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Anchalee Thai Cuisine
Category: Restaurants Thai Thai [Edit]
1094 Dwight Way(between 10th St & San Pablo Ave)
Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 848-4015
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
224 reviews for Anchalee Thai Cuisine
Review Highlights
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"The brown rice is worth getting as well." In 28 reviews -
"is the Pad Ke Mao - good use of chilis and basil." In 8 reviews -
"MUST try the coconut ice cream with fried banana." In 8 reviews
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- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
224 reviews in English
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Review from Anthony L.
Berkeley, CA
1/10/2012 3 Check-ins Here
My wife decided that I needed more culture in my dining experiences, and so she shared with me a wonderful Thai restaurant called Anchalee Thai! Now, normally I'm a pretty "basic" guy when we go out to many Asian place - normally rice dishes, but this time I threw caution to the wind and tried a few different dishes - and I am so glad that I did!
We started with a Popiah (a bit like a "spring-roll"), which had very fresh veggies and tasted wonderful. We then moved to Tom Yum Goong, a nicely spiced soup, again with fresh veggies and fresh seafood. Our second appetizer was Nuer Satay (beef kabobs with a highly addictive peanut sauce that will make you want to lick the plate clean). Their meat was very well seasoned and tender. For our entrees, we ordered two different curries, a yellow chicken curry and a chicken pumpkin curry. Both were excellently seasoned - they each had a very unique and bold flavor, with a nice kick of heat - but still mild enough that you could taste everything you were eating. We finished the meal with the classic fried bananas with ice cream.
The service was also outstanding! We asked our server many question about the menu and the different flavors (and when I say "we", I mean mostly me). He was very happy helping me with the different items and explaining what was in each dish. He was also very attentive to us; refilling drinks, checking to see if we needed anything else, and if we were enjoying our meal.
The atmosphere is very relaxing as well. They have a lot of traditional Thai art and artifact displayed, but not so many that it's overbearing. Music was also playing, but at a volume that still allowed for conversation. The dining area is a bit small, so depending on when you go you might have a bit of a wait (but it's worth it!).
If you enjoy Thai food or if you would like to try something new, I would highly recommend Anchalee Thai. And remember, I warned you ahead of time if you suddenly start licking the peanut sauce off the plate! -
Review from Angie R.
Livermore, CA
5/15/2012
My family and I decided to make reservations for 15 guests at Anchalee Thai for Mother's day. We were also celebrating a special graduation that would happen later that very same day.
We found street parking easily and once at the restaurant were seated right away. We started off with white wine and Thai iced teas. We places several orders (4 orders of each individual item) of the sweet and spicy mango salad with cashews, spring rolls, and the gai satay (chicken).
After scarfing down the appetizers we were ready for the main course. We ordered several plates of each item starting off with the tofu curry, followed by garlic vegetables, himapan tofu, basil tofu, kao pad, and the pad himapan goong.
It was now time for dessert. We ordered fried banana with coconut ice cream. We were stuffed!
I would have to say the food was just OK. I enjoyed the sweet and spicy mango salad with cashews and the gai satay (chicken). I didn't care much for any of the main courses except for the tofu curry. The dessert was delicious and ended the meal on a good note.
I don't know if the meal was good enough to make me a regular guest at Anchalee but I am still glad I tried it. -
Review from Michael H.
El Cerrito, CA
2/11/2012
Been there about a half dozen times for take out, ate there once only. A good neighborhood take out place, the future wife always makes me order the Tum Yum Goong, although she says the quality of the soup has leveled off since she initially tried it, and has been on a decline the last couple of times. The spicy & sour pungent flavor of the soup just isn't there anymore, seems like a ghost of it's former self.
Same can be said for their Pad Se-ew.
I, on the other hand always have their curry, it's the only time that I can freely get my curry on, and I'm a fan. I've had their Panang Curry and their house curry both were tasty, although the chicken breast used was a bit over cooked and somewhat dry. Do me a favor start using dark meats.
The rice costs 1 buck extra, which is a little weird. I'm asian myself, and we always have rice in the house, so I felt a little scammed the first time we got take out and I got charged for it.
Overall summary, it's a good local Thai place, but not a destination for me. We've since moved away from that area, so we haven't been there a while, but will go back if we're in the neighborhood and itching for Thai -
Review from Tammi L.
El Sobrante, CA
5/22/2012
Wow, I feel like I may have just caught them on a bad night!
Let's start with the positive. Parking was easy, the decor is very nice and clean, the service was very good, and I loved the large family style serving sizes.
Unfortunately the taste was lacking! Everything looked beautiful on the plates, but when we bit into it it just fell short =(
We started with the fried cakes with chives in it...I was very excited for them, but they didn't have much flavor to them. I did like the texture though, it was nice and crispy on the outside while the inside was moist and chock full of chives.
We then had the spicy eggplant and the pumpkin red curry with chicken. Sadly the eggplant was watery, didn't have much flavor, and wasn't spicy! And I was concerned when I ordered because I can't handle too much heat, but I'd thought I'd try it at full strength and I'm glad I did because spicy-wise it was luke warm =(
The pumpkin curry was better, but still a little something missing. It definitely had more flavor than the spicy eggplant, but it was still a bit shallow in taste. I like Tuk Tuk Thai's much better. -
Review from Nga M.
San Leandro, CA
4/29/2012
The service was great! We came here for a birthday dinner, so there was 17 of us and they were very accommodating (esp for such a small restaurant!).. I only hope we weren't too loud for the other patrons. They were on top of every thing. The thai ice tea was good. I've had it so much that it pretty much all taste the same. We all shared an order of the fried yam ( &taro?) appetizer, which was very good because of the sauce that it came with. It's basically battered french fries made from yams/ taro with a sweet onion like dip. The food was delicious! I loved the Spicy pork with eggplant & I usually HATE eggplant. The sauce on it was creamy and flavorful! The ginger or garlic chicken was average. I can't remember which it was, but it was definitely not very garlicy nor gingery. The catfish was VERY good; flavorful and moist. We had a good experience. Thanks, Anchalee Thai Cuisine!
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Review from Hallie M.
San Francisco, CA
4/20/2012
There are like 8 million mediocre Thai restaurants in Berkeley. This one rises above the pack. The panang curry sauce was delicious-- among the best I've had-- flavorful and thick. They did not just throw a bag of frozen vegetables in with it either, sticking instead to bell peppers, as they should. My only complaint is that I prefer my tofu fried, and this was just stewed in the curry sauce.
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Review from TIM M.
Pleasant Hill, CA
4/11/2012
Great place for a unique. Lunch.
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Review from Erica R.
Oakland, CA
4/11/2012
I just met a friend here for lunch. The food was well plated, had plenty of veggies even in the meat dishes, was filling, and well-priced. I can't speak for my friend's lunch, but my yellow lamb curry had a good balance of creaminess and curry flavor, and the lamb was very tender. I love how they served drinks in whole coconuts! The paintings done by elephants were also a nice touch. I would definitely come back for dinner!
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Review from Shirleyanne Z.
San Francisco, CA
12/29/2011 2 Check-ins Here
We always go here for lunch since it's down the street from work. The food is excellent. The customer service is stellar. The servers are always smiling and they seem really happy at what they're doing. The kitchen would even make something that is not on the menu if you ask nicely (like when I order Basil Chicken but add eggplant).
My favorites are the Basil Chicken, Pineapple Fried Rice and BBQ Pork Chop. My coworkers absolutely love the Pad Kee Mao. Save room for the dessert. The F.B.I. (Fried Banana Ice cream) is a must have! Also, they have the mango over sticky rice which is really tasty but it's only seasonal and the portion is a bit small.
The soda is over priced (about $2, no refill). The Thai Iced Tea is a little bit too sweet. The restaurant is really small so don't expect to get seated right away during rush hour (around noon). This is definitely one of the better Thai places I've eaten at. -
Review from Carmen L.
Berkeley, CA
3/8/2012
OMG! we order one appetizer to share and 3 main courses for 2 people! the food was awesome! every dish was unique. The curry rolls with cucumber salad was ok, otherwise the salmon was delicious, like sea butter... so fresh! the pad thai was really good, the shrimp had a delicious grill flavor; everything had the right amount of spiciness and the right temperature. The service was awesome! We wait 30 minutes or so for a table, but was so good, so does not matter.
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Review from Jack C.
12/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Let's face it, there is no shortage of Thai places to choose from in Berkeley and Oakland. Anchalee qualifies itself as a hidden gem. The restaurant is tucked away right off of San Pablo ave and Dwight way. It is tiny and cozy, intimate and tranquil. I've been frequenting Anchalee for years whether it's for a take out order or dine in. I prefer dine in because the service is friendly, relaxing, and on point.
What separates Anchalee from the many other Thai places that are equally good in some respects is the fresh ingredients and the consistent texture of their noodles. The pad see ew and pad ke mao are done just right. The fried rice is fragrant. The curries are well crafted in flavor. Everything Anchalee does is clean, classic, and refined. This is no hole in the wall thai food, which I enjoy just as mightily. To be fair the prices are not cheap, but fair imo.Listed in: All the way, in the EAST bay!
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Review from Eugene Z.
San Marino, CA
3/13/2012 2 photos
Closer to 3.5 but I rounded up because of the thai coffee and restaurant space. Seriously, thai coffee is like crack to me. Anyways, I ordered the pad see ew for lunch, and it was just ok. The plate looked really appetizing, but I felt like the noodles were either a little under or I was just used to having my rice noodles a little softer. Would come back just for the thai coffee though.
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Review from Krystal H.
Berkeley, CA
2/7/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I am soooo happy to live within blocks from Anchalee. Not only is it a great place to get take-out, it's also a very cute little spot for a date night. The vegetarian options are amazing -- and changes consistently. Just let them know you want extra-extra-extra-extra spicy! And don't forget the coconut ice cream for dessert -- to die for!
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Review from Laura C.
11/18/2011
I looked around on Yelp for a good place to take alumni of my organization in the East Bay. The reviews for Anchalee looked pretty good. Eight of us came, five local and three of us in town from Atlanta. None of the locals had tried Anchalee before.
Everyone loved it, and my reputation at work as a person who has excellent food instincts was reinforced yet again (thanks, Yelp!).
We tried two appetizers - the wrapped fried shrimp and the chive cakes. Both were better than I thought they'd be, but I would probably stick with the chive cakes in the future. They were hefty appetizers and the eight of us didn't finish the four orders.
Members of the group ordered pad thai, the salmon and vegetables, the pineapple curry, the yellow curry, and I ordered the special seafood hot plate. What I ordered was really amazing. Hot, fantastic flavors, and a huge amount of seafood, with some beautiful vegetables. It was sauce-heavy, so if you want to have naked seafood, this is not the dish for you.
The service was really prompt and helpful. It's a smaller restaurant, so it was easy to flag someone down when necessary. The restaurant itself has dimmer lighting and pleasant colors. The chairs have the right backs, suitable for hanging purses (important!).
A great find. I will come back here when I'm in town. -
Review from Bobby N.
10/17/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Anchalee's is deserves around 2.75 stars. I know. Why the weird rating, right?
When I first visited Anchalee's, I ordered the Phad Thai. Any time I get Phad Thai I always feel so guilty for my narrow interest in thai food, but I haven't had it for a while. To make life more interesting, I told them to spice it up with a medium-level spice. Now don't get me wrong because I can handle my spice but this medium was really intense. My friend order a seafood curry plate w/o any spice and found herself getting it to go b/c she was too spicy. Even though my plate was unexpectedly spicy, the taste was lacking.
I didn't know if my judgment of Anchalee was heavily biased by my desire to spice things up so I gave it another chance. I ordered the Yellow Curry Dish and got the same experience, mediocre and tasteless. I don't ever see myself coming back here b/c taste is the entire experience for me (2.5) stars. Although they have exquisite furniture and a welcoming service, I just cannot justify the price for the experience. I'd rather go to Sabuy Sabuy. -
Review from Monica S.
10/18/2011
Anchalee is the best Thai food I have found in the East Bay. Why? Notably fresh ingredients, subtlety and complexity of flavors, spicy means spicy (and mild means mild!), menu items that deviate from the standard American-Thai fare. Also, they have a substantial vegetarian/vegan menu and a brown rice option, if that's your scene.
A caveat - I haven't found any restaurant in the Bay Area that compares to "actual" Thai food from Thailand. However, as far as options here go, this place is one of the best. Also, unlike other Thai restaurants I frequent, Anchalee's quality is quite consistent.
My favorite items: Larb Salad (spicy, limey ground chicken with salad greens), Steamed Radish Cakes (sounds weird, but soooo delicious), and Mango with Black Sticky Rice (perfectly ripe fruit, rice not too sweet!). Also a fan of the grilled beef salad, and the duck-pineapple curry when it's on the specials menu.
Thai-riffic!Listed in: Best Bites
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Review from Jasmine T.
El Sobrante, CA
2/27/2012 1 photo
I'm a big fan of this place! Everything I've had has been super yummy! And the food tastes very fresh. It seems like they do a lot of takeout, which is a shame because its a very beautiful spot with a great ambience.
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Review from Adrienne B.
San Marcos, CA
2/22/2012
I ate at Anchalee in Berkley on 11/12/11 the food is amazing. We were a party of 7 we ordered 7 entrees, 4 appetizers and drinks. The food was excellent and perfectly cooked. I am VERY picky about my seafood but Anchalee served it hot and perfectly done, which means not overdone. I almost regret a recommendation because it means the masses will find them but they deserve it. A wonderful, fresh, unique menu. Go there :-) oh yes and surprisingly affordable too. The only thing I would improve on, and keep this in mind, is to ask for more heat if you like it hot!
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Review from Feisty C.
Oakland, CA
4/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
this place sucks. came here with my boyfriend because of these yelp reviews and we figure we should give it a try but damn, such a disappointment! we were so upset because they have poor customer service plus the food was not good. it was salty. we had chicken pad thai, tom yum soup, beef salad with rice and we didn't enjoy it. matter of fact, we didn't even finish it- we paid, left and went to jack in the box!
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Review from Cheddarj E.
Berkeley, CA
4/9/2012
Nice looking place. Looks clean. The food is okay. We ordered salmon that was way over cooked. My green bean was over cooked as well. We also had pad-se-we and it was low on the noodle.
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Review from Elvira G.
Oakland, CA
2/16/2012
My favorite is the pineapple seafood & the dish w/cashews. I only give it four stars b/c they could use a little more variety but everything I've had there is great.
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Review from Terran O.
Emeryville, CA
7/12/2011
This is the first Thai place that I've been to in the Bay Area that makes it actually spicy if you ask them too. Everywhere else is afraid to make it too spicy but this place delivered on the spicy for sure.
That being said, the food was decent - not amazing, but still good. I would go back. -
Review from Vera D.
San Francisco, CA
6/28/2011 12 Check-ins Here
Great spot for lunch!
My go-to dishes are:
- Pad thai
- Ginger chicken
- Green curry
- Salmon special with fried rice
Don't get the tom ka gai -- the chicken has been overcooked the few times I've gotten it and not many vegetables like mushrooms in proportion to the meat. It's a bit heavy. -
Review from Kevin S.
Berkeley, CA
9/14/2011
I have frequented this establishment numerous times over the past three years. They serve great food, have great happy hour deals, and have friendly and fast service.
I formerly worked nearby, and I used to bring in my tiffins during lunch time for some great thai food to go. I've tried many of the numerous Thai restaurants in Berkeley, and this one definitely is up there with the best of them. The atmosphere is relaxing and peaceful and the decor is modern and simple. The managers and front of house staff are very thoughtful.
Dishes that I have tremendously enjoyed there:
Apps: RADISH CAKES... sounds weird, but so worth it. TRY THEM!
Spring rolls.
Thom Kha Gai
Mains/Salads: Green bean chicken
Green Papaya salad (Somtum J)
Chicken salad (Larb Kai)
Pineapple fried rice
Spicy Pork with Eggplant
Green Curry with chicken (If they have a Green Curry Halibut on Special, it is amazing)
Pad Thai -
Review from David A.
Emeryville, CA
3/28/2011
Our first visit to Anchalee.
Gui Chai - Chives Cake
Four generous size Mochi-like "cakes" with chives inside, served with sour soy sauce. Very good balance between rice cake, chives and sauce.
Tom Yum Goong (Soup)
Five large, fresh, sweet prawns in spicy and sour soup with equally fresh mushroom, baby corns, lemongrass, green onion and lime leaves. Perfectly balanced aroma and taste, bringing out each ingredients yet in good harmony.
Garlic Lime Sea Bass
Generous portion of fresh Sea Bass, so tender it practically melts in your mouth. Garlic Lime sauce is just tart enough to make your mouth watery and stimulating your palette.
Pad Gra Prow (Beef)
Generous portion of beef wok-fried with Thai basil, onion, bell pepper and garlic spicy sauce. Beef was a bit overcooked and therefore slightly chewy.
Sticky Rice with Mango
Sticky reddish-black rice served with fresh Mango and White syrup. Not too sweet but very nice way to finish the dinner. Very addicting!!
Service started out somewhat indifferent but got better as the food began flowing out. Kitchen had impeccable timing serving the food, perhaps we were the only table for the most of our visit, but they actually peeked through the curtain to keep eyes on our progress.
We would definitely come back for more and new adventure! -
Review from myra a.
Berkeley, CA
3/20/2012
I came here for lunch and was amazed. I thought the decor was very nice and clean. (My friend and I thought it would be a fun place to take a date, nice but not too nice or stuffy). We shared the punkin curry and pad thia. Both dished were amazing and the portion was good sized. The service was very good, polite and attentive. I will be back!! :)
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Review from Carrie G.
San Rafael, CA
6/6/2011
So glad we came here. It's definitely a step up from the Thai food I am used to. I usually stick to more wallet friendly places, but sometimes I splurge. I'm glad we did! We ordered the soft shell crab and mango salad appetizer, which Was perfectly refreshing and full of mint. We also ordered the special, a halibut in green curry. They did not skimp on the halibut, and it was cooked to perfection. The sauce was so good, I had to restrain from licking the bowl. We also got the basil squid, which I am not sure how I feel about, but also was very tasty.
Love the atmosphere and that it's on the side street, so it's much quieter. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the bathroom shared with cafe trieste, had to wait for a little bit, but it wasn't a big deal since the food was so delicious. Cute place to take a date. -
Review from David N.
San Jose, CA
5/13/2011
giving this place 5 stars for making a curry I like.
Ordered the duck curry - duck was tender and firm - curry had mixed veggies - made for a very colorful dish - wasn't over seasoned. Served with brown rice that was light and fluffy and not grainy. Iced Thai tea was a bit sweet for me, but I think I'm a bit sensitive to sugar.
Small intimate place - max occupancy of 38. Lots of hard wood and vibrant earth tones. I'm also a sucker for a place with exposed brick. Light jazz music was playing when I was there for lunch.
I like to try new places for lunch every day, but this is a place that I'll probably go back to soon. -
Review from Katrina A.
New York, NY
3/26/2011
Decided to give this place a try for dinner before heading into the city. It had a good amount of reviews and is only several blocks away from the boy's place.
Lots of stars for the vegetarian menu! It made it so much easier for us to order! We had the sweet and sour tofu, which also came with baby corn, onions, and peppers, and tofu yellow curry. Both were really good, but I think I preferred the curry. Would love it even more if it came with potatoes!
Need to come back to try the Tom Kha and a thai iced tea. We were pressed for time, so we didn't even get a chance to try dessert! -
Review from Cindy B.
12/2/2010
Had an early Sunday dinner there.
When we arrived, there were a couple people waiting for takeout. It filled up quickly
The space is really cute with exposed brick wall look. On the downside, it was way too crammed with tables and chairs for 40 people. Thru out the whole night, we constantly heard "excuse me" from the waitresses and other patrons and had to shift out chairs from time to time. One person at our party knocked down the lamp on the wall because of how little space there was between the table and the wall. (They were really nice about it.)
In fact, the service was above average. All the ladies were friendly and nice.
The happy hour appetizers and drinks were a good deal.
The spring rolls and satay were nothing special, but was presented nicely. I liked the turnip cake, which was not that different from what you get at dim sum excpet sauteed with bean sprouts, but it was yummy and good value for $5 (happy hour special).
I normally do eat Thai curry because I found the coconut milk always too overpowering but I tasted some from friends' bowl. They were rich, flavourful and complex (no hint of coconut), a very pleasant surprise.
My dish was pork in curry over grilled eggplant and bok choy. Again, curry was good, but the eggplant being grilled in large chucks were bland and not as soft as I would have liked.
Somehow deep in my guts, I feel they were slightly below 4, but way better than 3 or 3.5 stars. If I am ever in Berkeley (not very often at all), I'd re-visit and update the review. -
Review from Cassandra E.
San Mateo, CA
2/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I am definitely more than just a fan here, I am a new found Anchalee Thai addict. I must admit, I did not find this wonderful little restaurant on my own. Luckily I had my dear Berkeley native friend show me the way.
With a mix of brick and pastel green covering the walls, this little place has got personality and an overall feeling of comfort and serenity. The day we came here, it was cold and raining outside. As soon as we walked through the door, I felt warm, cozy and comfortable.
We ordered the Tom Ka soup (vegetarian style), and the fried Taro and Sweet Potato with plum sauce appetizer. Yummm. Both were delicious! The soup had a lot of carrots, cauliflower, tofu, and cabbage.
I ordered the Yellow Curry vegetables with brown rice for my main dish. It was great, because the portion was just enough for one person instead of two. It came with this cucumber salad on the side, which made it crunchy and extra satisfying.
I highly recommend this place, if you like Thai! -
Review from To The Point K.
Oakland, CA
11/11/2010
POSITIVE
Nice Atmosphere
Pleasurable vibe
Thai Iced coffee
Presentation
Friendly and Casual service
Fair Pricing
Nice artwork by elephants
NEGATIVE
What?! Extra charge for rice?! to go with curry?!
unconventional choices of curry veggies (eggplant?)
odd sweet-film on the pad thai
average thai
WILL I RETURN?
? -
Review from Geoff J.
Pullman, WA
1/17/2011
I'm not just a fan because its 2 blocks from where I work, they make some serious quality grubbins.
Fresh ingredients, and they don't overload their dishes with onions and green peppers. The vibe of the place is very classy and minimal, definitely a place to go and enjoy the evening. -
Review from Lara M.
San Francisco, CA
9/21/2011
Delicious food, fairly priced, and great service.
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Review from MätthewMichæl S.
Pleasant Hill, CA
7/14/2010
This is by far the best Thai food I've eaten since moving here from the East Coast.
(+) Everything I have eaten here, save one thing was fabulous. Excellent fresh Thai food, with complex and delicate spicing, along with comfort food craving-curing simplcity.
(-) So what was the one unfortunate hiccup? I ordered the calimari. They were clearly fresh (which is rare around here), and they tasted quite delicious along with a very simple fried batter and sweet sauce. Unfortunatley, they were overcooked, resulting in a near taffy level of rubbery chewiness. This is a clealy a failure in basic execution, thus they lost out on 5 stars.
(+) I will definately go back though. Excellent noodle dishes and curries, and really everything else is amazing.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
(+) Anchalee delivers classic American Thai food: Flavorful, fresh, and comforting. -
Review from Aaron M.
Berkeley, CA
6/21/2010
Anchalee is my new favorite Thai meal that doesn't revolve around rolling out of bed at 9:45am on a Sunday and walking over to the Temple. Hard to beat a lazy Sunday brunch BUT to their credit Anchalee certainly makes one hell of a case for favorite Thai food in Berkeley.
Anchalee is basically the perfect neighborhood joint. The people are friendly, the vibe is relaxed if not a tick-upscale / date-night-esc. The food is pretty, delicious and perfectly done.
Even simple things shine, like garlic vegetables, which is really just a veggie garlic brown-sauced grab-bag on a plate. Seems simple, but the veg are all perfectly cooked, the sauce is lightly scented with garlic, and the plate is generous with its garden bounty. I've had soggy, salty, bell-pepper festivals in a bowl under the same menu-name.
The curries also shine. Last night I had a duck in red curry with pineapple special. The duck was perfect, the curry made you want to lick the bowl. That's a typical feeling for me at Anchallee. Oh, try the Masaman (sp?) curry if you want a plate licker too. Semi-shredded chicken in a curry with cashews...so good.
Lastly, again with the little touches, I love the hot Thai tea. I love it. They come with lots of refills and it is the perfect meal accompaniment.
I have yet to try a single dish where I thought it rated meh or lower on the foodie gastro system response meter. How often does that happen? Where everything you pick is the right choice?Listed in: Local Favs - Berkeley style
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Review from Grace Y.
1/28/2009
To continue the epic saga that is the randomness of my life, Anchalee served as the gathering point for a friend's birthday dinner, the catalyst for crazy adventures, and vocabulary building as I learn what "lesbian deathbed" means.
To begin, my friend requested that I take her to eat dinner here, so obligingly I drove up to Berkeley and picked her up along with another friend for gastronomical delights! It's all street parking around here, and I parked a few blocks down in the residential area. (Remember this as it explains the story that comes later.)
The interior of Anchalee is very quaint, it's a mix of traditional Thai decor smashed up with modern minimalistic colors and furniture. We are seated at a table and we ponder our choices for the evening. My friend gets Pad Thai, the other gets an asparagus dish, and I go with the duck curry. My friend also gets a Thai iced tea and I realize I'm carrying lactaid pills so I get one too. Delicious and creamy! I want another one, but alas I'm a cheap Asian and I feel guilty about gorging on so much food already :(
The dessert I wanted was not available tonight, which made me sad. The other dessert I wanted in its stead was not available either. Pft. I leave desertless, but not dejected. We're all pretty full anyways, and it was great food. I would definitely stop by again and gorge myself silly!
So to the interesting part. We're stuffed full of food and we're waddling down the street to where I parked. My dear friend whom I don't get to see often enough (not the birthday girl), randomly walked over to someone's garbage bin/paper recycle and starts going through the magazines and talking about how some celebrity looks really good naked. I question his motives for digging through someone's trash, but he calmly assures me that it's in fact magazines, and that it shouldn't be an issue.
So the resident chooses to come outside at this moment and catches three very flustered young adults standing in front of his house digging through his trash. Whoops. Conversation ensues. The poor guy is getting divorced from his husband and spends lots of money on 1900 numbers and various other means of hooking up. Someone should tell him about Craigslist. I'm pretty sure he's drunk, but I'm not getting close enough to find out.
Anyways, he's ranting on about his ex-husband and about this lesbian deathbed experience that he's had. I ask, "what does lesbian deathbed mean?" Some hippy lady pops her head out from around the house and says, "You don't know what a lesbian deathbed is?!"
Well, I asked didn't I?
So she proceeds to inform me that apparently lesbians who have been together for a really long time will get to the point of not having any sex after a while, usually after 3-4 years, and their relationship turns into bitter fighting until they leave each other. Thus the deathbed of lesbians.
The night ends with the divorced husband ranting more about how his ex sucks and hitting on my gay friend, and somehow I end up with his number.
Like many things in life, I simply say...don't question it.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is my random story that I will forever associate with Anchalee Thai Cuisine.
*bows*Listed in: When you have money to…, Here's a story...
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Review from Jonathang C.
Berkeley, CA
11/8/2011
I love our neighborhood Thai place! Lovely green walls, a few unusual dishes I don't normally see at yer average Thai place, consistently good food and friendly service. yeah!
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Review from Ligaya T.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 12/25/2009
Thai activates a unique part of brain; when the hankerings kick they compound until I find myself elbows deep in a vat of curry. In the midst of such desire we called on Anchalee. Dear Anchalee, sweet Anchalee, let us take a bit of you home when we can't get our asses off the couch!
Plastic tubs of bright liquids laden with vegetables of the boring kind appeared in minutes. It was lap smartingly hot, steaming buckets of temptation. The purple rice looked gorgeous, and excelled in the crunch factor. The Massman chicken unleashed a mean arsenal of flavor, but left this saccharine aftertaste. Onto the beef rendang, generous chunks but required one to gnaw like a dog. The sugar may have matched the weight of the meat. Not cool.
For in-a-jiffy pick-up this'll do, but if you don't want a sugar rush with you dinner, I'd say move on, move on.Listed in: Curry Fever, Berzerkley, East Bay Cheap Eats, Sick and Thai'd, Oodles of Noodles
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/16/2009
If you're tired of the same old ketchup and peanut butter pad thais and watery curries, step through… Read more »
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Review from Rinky N.
East Bay
3/13/2009
Four of us had lunch here recently.
My friend, A, had eaten here twice and loved it.
We had some lunch specials:
Chicken Satay -three skewers with peanut sauce, salad, cucumbers/onions and brown rice.
Panang curry with chicken and brown rice
House curry with broccoli, cauliflower, zuchini, bell peppers. w brown rice
Baked rice bowl with chicken and vegetables
All our dishes were delicious!
We gave all four dishes thumbs up!
Located around the corner (on Dwight Way) behind Cafe Trieste.
Very clean and comfy ambiance.
Very friendly staff.
Lots to choose from. Many vegetarian options.
PLUS they are OPEN 11am to 10pm every day. They are one of the few Asian restaurants that don't close between 2-5!!! Yay!
I'll definitely try them again with "Thor" and "Igor"
(aka hubby and son---since some Yelpers don't like the words hubby, son, bf, gf, per a talk thread)
