In his weekly Sunday column, Michael Bauer recounts the delightful tale of Wassana Korkhieola, the founder of the Osha Thai mini-empire. Over a decade ago, the Thai native opened the original Osha Thai in a bare bones space in the heart of the Tenderloin (pictured, above). Now, there are four more locations scattered throughout the city: on Valencia, in SoMa, on the Embarcadero and the most recent venture on Union Street. Each location presents a slightly varied menu, with the Union Street locale having the biggest menu to go with the biggest space:
In addition to the 64-seat dining room and 40-seat bar, there’s a newly refurbished patio with about 20 tables surrounded by a fence, stands of bamboo and delicate Japanese maples set against a hillside planted in vines. Although it’s just been landscaped and the vegetation is still trying to take hold, it promises to be one of the best outdoor spots in the city.The food created by Korkhieola and her team is as stylish and well presented as the modern interior. Beef wasabi rolls ($10), arranged on a long white plate with sticks of celery and carrots protruding from one end, look like lollipops, wrapped with grilled steak on green puddles of wasabi sauce. The sinus-clearing combination shows that the kitchen isn’t afraid to season liberally.
Like the other locations, the Cow Hollow spot is “well tailored to the neighborhood,” despite some hiccups in the service department and some inconsistencies in the kitchen. All in all, Bauer bestows two stars upon the latest addition to Korkhieola’s Thai empire, adding that “Osha Thai No. 6 won’t be far behind.”
Sophisticated interior meets stylish food at Osha Thai [SFGate]
Osha Thai Restaurant [MenuPages]
Osha Thai Restaurant [Official Site]
[Photo courtesy: Flickr]
