Unchai is unapologetically Thai

In my prep for a trip to Vancouver I inevitably found myself scouring the web for interesting places to eat. With respect to Thai cuisine, one name cropped up again and again: Unchai.

In 2019, this modest room of four two-tops opened at 2351 Burrard (at 7th Ave.) and to this day enjoys a very brisk business.

Unchai is the surname of Warisara, life and business partner of chef Narong Yumonkol but it may as well stand in for the word “Unapologetic”. The food here is bold in both flavour and spice. Thai food newbies may want to stay away although the better advice is to jump in with both feet. 

One thing to note is that all dishes save for the noodle soups (served in ceramic bowls) are served in cardboard takeaway containers. It’s not glamorous dining but convenient. When it comes time to take home the leftovers, they bring you a biodegradable lid.

I began with a dish most commonly seen in Malaysian cooking: roti with curry sauce. Rather than a stretchy, chewy round of bread, these were crisp rectangles but equally appealing. A simple dish like this requires that both the curry and bread are first rate and the kitchen delivered on every front.

As with everything we’d enjoy that night, the papaya salad was not shy in making its heat felt. Underripe papaya had been shaved into thin strips and mixed with other vegetables as well as (uniquely) rice noodles. The lime dressing was fiery but appetite-stimulating and proved to be a fresh way to begin a meal.

Being a Pad Thai purist (no ketchup shall pass these lips) I had no need to ask the server about their recipe. It arrived with noodles that appeared almost unadorned by sauce, but was in fact intensely flavoured and once more, just sufficiently fiery.

The noodles were top quality and I appreciated the menu's recommendation that due to the nature of the noodles, this is not a dish recommended for take-out. Exactly right. Pad Thai never fares well as a take-out item as the noodles will clump together. This is the first time I’ve seen a restaurant issue such an advisory and they have my full respect.

You have the choice of having your prawns pan-seared or deep-fried and I chose the latter. They came dusted in a seasoned cornstarch creating a crisp shell that gave way to sweet extra-large prawn flesh and I’m happy to relay that this was stellar. Pure and simply delicious.

Next to the Khua Kling curry the menu reads “Must Try” and I did. I’d not come across this type of curry before and it was unlike anything you’d expect from a Thai kitchen. It was not saucy nor did it contain any form of coconut.

Instead, the seasonings (lime leaf and shrimp paste) were mixed into minced chicken which then became the curry. Alongside the necessary rice was an assortment of greens to help smother the fire a bit. Yes, this dish, like everything else, had a little extra heat.

While it promoted a mini fire in the mouth, the flavours were intense and dominated the spice. A dangerous combination because you won’t be able to stop eating and then sweating blood.

Unchai delivered one of the finest Thai experiences in many years. If you live in Vancouver, I suggest you make a reservation.