Review: Chat Thai, Chatswood

A small partnership 30 years ago launched a popular brand of Thai restaurants

Beverley Hudec

2 min read

May 17, 2019 - 11:00AM

Mosman Daily

Sour pork rice salad, Naam KhaoTodt, is on the menu at Chat Thai Chatswood. Photos: supplied

When Pat Laoynt was a boy he used to ‘help out’ in his mum’s hole in the wall restaurant. Now the trained architect designs the family’s expanding empire.

Laoynt’s early restaurant memories date back to 1993 when mum Amy Chanta opened her first solo eatery in Randwick. This suburban restaurant is still part of the Chat Thai group, but the story predates Randwick. It began in Darlinghurst when Chanta, a single mum and her business partner opened a Thai restaurant in 1989.

Thirty years on, seven Chat Thai restaurants spread across Sydney, plus three city-based eateries, which operate under different names, including Assamm in the QVB and contemporary Boon Cafe and Jarern Chai Grocer, an Asian-style providore in Haymarket, for fresh ingredients and groceries.

Chat Thai’s Chatwood has a wraparound terrace seating 40.

Chat Thai is a tightly-run family concern. Laoynt, who prefers to work behind the scenes, came on-board as a director in 2007. His sister, Palisa Anderson is brand ambassador. Anderson also runs Boon Luck Farm, the family’s organic Byron Bay farm which supplies its Sydney restaurants twice-weekly with fresh produce such as green papayas, water spinach, gai Choy, long green and apple eggplants and the fresh herbs that put that zing into Thai cuisine.

Autonomy ensures control on each restaurant and the menu, Laoynt explains.

“We get to do what we want and create our own identity,” he says. “And prepare the food we love to eat.”

Each venue is different. Chatswood is home to the latest Chat Thai, a contemporary space with 80 indoor seats and 40 spots outside on a wraparound terrace. The venue opened in April at Chatswood Place.

Dinner service at Chat Thai Chatswood.

The suburb fits the brand’s message for a quality, family friendly restaurant suitable for a shopping trip, quick business lunch or long, leisurely dinner.

The elevated corner site with its curved facade was a design challenge. It is still work in progress, a bar has yet to be built in the space.

Chat Thai’s extensive menu has over 100 dishes and the fit-out had to reflect these requirements. There are two separate prep areas located at the entrance. The inclusive design draws customers into the hustle and bustle. One section has been fitted out with two imported Japanese grills. Across the passageway is a dedicated dessert station with steamers, deep fryers and ingredients at the ready for the restaurant’s numerous dessert offerings.

Prawn and lemongrass salad, Yum Goong Sodt Ta Krai.

Sticky rice and mango are staples at most Thai restaurants, but Chat Thai’s sweet treats include exclusive new desserts such as sticky rice crepes filled with coconut, sesame and sugar and a pretty blue and white dessert — Itim Sacu. This features house made coconut ice cream, young coconut and blue butterfly pea sago.

New menu additions include authentic street food dishes and three new stir fries. One dish features thin rice noodles with prawns, chilli and choy sum; while goong kai khem is a salty, rich chilli hit of prawns and duck egg yolk. Generous portions mean leftovers can be tomorrow’s lunch.