Kothai Republic
| Cuisine | Korean, Thai |
|---|---|
| Price | $$$ (31-50) |
| Rating | 7/10 |
| Last Visit | May 19, 2024 |
| Location | SFBA: San Francisco: West |
General Notes
Kothai Republic has amazing reviews and for good reason. The food is really good and on point. This is Asian fusion done right. Overall, the menu errs towards Thai flavors, but it incorporates a lot of Korean ingredients / flavors as well (hence, the name Kothai Republic), as well as other Asian cuisines, such as for the beef noodle soup. The menu looks strange but it works. I briefly spoke with one of the owners / chefs of the restaurant; super friendly guy. It's clear that he has a lot of passion for the restaurant. They're constantly innovating and trying new dishes -- for example when I visited for the first time they had a porchetta dish that they were testing.
Positives
> Random note: the restaurant faced southwest and had a lot of windows, so during the summer months when the days are longer, you can expect very nice natural lighting in the restaurant.
Dishes Tasted
- ★★★☆ Red Curry Cornish Hen -- aromatic sticky rice, raisins, toasted almonds, broccolini, red curry soubise. The cornish hen itself was incredible -- juicy, beautifully charred, flavorful. I also like that it's not drowned in sauce, so the skin retains its crispy texture. The rest of the components are a little bit odd (the curry pairs well with the hen, but tastes unusual with the rice), but overall work together pretty well.
- ★★★☆ Kimchi Rice Balls -- house kimchi, bacon, sharp cheddar, aioli. Pretty much like a kimchi fried rice in arancini form. Good flavors, fried well.
- ★★★☆ Grilled Hamachi Collar -- charred broccolini, bread crumbs, seafood sauce, house chili oil. Cooked well. I enjoyed the flavor of the sauce a lot -- lightly spicy and acidic.
Red Curry Cornish Hen
