Best of Thai Noodle

(415)552-3534
1418 Haight St.
(bet. Masonic & Ashbury)
San Francisco, CA
(Upper Haight district)

Price: $
Rating: 4 (Rating & price key)
Last visit: 05/30/06

"Mediocre Thai" is how my neighbors refer to this hole in the wall, and I must say I quite concur based on my one dinner visit. Located conveniently a block from our apartment, Sarah & I have walked by hundreds of times, but her memories from years ago weren't fond, so we hadn't been there together.

On an early weeknight there was only one other patron and we were seated at a window seat. Good for people watching, but there was a layer of sticky gunk on the thin wooden bench along the window. Decor is purple, with some haphazard rock 'n roll posters hung.

The menu is typical Thai noodle fare (none with Thai names - you order by number). Sarah ordered #19 - Stir Fried Flat Rice Noodles "covered in a delicious curry peanut sauce and your choice of chicken, pork or beef (shrimp or combination seafood add $1.00)", and I had #17 - Stir Fried Flat Rice Noodles "with thai hot basil, chilli, and your choice of ground chicken, pork or beef (shrimp or combination seafood add $1.00)." Both were $6.25 and arrived at our table just moments later.

My beef had a greasy off-note to it and the sauce had little flavor other than basil (which I love). The noodles were unremarkable, and I would have much prefered sliced rather than ground beef, as this made for a weird texture. Sarah didn't care for her dish much either, complaining that it was drowned in the peanut sauce and that her beef was also a little wrong.

Our server, and at least one other waiter, stopped by our table numerous times (too many) asking if we liked everything, but at least our drinks were refilled often.

There's little to recommend this place unless you're specifically looking for a thai dive that's cheap and open late ('til 1:30am weekends). They have a small beer and wine list, and accept cash only, although there are several storefront ATMs nearby.