Nari, San Francisco

Why did we dine here? – Nari (Women in Thai) is a contemporary Thai restaurant from the folks at Kin Khao. (Means “to eat” or “let’s eat” in Thai.) It is run by the famous food blogger of Chez Pim – Pim Techamuanvivit, girlfriend of Manresa’s chef David Kinch.

Nari is a tribute to generations of Thai women who laid the foundation for Thai cuisine, and a personal love letter to the women in her life who taught her to cook and, more importantly, to eat. Women lead at every level, buying wine from several women-run wineries along with spirits made by women. The kitchen didn’t seem to have than many females though.

Be sure to checkout our reviews of food we ate in Thailand.

We dined in July 2021 during the Pandemic. Indoor dining at full capacity was in effect.

Kin Khao was on hiatus, and a new Kin Khao Dogpatch opened. Much more affordable prices than Nari.

Insider Tip – Reserve weeks ahead. Upstairs bar area.

Cuisine – Thai
Location – Japantown
Opened – 2019

Service – Nari Very good service, both unknowledgeable waiter and reasonable pacing. Service in this era is majorly affected by staffing, so we give restaurants the benefit of the doubt.

Verdict – Nari Serves very good food in nice surroundings. The prices are extremely high ($75 per person), making this more of a special occasion place. If you want to try some food that is unlike what you get at your neighborhood Thai joint, give this place a try. One and done. Hope the lower cost Kin Khao dogpatch continues.
5% Healthy SF Mandate.

Is this restaurant worth a 5 minute drive? Yes. 30 minute? Maybe. 1 Hour? No.

Nari Signature Dishes – Ma hor; laab hed; squid and pork jowl; ngob; nam prik ong; kapi plah; gaeng bumbai; gaeng rawaeng.

Nari’s Menu Is fairly concise with a nice short number of starters and mains. A couple options for vegetarians. A prix fixe menu was also available. The website did not show our menu.

Website Nari Menu

Nari Food Picks:
Bai Toey ($15) cpconut rum, yellow charreuse, wray & nephew, lime cordial, pandan was a nice balanced drink with huge ice cub. 9/10

Busaba cocktail ($15) had a weird accent flavor. 8/10

Yum Polaami ($18) savory melon salad with white soy, chili, coconut and herbs some chunks of summer melons. A nice refreshing starter. 8.5/10

Squid and pork jowl ($25) grilled Monterey squid in tangy and spicy dressing with sweet and succulent pork jowl, all topped with peanuts and Cilantro. Served with sticky rice is a well done starter. The pork was almost pork belly like, with lots of fat and thick caramelization. The squid was correctly cooked and not too chewy. 8.5/10

gaeng bumbai hed ($35) Crispy Maitake mushroom and spicy bumbai curry with lemon basil and crispy shallots is super spicy. You are warned! This great dish for vegetarians with nice hearty mushroom. 8/10

gaeng rawang muan ($40) roulade of Chicken and spicy, turmeric scented green curry with blistered peppers has super tender chicken that had been cooked sous vide. The spice level on this is approximately 3/10. 8/10

gaeng Kua Pla ($42) had perfectly cooked Fort Bragg black cod on top of a medium hot curry red sauce. 8/10

Cabbage and fish sauce and garlic ($12) Was done just fine. We wish the other entrées would have more vegetables to them. 8/10

OK: (Order if you like this dish)

Wan Yen ($14) This dessert was a little sweet and slightly savory. An odd concoction. They only have to desserts on their menu weak spot. 6.5/10

Pans: (We would not reorder these dishes)
None

Do you agree with our review? Have you found other similar restaurants that are better?

Lower-cost Thai options in San Francisco include Lers Ros, Marnee Thai. We also like Charm Thai in San Mateo.

Nari Overall Rating: (Very Good 2.5)

Come Back?

Food Rating:	(Very Good)
Service Rating:	(Very Good)
Atmosphere Rating:	(Very Good)
Value Rating:	(Average)

Guide: 0 = poor, 1 = Below/Average, 2 = Good, 2.5 = Very Good, 3 = Excellent , 4 = Extraordinary

Alcohol:	Full Bar
Attire:	Casual
Parking:	Street
Reservations:	Yes