(pix: beef salad,fried chicken over rice,pork noodle soup)
Thai food has always been so dear to my heart. On a foggy day in San Francisco, yellow curry with potatoes is a great comfort food dish that warms the heart. Many Thai dishes are light in taste but infused with many flavors. After interviewing the King of Thai chef, I learned that different sauces blend well with different dishes. The papaya salad is a great example of a great spring starter. Thinly slice papaya sliced and mixed with a tart dressing. Below is a review I wrote for the local newspaper I work for. At the end of this blog, I will address more about how restaurateurs approach financing.

In a city peppered with Thai restaurants, picking one for dinner can be as daunting as making your own pad thai blindfolded. But fear not, just make a beeline to King of Thai on Clement Street. It’s a fast casual dining restaurant reflecting chef- owner Anthony Chaichana original intentions of serving affordable Thai cuisine.

Decorated lavender walls, it’s hard to miss despite being on eatery row on Clement. As a tribute to the King and Queen of Thailand, gold framed portraits dress the barren back wall. Dressed in purple shirts and expressing an anxious smile, servers scurry around the sixty seat restaurant. Trying not to be overwhelmed by extensive menu and hard to pronounce dishes, focus on choosing key ingredients and the method of cooking from boiling to stir fry

For starters, the fresh duck salad special ($6.75) stimulates the appetite. Savory duck meat and fat from the skin, the dish is complimented by sprinkles of chopped mints. Raw cabbage, red and green onions provide crunch while the chili- lime dressing adds a tangy flavor. In gang graree ($6.75), sweet chopped onions lay alongside soft buttery potatoes all bathe in a smooth milky yellow curry sauce. A few spoonfuls of curry over the mound of fluffy white rice result in comfort food paradise. Refreshing the plate, a small serving of cucumber salad add crunch and tangy flavor. For flavor thrill seekers, two spoonfuls of vinegar jalepeno from the spice rack will enhance the ride. As their name suggest, the restaurant is famous for their noodles. Beef lovers should try the beef stew noodle-$5.75. Acting as the core of the dish, the sweet flavored soup is extracted from hours of brewing beef meat and bones but more distinctly, the overuse of rock sugar. Taking a bird’s eye view of the dish, it looks likes a collection of beef offerings. The beef balls lack flavor, only providing a bouncy texture but the thin slices of beef were flavorful. The best meat ingredient, beef stew pieces feature a coat of gelatinous tendon with a brisket under layer. Soften by the minute, the noodles were nothing spectacular. Bean sprouts provide crunch and wilted spinach add an earthy taste to the otherwise heavy noodle soup. Skip the pork noodle soup -$5.75 (soup simmered with ground and slice pork along with fish cake and balls) which lacks flavor in soup and ingredients.

Crowned the best dish of the night, the koa pad gai tod ($7.25) is all about crunch. Boneless chicken breast coated with a thin batter is fried till gold brown served over a mound of fried rice. Made pungent from eggs, pillow white rice compliments the sweet onions and tomatoes. Dunk the chicken into the sweet and sour sauce as a flavor enhancer. Having dined at other sister locations, I would suggest their pad thai-$6.75. Cooked al dente, the noodles are chewy and seep into their acetous sauce. With a refreshing spicy lime dressing, the papaya salad flavored with dry shrimps and peanuts is a great choice for cooling appetizer-$6.45. With a taffy like texture, the sticky rice and mango dessert end a good meal. For a party of four, the total came out to $11 per person.

As a new immigrant to the United States in 1994, Chaichana started his first location with loans from friends and maxing out the limit on his credit cards. Despite working long hours, he stay focused with his goal of bringing wok style street food to San Franciscans. His early customers included foreign Thai students and community. By word of mouth, the business became thriving. Also crediting his great people skills, Chaichana said, “I like to spoil my customers. I give discounts and free desserts to my customers.” Fourteen years later and six restaurants in his reins, he has continued to serve flavorful dishes while keeping core culinary root taught by his mother.

King of Thai Noodle is a good value eatery that targets stir fried dishes and rice plates. With quick food preparation, moderate prices, and decent quality, King of Thai noodle is a good neighborhood choice for Thai food.

Restaurant Consultant.
From interviewing Tony, the owner of King of Thai, I am amazed by the number of hours he worked to start his operations. He would often work from 10am to past midnight daily. As an immigrant, he did not have money so he had to take a loan from his brother. Let me go into more details about financing a restaurant operation.

Restaurant financing: Top 6 tips

1) Every person that gives you a loan, draft a contract and have the details looked over by an attorney. Families and friendships can be destroyed over money issues. The terms, payment method, and other details must be clear.
2) Identify non profit agencies that provide free service for entrepreneurs. TMC Working Solutions is just one program. I have worked with them when I was considering purchasing a franchise. My counselor viewed my business plan and provides insights. It a free service.
3) An idea is not a business. Our front part of our brain is logical while the back is emotional. Don’t let your emotions make business decisions. For instance, consider buying used equipment as oppose to new ones. Also, consider a franchise that has been successful. For instance, banks have are more likely to approve a loan if you are purchasing an established franchise such as Subway oppose an unproven one.
4) Score is a free service. I was able to get advice from past entrepreneurs. They can also share past mistakes they have made in financing their projects.
5) The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides educational workshops that range from financing to accounting practices. Workshops are usually free or a minimal fee is charged.
6) Hire a good small business tax accountant. While you are busy managing your operation, make sure you keep track of your revenue, expenses, and food cost. There are tax breaks such as tax deductions for equipment so make sure you keep track of the dollar amounts.

346 Clement Street
San Francisco, CA 94118
Tel: (415) 831-9953
11am-2:30pm Daily
Price range: $7-$12