Praonnut “Pim” Udompanit believed New York was missing something: a restaurant that presented the true essence of Thailand through its food and culture.

With that desire, she opened Chada in April 2025, offering the breadth of Thai cuisine from a refined, contemporary perspective. “Food is a deeply spiritual and emotional experience,” she says. Through it, she hopes guests will discover a Thailand that is graceful, generous, colorful, and deeply rooted in tradition.

The restaurant takes its name from the chada, the golden, jeweled headdress associated with Thai royalty and classical dance. Its elegance can be felt throughout the dining room, where golden accents and hand-painted scenes from the Ramakien, Thailand’s national epic, recall the splendor of Bangkok’s Grand Palace. Much of the décor was handcrafted in Thailand, and an artist traveled from there to paint the figures on Chada’s walls.

Here, Udompanit’s vision comes together in every detail—from the food on the table to the stories surrounding it.

Silky and smooth, multi layered, Folded Dumplings (Image: courtesy of Chada)

The menu moves between two sides of Thailand: the refinement of the royal kitchen and the joyful energy of Bangkok’s streets. Palace dishes were traditionally prepared without bones or seeds, allowing each bite to be enjoyed effortlessly. At Chada, that care can be tasted in the tender deboned steamed branzino awakened by lime juice and the slowly cooked short-rib panang curry with coconut milk and roasted Brussels sprouts. Delicate folded dumplings and fried calamari with tamarind sauce bring to mind festive gatherings and plates passed generously around the table. Mindful of allergies, the kitchen prepares its dishes without nuts.

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Award-winning chef Sira “Don” Dechasawas cooks with creativity, but memory remains his compass. His travels introduced him to new techniques and presentations, while his Southern Thai childhood preserves the soul of his cooking.

The Thai Spicy Crab Salad carries him closest to home. Growing up near the ocean, he remembers fresh crab at the family table and his grandmother gathering herbs, fruits, and vegetables from her garden before cooking.

“This dish is more than just a recipe,” he says. “It represents the connection between the ocean, the land, and the family table.”

However the dish may evolve; its natural sweetness, fresh herbs, and bright Southern Thai heat remain unchanged. “I always want it to keep the feeling of home,” he says.

The storytelling continues at the bar, where mixologist Teddy Chantarasombat and bar manager Pattakan “Limon” Rumsanthia created cocktails inspired by the Ramakien, such as the rum-based Golden Rama and the gently fiery Apsara Epic, named for the epic’s celestial dancers.

Together, Udompanit and Dechasawas have created more than a contemporary Thai restaurant. Chada gathers memories of Bangkok’s brilliant streets, the waters of Southern Thailand, and the quiet abundance of a grandmother’s garden. Beneath its golden crown, every path leads home.

(Image: courtesy of Chada)

Visit Chada NYC

260 6th Ave, New York, NY 10014

+1 (646) 370-6366, [email protected], IG@chadanyc 

Recipe 

Thai spicy crab salad. (Image: courtesy of Chada)

For Chef Sira “Don” Dechasawas, this salad holds the flavors of his Southern Thai childhood: crab from the nearby ocean, fresh herbs from his grandmother’s garden, and the lively balance of lime, sweetness, salt, and chili.

“This dish is more than just a recipe,” he says. “It represents the connection between the ocean, the land, and the family table.”

Ingredients

Bright Lime-Chili Dressing

Prepare the dressing

Combine the lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust as needed. The dressing should taste sour first, salty second, and followed by noticeable sweetness and clean chili warmth. Add more lime for brightness, fish sauce for saltiness, or sugar if the lime is particularly sharp.

Prepare the aromatics

In a bowl, combine the shallot, lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, chilies, and cilantro. Add the dressing and mix gently.

Add the crab

Carefully fold the aromatics and dressing into the jumbo lump crabmeat, taking care not to break apart the large pieces.

To serve

Serve chilled or cool, spooned over cucumber slices or crisp lettuce leaves. Finish with fresh herbs and a few thin slices of bird’s eye chili.

Chef’s Note

(Image: courtesy of Chada)
Original article
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