Eating Out

Iconic Thai spot Kin Khao Reopens in San Francisco

It has been a long and rough few years, but luckily for us, it’s finally over. No, not the pandemic, I’m talking about waiting for Michelin-starred Kin Khao to reopen. 

I got some of my fix at Kin Khao’s temporary location in the Dogpatch, but there’s just something magical about the bustling and surprisingly casual charm of their original Union Square location. I went on reopening day, and again a few weeks later, and thoroughly enjoyed each dinner. No reopening jitters here, they are back and haven’t missed a beat.

One of my favorite dishes is the khao yum, a colorful turmeric rice salad with an incredible mix of flavors and textures. An ideal bite for me has some of the tart grapefruit, crunchy puffed rice and coconut, greens, and tamarind black sesame dressing which ties it all together.

The plah pla muek squid and caramelized pork belly are two standouts that remind me of the squid and pork jowl at Chef Pim Techamuanvivit’s other SF restaurant Nari. The tangy brightness of the squid contrasts nicely with the luscious fatty pork belly. Get a side of rice to soak up the sauce from both.

For the extra adventurous, the nam prik long rua is a pungent fermented shrimp paste relish served with an assortment of vegetables. The taste was a little intense for even my palate, but it did come with a warning on the menu.

The curries here, while good, don’t call out to me as much as their other dishes. Do save space for the warm black rice pudding though – a sweet & salty bowl you might need seconds of!

Their concise cocktail menu is also a treat. Creative Thai flavors add a fun spin to well-balanced classic cocktails. The Siam Sipper is like a spicy old-fashioned, while the Tom Yum 2.0 alludes to the soup, without actually tasting like soup. A few alcohol-free cocktails are also available, as well as beer and wine.

Kin Khao Tom Yum 2.0 Cocktail
Tom Yum 2.0 Cocktail – makrut leaf-infused tanqueray gin, lemongrass+galangal verjus, imbue dry vermouth, lime
Kin Khao Khao Yum - southern Thai style turmeric rice salad, seasonal vegetables, sour fruit, herb, crispy shallots, coconut, puffed rice, tamarind black sesame dressing
Khao Yum – southern Thai style turmeric rice salad, seasonal vegetables, sour fruit, herb, crispy shallots, coconut, puffed rice, tamarind black sesame dressing
Kin Khao Namprik long rua - spicy kapi shrimp paste relish, caramelized pork belly, crispy catfish, seasonal vegetables
Namprik long rua – spicy kapi shrimp paste relish, caramelized pork belly, crispy catfish, seasonal vegetables
Kin Khao Plah pla muek - charred Monterey Bay squid in a spicy tangy seafood sauce, peanuts, cilantro
Plah pla muek – charred Monterey Bay squid in a spicy tangy seafood sauce, peanuts, cilantro
Kin Khao Caramelized pork belly
Caramelized pork belly
Kin Khao Chili Jam Clams - littleneck clams in Khun Yai's chili jam, thai basil
Chili Jam Clams – littleneck clams in Khun Yai’s chili jam, thai basil
Kin Khao Yaowaraj Noodle - bangkok chinatown stir-fried noodles w/ chicken, egg, green onion, cilantro, XO sauce
Yaowaraj Noodle – bangkok chinatown stir-fried noodles w/ chicken, egg, green onion, cilantro, XO sauce
Kin Khao Massaman Nuea - braised beef cheeks in massaman curry, coconut milk, burnt shallots, potatoes
Massaman Nuea – braised beef cheeks in massaman curry, coconut milk, burnt shallots, potatoes
Kin Khao Khun Yai's rabbit green curry - Devil's Gulch rabbit leg & saddle, rabbit & pork meatballs in Kiew Wan curry, coconut milk, apple eggplants, Thai basil
Khun Yai’s rabbit green curry – Devil’s Gulch rabbit leg & saddle, rabbit & pork meatballs in Kiew Wan curry, coconut milk, apple eggplants, Thai basil
Kin Khao Stir-fried bok choy
Stir-fried bok choy
Kin Khao Pandan Panna Cotta - silky toasted coconut and grilled pandan panna cotta with seasonal fruit jam, savory+crispy crumble
Pandan Panna Cotta – silky toasted coconut and grilled pandan panna cotta with seasonal fruit jam, savory+crispy crumble
Kin Khao Warm Black Rice Pudding - strawberries, salted coconut cream, palm sugar caramel, and sesame praline
Warm Black Rice Pudding – strawberries, salted coconut cream, palm sugar caramel, and sesame praline

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