Grill-Centric Thai Food
Written: May 19 '06
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Pros: San Francisco Bar-B-Que features char-grilled Thai barbecue specials - cheap too!
Cons: Lackluster Thai food, especially for San Francisco.
The Bottom Line: Try Thai somewhere else.
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| megugrrrl's Full Review: San Francisco Bar-B-Que |
I've probably mentioned this before, but contrary to popular belief, Thai food, and not Rice-a-Roni, is the true San Francisco treat. I realized this fact a few weeks ago when my friend's daughter's pre-school buddies wanted to celebrate a birthday with pad thai noodles. It isn't even a Berkeley pre-school. Anyhow, you've got to be pretty darn good (or pretty cheap - OR be in a great location) to be a succesful Thai restaurant in the city. San Francisco Bar-B-Que is both cheap and in a good location.
The kitchen at San Francisco Bar-B-Que obviously features barbecue - but that would be Thai barbecue, not American. The difference is simply the types of herbs and spices, and Thai barbecue isn't prepared with thick sauces. Both are slapped on a grill where the magic happens. There's a nice variety of grilled choices here - chicken, beef, chops, fish - which come with a leafy green salad or shredded carrots and rice (regular or sticky) all on the same oversized plate. The familiar sweet/salty/spicy combination of Thai cuisine is found on most grilled offerings, and the undeniably addictive punch a real grill is a bonus. The meats are well seasoned and tasty, providing the delightful complex sweet and savory experience Thai food can bring, but the seafood (particularly the salmon) lacks something - perhaps the ripe mango "salsa" that smothered my pork chops, or maybe a little salt. These grilled entrees for one average around $8 a plate, which is really cheap because you don't have to order the rice or salad seperately. The chops and cuts of beef are decent - the intense flavors (and perfect amount of charring) almost pardon the average quality of meat. For the record, the grilled meats are good, but not quite good enough for me to start sucking the meat from the bone, but for a complete dinner for under $10, who can complain?
The star is the barbecue, but they also offer Thai restaurant staples like salads, noodles, sauteed a la carte items, and at the very bottom of the menu, a handful of curry dishes. In general, these are ok, but nothing really to cheer about, unless price is your main factor. Soon after you order, a basket of warm grilled bread arrives, which I've never seen at a Thai restaurant, but isn't something to gripe about because it goes well with the two soup offerings (seafood or vegetable.) The seafood broth is sweet and savory (maybe a little too much on the sweet side), and comes packed with a fat scallop, shrimp, calamari, and salmon. (around $2)
If you walk into San Francisco Bar-B-Que through the front door, you wouldn't really know that behind the pick up counter is a small dining area. Someone will almost always be at the end of the counter (right next to the giant walk in freezer) to get your attention and seat you so you won't mistakenly start ordering off the menu thinking it's take out only.
The service is competent and farily attentive, but it should be because this place is small and the tables packed tight, a la San Francisco. Most nights there is a healthy young-ish crowd, mainly neighborhood types, and an even healthier stream of takeout orders. And, like any Protrero Hill restaurant, a small wine list is available ($5-$7 a glass.) Bottled beer includes Bud Anchor, and Singha.
Unfortunately the most notable thing to write about San Francisco Bar-B-Que is its quirks - which really aren't that quirky, but does say more than a mouthful about the food. The quirkiest feature about San Francisco Bar-B-Que is the ecclectic decor. There are no maps or pictures of Thailand, rhinestone studded elephants, banana leaf-motiffed knick-knacks, or images of Thai royalty. The decor is Americana country kitchen - ceramic chickens and chalkboards with the wine list and specials. They even have one of those split doors that open up at the top, like in Mr. Ed's barn. And a big poster explaining the varieties of Italian pasta. And a wide Japanese print. Oh - and a poster of Sonoma wineries.
As mismatched as the decor sounds, it's really not that bad and will do, but if it's GREAT Thai food you're looking for, try somewhere else.
Recommended:
No
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Best Suited For: Friends
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Epinions.com ID:
megugrrrl
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 - Top 500 |
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Location: Oakland
Reviews written: 147
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