differently from your standard Thai place.
If you ordered soup–like their delicious Tom Kah Gai, pictured above–it came in a beautiful copper bowl, served above a flaming container of liquid fuel–almost like a fondue.
The same applied to curries.
For people who like their food hot, this meant the soups and curries always stayed piping hot throughout the meal. It’s something I haven’t seen other restaurants attempt, but it makes so much sense!
The soup itself was different from the usual fare, too, with shredded chicken and a more pronounced lime flavor.
If you ordered a simple dish like fried rice, Kacha made it fancy by serving it in a hollowed out half of a pineapple.
This was both a fun gimmick and a genuine flavor enhancer, as the juice from the pineapple lent a bit of sweetness and extra flavor to the dish.
You may have noticed that I’ve been writing this all in the past tense. That’s because Kacha has sadly closed down.
Citing “circumstances beyond our control,” the restaurant’s owners posted online that the restaurant has closed, calling it “our dream and our home.”
Locals report that it remains closed about a week later. It’s a big loss for anyone seeking Thai food that’s a bit different in downtown WC.
There’s hope, though. The team’s post says that the closure is currently temporary, calling it a “difficult time.” There’s already speculation online about whether the closure will really be temporary, or if this is the end of the delicious spot.
We’re of course hoping it’s the former! Kacha is unique, and we really hope they come back. Some locals have reported seeing permanent closure signs on the restaurant’s door, though, so it’s not looking good at the moment.
We haven’t confirmed those signs, so we’re choosing to be hopeful for now. Make sure to join my free 925 News newsletter so we can let you know as soon as we learn more about Kacha’s plans.
In the meantime, Torsop Thai is another option down the block that does a great job with innovative Thai dishes.
Kacha Thai serves their food in the traditional way. I grew up having food served like this in Thailand. Definitely hope they come back.