Blaine’s lone Thai restaurant is dedicated to the authentic taste of Thai food at an affordable price.
Co-owners Suchada and George Probert met in Bellingham in 2002 and dreamed of owning a restaurant. Suchada owned Chada Thai and Sweet Tangerine Teriyaki, now known as Teriyaki Secret, before selling the restaurant in 2016 to focus on Chada Thai, which she and George have been running since 2008.
Suchada is from Bangkok, Thailand. After her daughter came to the U.S. to study abroad in the early 2000s, Suchada followed. She met George while visiting a friend in Washington and the two fell in love.
Blaine did not have a Thai food restaurant when the Proberts opened Chada Thai. The building features a view of the harbor at 825 Peace Portal Drive.
“I love meeting and talking with customers,” Suchada said. “It makes me happy and proud to present my culture.”
The restaurant features authentic Thai food like wok dishes, curry and many chef specials. The chefs are native Thai, with a kitchen and wait staff familiar with traditional Thai cuisine.
“We rely on staff who really know Thai food,” Suchada said.
The dedication to an authentic taste and experience comes with its challenges. Chada Thai’s biggest struggle has been finding staff with Thai food expertise.
“There are not many Asian restaurants in Blaine and we’ve always focused on traditional Thai menus,” Suchada said. “We aim at offering good quality food in a reasonable price range.”
Suchada dedicates her full attention to Chada Thai, where she wants to welcome locals, Canadians and anyone craving an authentic Thai food experience.
“A lot of our customers had spent some time in Thailand through work or travel,” Suchada said. “They came in because they missed authentic Thai food.”
Being authentic is one of Chada Thai’s missions, among striving to be family-friendly and affordable. The Proberts said that since their 2008 opening, they’ve seen a growth in the number of people craving Thai food.
In the future, they hope to bring outdoor seating to their restaurant so customers can enjoy the bay breeze and sun in the warmer months. Along with seating expansion, Chada Thai hopes to add seasonal menus with more specials. They would also like to increase their involvement in community events.
“It has been a job that I enjoy doing,” Suchada said.
Restaurant recommendation: Suchada recommends readers try the shrimp pineapple fried rice or the chicken satay.
This article is part of a series in The Northern Light highlighting Blaine and Birch Bay restaurants.
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