After Charlie Somtrakool graduated with a degree in engineering, he began looking for jobs while working as a manager at Thai 9 in Dayton. But he soon realized that the restaurant industry had his heart.
“There was a turning point or an aha moment,” says Somtrakool, who was born in America and lived in Thailand for years.
In 2009, Somtrakool opened Cilantro Thai & Sushi Restaurant.
“I found this location in Akron, and I said, This is a love at first sight for me,” he says.
Located in a former bank, its 6,000-square-foot dining room is complete with high ceilings, large windows overlooking downtown and a colossal silver eagle behind the bar. Diners enjoy authentic Thai food and sushi for lunch and dinner.
“We have our own recipes,” Somtrakool says. “My mom gave me some because when we first started, she came over from Thailand to help me. … Over time, we actually started coming up with our own dishes, our own flavors.”
Try Cilantro’s pad Thai ($18.95-$24.95), made with carefully cooked rice noodles, tamarinds squeezed for a tangy flavor, soy sauce from Thailand and more. Fresh bean sprouts and green onions are added — along with ground peanuts and a protein of your choice.
“My personal favorite Thai dish here is the duck basil ($29.95),” Somtrakool shares. “We have a roasted duck filet that we lightly dusted and then fried until it’s crispy. And then we have our stir-fry with our house brown sauce, with some Thai basil, some red and green bell peppers, white onions and fresh garlic — fresh chiles if you like it spicy.”
Also sample khao soi ($16.95), from Cilantro’s new noodle soup menu. It’s made with egg noodles, curry broth — crafted from curry paste, coconut milk, chicken broth, cinnamon, cumin and turmeric — and a quarter of chicken, slow-cooked in the broth until the meat is falling off the bone. Garnishes include pickled greens, crispy noodles and more.
“This dish is known in Chiang Mai, which is a city I grew up in in Thailand,” Somtrakool says. “The richness of the curry broth and the egg noodle and the chicken go so well together.”
Pair your meal with a wide selection of sake, beer, wine and cocktails. Sip a Tokyo mule ($12), made with Japanese whiskey instead of vodka, blueberry puree, fresh-squeezed lime juice and Australian ginger beer, or a Thai tamarind margarita ($12) — a twist on the traditional drink that features tequila blanco and the earthy flavor of tamarind juice and lime juice, rimmed with spicy, tangy, salty TajÍn.
“If you’re looking to have a great dining experience in an elegant space with authentic Thai flavors, accompanied with fresh sushi and craft cocktails,” Somtrakool says, “we would be your destination.” //CG
326 S. Main St., Akron, 330-434-2876, cilantrothai.com
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