Eats - Thai

Cities covered: Mountain View, San Mateo, San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, San Francisco

I have to warn you that like mind-blowing sex, I've only had good Thai food once. The flavors were so perfectly balanced it made my toes curl. Since then, it's been a real hit-or-crash gamble, and I'm not a gambler when it comes to dinner.

Amarin Thai Noodle House
56 Castro
Mountain View, CA
650/988-9323
11:00 a.m.- 1:30 a.m. 7 days a week
I stopped here on the way to a Gay Men's Chorus concert. We had the usuals. I can't honestly remember the meal, so we probably won't be returning.

Basil Thai
1175 Folsom St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
415/552-8999
A stylish restaurant, although the food is often uneven. There are better, less expensive alternatives, although this place is open very late for the SoMA area, and we often end up here rather than driving elsewhere. Order things that seem safe, and you'll be fine. I do really, really like their tapioca dessert with corn, which is what I always order. Dinner for two with two appetizers, tea, coffee, soup, rice, and tip: $57.32 A lot of gay people go here on dates apparently, and for that I'd say it's a good choice unless you can get a table at the Indian joint down the street which has much better food. Some of the dishes this particular night were so salty they were inedible. 04/20/2006

Manora's Thai Restaurant - NEW
1600 Folsom St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
We went here by accident after attending a leather event on Folsom Street.They didn't really bat an eye when we walked in wearing chaps, so I think they know what neighborhood they're in). The food here is excellent, and this is now my favorite Thai restaurant in SF. I can't really remember exactly what we had because I was a little blitzed still, but the food, presentation, and service were excellent. We went back the next week to try it again. A large dinner for two: $33.45 before tip. 10/15/2006

Nipa-Pon Thai Cuisine
121 W. 25th Ave.
San Mateo, Ca 94403
650/578-9211
Rating: ***
A regular lunch place, although I haven't been in awhile. Lunch plates are tasty, with chicken with mint being my favorite: finely chopped chicken with a light mint flavor served with steamed rice.

Osha Thai Restaurant & Bar - NEW
4 Embarcadero Center, Street Level
San Francisco, CA 94111
415/788-6742
Rating: ***
We went here by accident, since we had intended on going to dim sum at Harbor Village, which is no longer open. We went on a hunt for restaurants and would have gone to the top of the Hyatt Hotel in the Embarcadero, except it's apparently not open for lunch (we rode the glass elevators anyway). This place smelled of fish when we walked in, so much so that I almost walked right back out...but I was starving and the boyfriend was getting antsy. The smell cleared after a few minutes, and we ordered a nice lunch: crispy tofu appetizer, beef artichoke salad (highly recommended), yellow curry, and spicy catfish (also recommended). I'll have to say that they saved themselves. I'd definitely give this place a B- on food, and service isn't that great. Lunch ran us $50 with tip. April 8, 2007

Sea View Restaurant
1225 La Playa
San Francisco, CA 94122
We went here on a whim after going to a sand castle contest on Ocean Beach. This place is as non-descript as you can get from the outside (it's the restaurant for a small motel) right at the intersection of Lincoln and Great Highway. It's very easy to miss. Inside, they made an effort.

We ordered the duck larb, the fish with bean sauce, and a green curry with chicken. I LOVED the duck larb, which was juicy with lots of fatty skin. My boyfriend didn't like it that much for the exact same reasons. The fish (they'll ask if you want salmon or sea bass) was deep fried then covered with a thin black bean sauce. Simple, light, and tasty. The green curry was delicious but we soon found out why.

I have what I call Thai Restaurant Bowel Syndrome, which apparently isn't that uncommon. I think it's because some Thai restaurants add whey powder to their curries to boost the flavor. The effect on me is that I instantly fill with gas and have to run (literally) for the bathroom within about 20 mins. Which is exactly what happened. I wouldn't let this deter you, however, especially if you aren't lactose intolerant. This a really charming little find in the middle of a restaurant desert. October 6, 2007

Siam Square Authentic Thai Cuisine
1040 Willow St.
San Jose, CA 95125
408/293-2268
Rating: **
Was one of my regular hangouts. Nice Angel Wings, nice yellow chicken curry. "Medium spicy" is still too hot for me, so be careful when ordering.

Thai Basil Restaurant
101 S. Murphy Ave. & 210 Town & Country Village
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
408/773-1098 & 408/774-9090
Rating: **
A friend of mine really likes this place, but I didn't think it was particularly special. Average food, average service.

Thai Pepper Restaurant
1045 Monroe St.
Santa Clara, CA 95050
Rating: ****
I went here on a fluke with a friend of mine. I'd actually been here for lunch before one weekend and had been underwhelmed. This visit changed all of that. I should note that I'm a big wimp when it comes to fiery Thai chilis; my throat actually closes up if I don't order everything "mild." We started with a mushroom salad of small sliced button mushrooms in a nice citrusy, tangy dressing. As an appetizer, it could easily serve six. Next was a sweet/sour/spicy soup of rock cod filet and more button mushrooms flavored with lemon grass, galanga, and kaffir lime leaves. It was delicious, spicy from the chili oil, but incredibly well-balanced. The standout dish of the evening was the green curry with chicken and Japanese eggplant. The curry was rich with coconut milk, the eggplant luscious and custardy, and the chicken was tender—utterly delectable. We also had seafood pad thai which I can't recommend because the seafood was overcooked, although they may have held it in the kitchen because my tablemate is an glacially slow eater. A freebie dessert of watermelon slices rounded everything out nicely. With steamed rice, a Thai ice tea, and tip, $60. 08/15/03

Update: Went here for dinner to cheer up a friend. We started with a mildly spicy grilled pork salad, which was beautifully balanced. For entrees, we ordered a special dish: ground fish mousse steamed with whole scallops, shrimp, and squid. It's very similar to a Cambodian dish I had last year. Also had a red vegetarian curry with tofu. The chef (and I think owner) gave us a taste of something he whipped up. I think he said it was beef knees or the meat behind the knees. The layer of fat was similar to what the Beijing-style place in Campbell calls pork jelly. Anyway, it was fabulous. Highly recommended for dinner and open until 10 p.m. 05/14/04

Thai Satay
173 E. 4th Ave.
San Mateo, CA 94404
650/342-3617
Rating: ***
A small, charming place where we stop for lunch sometimes. As with most Thai restaurants, mild means hot, regular means too hot for my Taiwanese boss to eat. The rice plate lunch dishes are wonderfully balanced, and I'm a sucker for the chopped chicken with mint. Mussaman gai probably isn't your best bet. 12/01