Phichit, in Thailand’s lower northern region, seems an unlikely starting point for an Oakland supper club — until the résumé fills in. Payakk opened in September 2025 as Chef Nattaporn “Tobb” Pinpech’s second Bay Area restaurant, following Secrets of Tiger, her Emeryville street-food spot. The concept is upscale and regionally specific: southern and northern Thai cooking traditions filtered through seasonal California sourcing. According to East Bay Express, the name means “great tiger” in Thai, chosen for the Pinpechs’ daughter, born in the Year of the Tiger.
From Bangkok Training to the Oakland Hills
Pinpech’s path from architecture studios to Thai kitchen reflects the deliberate precision running through every dish at Payakk.
Pinpech trained at Bangkok’s Dusit Thani hotel and Le Cordon Bleu, then completed pastry training in Osaka — before either, she worked in architecture and advertising. Pinpech describes the restaurant’s concept as moving diners past the familiar Thai restaurant playbook into regional traditions that require explanation. Southern Thai cooking tends to be seafood-forward, turmeric-heavy, and assertive in its chile heat. Northern Thai preparations use different paste profiles and a distinct spice character. Those pastes matter: according to SFGate reporting, Pinpech has explained that pounding ingredients with a mortar ruptures cells and releases aromatic oils — technique rooted as much in food science as in tradition.
- Address: 5761 Thornhill Drive, Oakland (Merriewood neighborhood)
- Hours: Thursday–Monday, 5–9 p.m.; the website also lists lunch service, though hours vary by source — confirm directly before visiting
- Price range: Entrées roughly in the $31–$50 range; Pad Thai Chaiya reported at $39, fried pork jowl fried rice at approximately $29
- Reservations: Available via OpenTable
- Sourcing: Liberty Duck, Stemple Creek Ranch beef, Hodo Soy tofu, seafood from Monterey and Bodega Bay (suppliers subject to seasonal change)
A Southern Thai Dish That Reframes the Menu
The Pad Thai Chaiya alone is worth the drive into the Oakland hills.
Tied to Chaiya in Surat Thani province, the Pad Thai Chaiya builds on coconut milk, shrimp fat, chile paste, tamarind, palm sugar, rice noodles, and generous shrimp, according to Eater SF — a southern Thai variation with a flavor architecture noticeably different from its central Thai counterpart. At a reported $39, it illustrates how spicy, sweet, sour, and salty balance shifts when the fat and paste change. Other reported highlights include:
- Chilean sea bass turmeric curry
- Fried eggplant with green curry broth
- Hodo tofu custard
- Crispy prawn toast
Because the menu rotates seasonally, specific dishes may not always be available — checking current offerings before you go is worthwhile.
A Supper Club With a Serious Vinyl Collection
The dining room’s design and music program are as considered as what arrives at the table.
Two intimate dining rooms — dark walls, teal accents, plants, tiger imagery, banquettes — were designed by Yong Pinpech, Chef Tobb’s husband, whose background is in graphic design and art direction. Shelves of vinyl records serve an active purpose: the restaurant hosts listening nights with Bay Area DJs, and Yong’s collection reportedly spans Thai music from the 1980s and ’90s alongside jazz, according to Eater SF. Cocktails and wines from producers including Carboniste, Folk Machine, and Broc Cellars complete the experience.
If a visit is on your radar, reservations are advisable. A standalone building on a residential Oakland street, a chef trained across Bangkok and Osaka, a daughter born in the Year of the Tiger — Payakk’s backstory and its cooking are equally layered.
