3 New Spots For Southeast Asian Food In Oakland

3 New Spots For Southeast Asian Food In OaklandPhoto: Lynn T./Yelp
Hoodline
Published on November 30, 2017

Now that the last of the turkey and stuffing leftovers have been gobbled up, you might be in the mood for something with a big jolt of flavor (and maybe some heat).

Good news: Oakland is here to satisfy your cravings, with a trio of new Southeast Asian restaurants that have debuted in recent months. Spanning Thai, Vietnamese, and Laotian cuisines, these newcomers are ready and waiting to spice up your life. 

The Temple Club

The hours at this Vietnamese newcomer are a bit erratic, but it's worth making a special trip to try the food from chef Geoffrey Deetz, who spent the past 15 years living and cooking in Ho Chi Minh City.

After returning to Oakland, he's now cooking up regional Vietnamese specialties like poached pork and cabbage salad with garlic fish sauce and sesame, and Hoi An-style grilled street corn. The colorful former Bakeshop Oakland space is now full of murals and other bright decor inspired by old Vietnamese propaganda posters. 

The Temple Club
2307 International Blvd., East Oakland
Tue, 5-10pm; Wed, 12-3pm and 5-10pm; Fri, 5-10pm; Sat, noon-10pm

Pintoh Thai Street Food

Photo: Jay G./Yelp

Housed in the former Adam's Mediterranean Grill downtown, Pintoh bills itself as an affordable spot serving traditional Thai-style street food like like kao pad talay (basil-seafood fried rice), khao soi (a chicken and coconut curry), a variety of veggie curries, and pad makeur with eggplant and tofu.

In keeping with the name, all items are served in the titular pintohs, traditional lunchboxes used by Thai schoolchildren. 

Pintoh Thai Street Food
1442 Franklin St., Downtown Oakland
Mon-Sat, 11am-3pm (4pm on Sat) and 5-9pm

The Saap Avenue

Photo: The Saap Avenue/Yelp

This newbie from the family behind East Oakland and Hayward's popular Chai Thai Noodles has taken over the former Adesso, where it now offers an intriguing fusion of traditional Laotian cuisine and new-school cocktails.

The LED-lit bar boasts a wide selection of whiskeys and other artisanal tipples, while the menu features popular items like spicy fish salad, crispy chicken wings, and creamy pumpkin curry.

The Saap Avenue
4395 Piedmont Ave., Piedmont
Tue-Thur, 5-11pm; Fri-Sat, 5pm-1am; Sun, 5-9:30pm