On any given weekday, the lunch hour at Dear Mom Cafe can get fairly raucous, a line of tables pressed together, serving a group of elders who frequent the Thai restaurant. Co-owner Jattalee Chalernhinthong, known as JJ, takes pleasure in letting the group languish as long as they like, sometimes sticking around long after the rest of the lunch crowd has cleared out. For Chalernhinthong, it's an expression of the welcoming spirit she strives to bring to Dear Mom Cafe. And, of course, that crew reminds her of her own mom.
Motherhood, and the honoring of the institution, are some of the reasons that Bendites get to enjoy the Midnight Chicken, Pad Thai Glass Noodle and other delights at the cafe in the first place. Chalernhinthong and her husband Ashvin Horachaikul opened Dear Mom in March 2023 along Century Drive on the west side of Bend. The name Dear Mom is a nod to Chalernhinthong's mother Nuallaor, who taught herself to cook for her family and many siblings while growing up in north central Thailand.
"Being mom, daughter, sister, friend, boss lady... when I was sitting down and thinking about how I see myself, I see my mom, because this is my turn," she said. "It doesn't matter how old you are... every time when I feel sick, I want to call my mom. The reason we named this restaurant – it's just a flashback. All the flashback memories about mom's stories."
Chalernhinthong's mother was also the person who originally encouraged her to open a Thai restaurant.
"My mom wanted me to own something," Chalernhinthong told the Source Weekly. "She said, why don't you open a Thai restaurant?"
After attending college in the Bay Area for graphic design, Chalernhinthong began that dream in Portland, owning and operating a popular Thai restaurant brand from 2017 to January 2023. Bend had long been the family's go-to spot for relaxation and vacations. Knowing their daughter would gain a good education and grow up in a supportive community in Bend, the Horachaikul-Chalernhinthong family made the move to the mountains.
"I love Bend. I feel like whenever I feel so stressed and we'd need a relaxing time, we'd come to Bend. I have my dog and my daughter, and here, it's heaven," she said. Chalernhinthong's mom now makes regular visits to Bend, and to the restaurant, offering tips for the cooks in the kitchen and visiting the guests. Another "mom" trip is planned for the summer.
With the one-year anniversary of Dear Mom Cafe coming up, the restauranteurs are planning a big party on Sunday, March 24, featuring live music and other fun. But that's not the only big thing in the works for the people behind Dear Mom: At the end of March, Chalernhinthong and company will open the Good Egg, an Asian-style street sandwich business, to be located in The Grove Market Hall in Northwest Crossing. It's an endeavor that's two years in the making, hopefully, for Chalernhinthong, culminating in a March 29 opening date. We're guessing mom would be egg-stra proud.
