To go to dinner at Payakk is to embark on a bit of an adventure. The journey takes you winding into the Oakland Hills, roads flanked by redwoods, all the way up to the whimsically named Merriewood neighborhood. 

I was a little confused when Google Maps steered me down a residential road instead of toward Montclair Village, the area’s walkable commercial district. As I turned down Thornhill Drive, I found an elementary school, a dry cleaner, a 7-Eleven and a handful of other small local businesses, but no sign of Payakk. And then, finally, I spotted it: a squat gray stucco building on the corner with no clear signs, festooned with a mural of bright orange persimmons. 

Nattaporn Pinpech, who also goes by Chef Tobb, opened Payakk in September 2025 — her second restaurant after Thai street food restaurant Secrets of Tiger in Emeryville. She chose the Merriewood location specifically for its tucked-away feel. 

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Chef Nattaporn Pinpech, known as Chef Tobb, holds a finished fried eggplant and tomyam soymilk cream dish at Payakk on Thornhill Drive in Oakland on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026.

Customers dine inside Payakk in Oakland, Calif. 

Customers dine inside Payakk in Oakland, Calif. 

“I want to be the hidden gem,” Pinpech said. “I don’t want the people to just stop by. I want to be the destination.”

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Inside, Payakk is all emerald green walls, dark wood, shelves of vinyl records, neon signs and a verdant jungle of plants. The “intimate Thai supper club” is more upscale than Secrets of Tiger, featuring Thai dishes with seasonal California ingredients in a vibey setting akin to a Bangkok listening lounge. The restaurant hosts vinyl DJs every other weekend, as well as the occasional contemporary dance performance. Pinpech herself composes lo-fi music, which she sometimes plays in the restaurant. 

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