First off, I am stoked we have a solid concept led by an experienced restaurant industry team on the corner of Coast Highway and Daphne in the heart of Leucadia. Some iconic businesses, like Mozy Café, have occupied that space over the years, and it deserves a solid, yet creative and fun team like the folks behind Coast Thai-Way.
That said, Leucadia has never been a community that embraces the generic. From the characters who have populated its beaches and businesses over the years to its wonderfully eclectic collection of restaurants, it has always preferred the independent, the soulful and the slightly unexpected.
Coast Thai-Way, the new Lao Thai restaurant from owners Stella Bayphouthongkham and Bee Sukcharoen, checks all those boxes. Located at 698 North Coast Highway 101, Coast Thai-Way brings something fresh to the local dining scene while fitting comfortably into Leucadia’s laid-back rhythm.
Stella and Bee have transformed it into a destination that combines traditional family recipes and ingredients with the bright, complex flavors of Southeast Asia. And to top it off, the team they have in place is fun, energetic, steeped in the knowledge and history of their cuisine, and poised to be around for the long haul.
The partners also co-own Mekong Cuisine Lao & Thai on Convoy Street, which should tell us all we need to know about their experience. But Coast Thai-Way is not simply a North County version of Mekong. The concept is tailored to its coastal location, blending seafood, seasonal produce, and Southern California influences with the Lao and Thai dishes that have been part of Bayphouthongkham’s family for generations.
Her family emigrated from Laos in 1990, landing in San Diego, and never left. Food was definitely a big part of her life growing up and connected her family to their roots. Being able to cook and eat the food her parents grew up on was a big deal in a brand-new country.
At 18, she started college and got a job at a local Thai joint, her introduction to the industry, and also where she met her partner Bee. They hit it off instantly…and lucky for us!
Fast forward to their dream location in Leucadia. For the less adventurous of us looking for something familiar, Coast Thai-Way offers a solid lineup of curries, including yellow, red, green, panang and massaman, along with pad see-ew, drunken noodles, fried rice and stir-fried dishes. Those favorites provide a comfortable place to start, but the more distinctive Lao offerings are what got me excited.
Nam khao tod is a prime example. The crispy coconut rice salad combines cured pork sausage, scallions, cilantro, ginger and peanuts with a chili-lime fish sauce vinaigrette. It delights every part of the palate with crunch, citrus, herbs, savory sausage and a measured dose of heat.
Another dish worth exploring is the sai oua, a Lao herbal sausage served with jeow som dipping sauce and sticky rice. Beef jerky gets the Lao treatment too, made with marinated sirloin and paired with tiger tamarind sauce. Another first for me was the grilled pork collar, seasoned boneless pork collar with tiger tamarind sauce…so good!
The salad section continued my culinary education with som thum Thai, the classic green papaya salad and laap chicken prepared with roasted rice powder, red onion, cilantro, scallions, mint and chili-lime fish sauce vinaigrette. These are vibrant, herb-driven dishes that feel particularly well suited to our recent heat wave.
We also have khao piek sen, a deeply comforting Lao chicken noodle soup made with house-made, hand-cut rice noodles, pulled chicken, fried garlic, cilantro, scallions and cracked white pepper. It has all the restorative qualities of a great bowl of chicken soup, but with a texture and aromatic profile that sets it apart from more familiar versions.
Khao soi, a Northern Thai curry noodle soup, is another standout option, available with chicken, tofu or beef. The rich curry broth, egg noodles, scallions and cilantro make it a substantial meal on its own and a fine choice when the marine layer hangs around longer than expected.
The menu also features a Coast Thai beef noodle soup with rice noodles, sliced brisket, bean sprouts, gai lan, fried garlic and fresh herbs. This further shows that Coast Thai-Way wants to go beyond the standard roster of Thai restaurant staples.
Bayphouthongkham’s approach to ingredients should resonate with health-conscious North County diners. The restaurant emphasizes non-GMO, organic and seasonal produce when available, along with pasture-raised chicken and grass-fed or grass-finished beef. The kitchen cooks with non-GMO avocado oil, a thoughtful touch that distinguishes it from operations that rely on less expensive blended seed oils.
Seafood also helps differentiate Coast Thai-Way from its Convoy Street sibling. Crispy calamari appears among the appetizers, while crab fried rice combines crab, egg, peas, carrots and onions into a satisfying coastal take on comfort food.
Vegetarians have plenty to choose from, including fresh summer rolls with organic tofu, golden tofu, basil eggplant and several customizable curries. The avocado curry sounds very Leucadia, combining green curry paste with avocado, bell pepper, green bean, eggplant and Thai basil. Pumpkin and mango curries add two more intriguing variations.
The beverage program is creative and refreshing. Lao and Thai beers share space with local craft selections, sake and natural wines, including sparkling orange wine, a white blend and a chilled red. It is nice to see a restaurant put thought into pairing wine with the salty, sour, sweet, herbal and spicy elements of Lao and Thai cooking.
Stella poured me a sampling of a new offering called “Partie Fine,” which loosely translates from French as a “pleasure party” and is a lively, natural white wine made in the Gers region of Gascony, southwest France. It was delightful! Point is, I think we can expect more beverage surprises as the restaurant progresses.
Thai iced tea, Thai iced green tea and Thai iced coffee cover the nonalcoholic indulgences, while mango sticky rice, fried banana with raw organic honey and coconut ice cream provide a fitting finale.
All this makes Coast Thai-Way a welcome addition to Leucadia. Stella mentioned to me that this is her dream restaurant location, and she does not take that lightly, and it shows in the menu and the energy.
Coast Thai-Way is located at 698 North Coast Highway 101 in Leucadia. Check Instagram for hours and updates @coastthaiway.
