Close your eyes for two seconds and you might miss it. Surrounded by competitors, salons and bars, this Thai restaurant has little significance from the outside, but step inside and you’ll see why it’s worth strolling by.
Occupying a slice of downtown Cotati, the five-table restaurant Tiny Thai receives a constant flow of hungry locals. Whengold bells on the front door ring as customers step inside, kind faces and satisfying dishes fill the small space.
Serving warm peanut sauce with fresh spring rolls instead of cold and the option of substituting coconut milk for cream in Thai iced tea are both uncommon practices among Thai restaurants, but Tiny Thai sets a new bar for the cuisine.
Those sharing a meal seated outside along the downtown walkway can see a tiny tray with bite sized portions of green curry, rice, pad pak and Thai iced tea: the offering of the day.
Tables are hardly empty for long. One party leaves, and the gold bells ring once more.
Tiny Thai serve various noodle dishes, street food, curries, soups and specials; the coconut lemongrass soup tops the others with its creamy texture and balanced blend of coconut and lemongrass. The servers suggest a side of white rice. Noodle dishes Pad Thai and Pad Pak are among the most popular, serving enough for two meals with rich bases of peanut sauce and black bean sauce.
Sensitive to spicy foods? Order mild. Otherwise they won’t hold back with your curry.
With maximum capacity at eight tables, this one-waitress, two-cook restaurant has plenty to tackle. They cook with fresh ingredients daily, the landline is constantly buzzing for takeout and seats barely get a break between orders, so diners should be patient with the check’s arrival. Don’t be disappointed- bills come with candy.
Traditional décor from Thailand graces the walls; with the store pet, a blue beta fish, in one corner swimming around bamboo and heart shaped candles at every table the bustling room gives off a sense of comfort. However, if a personal confession is on the agenda, either order to go or save it for later. There is a good chance fellow diners who sit a mere arm’s length away will judge you.
Those seated behind the cash register have full view of an open kitchen and the two dedicated women who juggle ingredients and orders. Between flashes of steam rising to the low ceiling and the crackle of stovetops, they never miss a beat.
Avid Thai food lovers along with those unfamiliar with the cuisine could find themselves a new go-to; between the attentive service, freshly cooked dishes and welcoming ambiance, it may be worth keeping both your eyes and options open.