Lao Table
| Address: | 149 2nd St, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA |
| Phone: | +1 415-278-9991 |
| Site: | laotablesf.com |
| Rating: | 3.9 |
| Working: | 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 11AM–10PM 5–10PM Closed |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 6
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Samantha Berg
I was pretty psyched up to try this latest offering from the Osha team. While it didnt quite live up to my expectations I enjoyed the food and had a pleasant experience. I came here on a Friday around noon for a candidate lunch, so we were a group of about 5. We arrived at about 12:15 and I had every intention of leaving by 1pm to make it back to the office. While this has been an issue at other places, the Osha that used to be here was quick and I was hoping now Lao Table would be as well. We decided to go family style and share a ton of things. Fresh spring rolls - 3 stars. Pork sausage and mint in a fresh rice paper wrapper, served with peanut dip. I had a hard time tasting much beyond the mint and rice paper, there was very little pork flavor, and the peanut dip was more of a watery/sticky substance than your standard peanut sauce. I probably wouldnt order these again. Chicken satay - 4 stars. Your standard satay, curried chicken on a stick with peanut sauce. The peanut sauce was properly thick and creamy and the chicken was nicely done. Nothing mindblowing but a solid offer. Moo nam pla - 3 stars. Fried pork belly with chili-lime dip. The pork belly had good flavor but some pieces were crispy, some were a bit soggy. The chili-lime dip had a bit of a kick, but otherwise, this dish was fairly boring, especially for $14. Crispy sticky rice salad - 5 stars. Spicy crispy sticky rice with pork sausage and herbs. Fantastic dish. Not something I would have ordered myself, as Im not a fan of rice, but I ended up loving this. Crispy and comforting and spicy. Chunks of sausage and whole peanuts plus mint, basil, and other herbs on the side. This is a must order. "Tum marg hoong" papaya salad - 2 stars. I was hoping this would be awesome, it sounded so good, but it fell short in real life. The description had spicy papaya salad with boiled egg, pork sausage loaf, pork cracklin, hopper prawns, anchovies, and sticky rice. I thought this might all come together, but instead, it was a bowl of standard papaya salad with everything else on the side. The egg was overboiled, the pork sausage loaf looked like mystery meat and tasted about as good, the prawns were plain as day, and the sticky rice was really rice noodles. I dont even know where the supposed anchovies were. Honestly, this dish sat almost untouched. Basil chicken - 4 stars. Chicken, chili, garlic, basil, and a fried egg over rice. The dish was hearty but still light and brought all the familiarity of your usual basil chicken. Again, nothing mindblowing but still solid. So overall, Id say it was pretty hit or miss. Id go back to try other things, as the menu is quite extensive, and the goods were good. The service was great and without placing a rush on the order we had eaten, paid, and left before 1pm. I wish this had been a five star experience, but I look forward to seeing what else is in store next time.
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Adam Lasnik
Oh, so hip! Oh, so noisy! Oh, so glad I was here last time on my companys tab! Get the idea? You arent coming here primarily for the food, okay? Youre walking in the door to see hot waitresses, a sexy-and-mostly-young-hipster clientele, and trendy (albeit not terribly comfortable) seating arrangements and such. Sure, theyve got this cute thing where they dim the lights and sing happy birthday (there were FOUR birthdays in the 2 hours I was there this past Friday). And hey, the food ranges from okay (veggie pad thai... little flavor or texture) to really delicious (Tom Ka Gai soup and Osha Spicy Dice salmon dish). Three stars because, well, you can absolutely find better thai food at better prices at many places in the city, and with better service, too. Go to Osha Thai if you want to impress (though not necessarily converse with) a client or date. Go somewhere else if you want a more relaxing, delicious, and affordable Thai meal. Edited to add: Interestingly enough, I am a huge fan of the Osha Thai on Leavenworth and Geary; much of the same food, but more comfortable seating, faster service, and substantially cheaper prices. Sure, the area is rather sketchy and I wouldnt park a nice car on the street around here. But toughen up, SFers! If youre anywhere near the tenderloin, check out the better, original Osha Thai :)
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A Private User
I love Thai food and have it quite often. When I heard of this place I was excited to try it. But after eating there I must say that the food, while having a nice presentation, is average at best. There is nothing wrong with the food, but there is nothing spectacular about it either. For the price its a decent meal and I suppose you cant really complain. The atmosphere is supposed to be trendy and swank. It invites you inside with its modern look. If you think that the food is just as good as the decor then this place ought to be awesome but that notion is false. The metal wire mesh seats are uncomfortable and the restaurant is very loud. Dance music with a heavy repetitive bass beat plays loudly and coupled with the loud voices of other patrons attempting to be heard over the music, it makes holding a conversation with someone three feet in front of you very difficult. Many times I had to lean in to hear what my friend said and had to have her repeat herself many times. All in all, average food and average atmosphere that tries to deceive you with a nice looking restaurant.
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Fei Li
I miss upscale Asian restaurants. Osha Thai makes me feel like Im in Asia where Asian food is an art! For those that know expat Shanghai, think Lost Heaven or Simply Thai circa 2002. (Yelp totally needs a Shanghai edition! I would totally dominate that. Be scared.) What I would order here: Volcanic Beef Grilled Sea Bass The sea bass was tender, perfectly cooked, and absolutely delicious. We also ordered the Pumpkin Curry but that pales in comparison to the Volcanic Beef (flavorful spicy beef onion sauté with onion rings stacked on top). Im not sure if I completely understand the concept of the onion rings: perhaps an appetizer combined with entrée? Although totally unintended Im sure, thank you Osha Thai for thinking of us poor law students! For a cheaper alternative that lacks the ambience, check out Osha Thai Noodle Café in the Tenderloin! Welcome to my home!
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Tiffany Ho
Osha Thai is always consistent with their food (the consistency you can always expect from franchises/chains!). It has some really amazing appetizers. Ive had their chicken satays and the meat is always so juicy and tender -- a perfect pairing with their cucumber salad and housemade peanut sauce. The textures of this combo as well as their tuna/avocado/mango tartar appetizer is mind blowing! Im also a huge fan of their spring rolls, which are these rice noodle wraps with typically clear rice noodles, tofu and other fresh ingredients. Not sure if its super authentic, as I am by no means a Thai cuisine connoisseur, but I definitely recommend this spot for fun gatherings with friends, family and co-workers! Looove it!
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Alex Cariaso
This was my default lunch place when I worked nearby. The food tastes great and is relatively affordable (I really like the tuna tower, yellow curry, pumpkin curry, and mango sticky rice), the staff is attentive without being overly so, and the service is quick. I never had any trouble having a sit-down meal and making it back to work within an hour. This one also has better portion sizes than other Osha locations Ive been to. During peak lunch hours, the wait can get long and it can get pretty loud in the restaurant but nothing too bad. You can get seated faster if youre in a party of 2 since there tends to be parties of 3-4 for lunch, or you can go during off lunch hours.
