San Francisco: Kin Khao

On the very first morning of the AILA conference, my coworker SM spotted Kin Khao across the street from our hotel and waxed poetic about its famous chef, Pim Techamuanvivit.  Being super cheap, I was more excited about Halal Guys at the time, so I just nodded and smiled. 

But when SM later told me she'd made reservations at the one star Michelin restaurant for lunch on the last day of the conference and asked whether I would like to join, I said yes with no hesitation at all:


Reservations were indeed a smart move as the small restaurant was packed that Saturday:


The three of us started with the mushroom hor mok terrine ($14):


The jar of curry mousse and mushrooms was prettily arranged with crisp rice cakes on the side.  The curry itself was good, albeit a mite mild by Thai standards.

SM ordered the vegetarian khao soi ($18):


The veggie broth came with egg noodle, tofu, pickled mustard greens, shallots, and lime.

NW got the crispy chicken sandwich ($15):


The sandwich consisted of fried chicken, pickled red onion, and cilantro with sriracha aioli on the side.

As for me, I ordered the khao mun gai ($19):


The ginger-poached chicken accompanied chicken fat rice and a cup of chicken broth along with Pim's secret sauce.  So much chicken.  For a rice dish, it was surprisingly light.  So light that I wished for a tad more flavor beyond just chicken.

Cleverly named, Kin Khao means "to eat" in Thai.  The menu can probably be described as Thai with a modern twist.  The flavors aren't as intense as I'm used to Thai cuisine being, but I can see why it appeals.  Just doesn't quite do it for me though.  With the same amount of money, I can get a crazy bountiful feast at a less fancy Thai restaurant. 

I can't complain though.  SM surprised both NW and me by treating us to the meal.  Thanks, SM!


Kin Khao
55 Cyril Magnin St
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 362-7456
http://www.kinkhao.com/

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