Kim Thanh Restaurant
Categories: Chinese, Seafood, Vietnamese [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Nob Hill, Civic Center/Tenderloin607 Geary St
(between Jones St & Leavenworth St)
San Francisco, CA 94102 (415) 928-6627
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
19 reviews
Neighborhood: Excelsior
"YES! Banh Mi in the Excelsior. If you live or frequent this neighborhood, you know that this area is mostly taquerias and decent chinese…" read more »
50 Reviews for Kim Thanh Restaurant
I dig this restaurant. The seafood is fresh, the place is clean, and what I've had so far has been sublime. I initially went there because my extremely discerning professional VN nail technician friend raved about the place. So far I've had the pea shoots, the rock cod with black bean sauce, and the salt and pepper spareribs and all have pleased me. But note, the s&p ribs aren't like regular spare ribs, they are strips of pork like peking spare ribs. They are fried but not greasy, and they are salty, and they would be good with beers. It wasn't the greatest stuff to order either, just some quick take out. It's also a family run place where people are nice and seem to care about the quality and service. I'll say it isn't cheap like some equally decent places in the neighborhood. Things really average $10 to $15, but like I said the quality overall is worth it.
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This place really cleaned up! My friend commented at how CLEAN the bathroom is. The floors went from dingy to shiny. Food was delicious as always.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/11/2006
Sketchy neighborhood, great food. Not exactly the cleanest restaurant, but the seafood dishes are… Read more »
Came to this restaurant tonight and I had a feeling that this place was going to rock. Heard it was better than ppq, comparable to crustaceans, and thang long. Yelp average review is a four star. I was amped about coming to this place. Got here kinda early...............and we wanted to order everything. Man.......were we disappointed!!!
live steamed fish with ginger, onions, and soy sauce. overcooked and dry
Fried calamari...........hate it when they use a sweet and sour sauce. batter was a little too much
Quail..........had better.........was a little dry but the lemon salt and pepper helped
Bean sprout vegetables...........was good
Garlic noodles............................it's not that good. I've had better.
Go to PPQ on clement............it's a lot better than this place.
Servers were a little inexperienced, but I still have a gut feeling that this place might still be good. I will come back to try all of the seafood. They have goeduck sashimi, will try the crab and lobster next time, and the clams. I will come back. As for this time..................Meh. I've experienced better.
Gary Danko............2 more days.
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To sum up my experience in a nutshell: MEH.
I originally wanted to try PPQ with my friend but I found out they are closed on Tuesdays. Why God whyyyyyyy. So walking in this restaurant gazing at all the sea critters I was thinking to myself, this is gonna be good I just know it! Look at all the big fucking crabbies they have here. SCORE.
My buddy and I ordered:
- salted crab with butter MEH
-fried rice with salted fish and chicken BOMB
-scallops with yellow chives AITE
-garlic noodles MEH
Yeah so what we felt like ordering a feast ok! The rice was the best thing we ordered sadly. The service was good considering we we're the only table in there. But WTF the damn crab meat was sticking on the shell like fucking glue. Hmmm must be DEAD CRAB riggghhhttt? I didn't see anyone fishing out a fresh lively crab from the tank! Irked out that we had to pay $30 for a dead crab. Shit, I could've went to ranch 99 and bought a dead crab and cook that shit at home and made it taste the same if not better. Garlic noodles were dry and bland. I much rather pay the extra money for guaranteed bomb diggity crab and garlic noodles at Thanh Long. WORD.
Best crabs out of all crabs I tasted in the past ?? years. The taste of pepper corn is just unbeatable.
It is very affordable too. 6 of us went for dinner with 1 lobster, 2 crabs and a few other dishes came to rougly about $25 per person.
Aparently their garlic noodle is famous, but I tried it twice, where the first time was okay and the second was bad.
i got seafood vermacelli soup, my gf got the combination rice noodle soup, and we also got a seafood combination clay pot to share. Sooooo good, wow. The food was rather cheap too. Can't wait to go back and eat here again
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Salt baked crab & garlic noodles.
Yummy? Oh yeah - it was fine.
Tummy? Not good - not just mine.
Kinda dismal...Pepto Bismol?
Yes, please. Check, please.
Another time...
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YUM. I noticed this place when first arriving to SF because of the live seafood tanks in the window. I felt like having some sort of light soup one night and we decided to give it a try.
I ordered a seafood claypot and combo rice noodle soup. The broth of the soup was absolutely delicious and and came dressed with noodles, scallops, fish, and pork pieces. The claypot had really tasty crispy tofu pieces that went perfectly with their chili oil. I'll definitely be going back for some crab.
We've been to this gem 20+ times over the last 5 years and have never, I repeat, n.e.v.e.r. had a bad meal.
We've experimented with lots of the dishes, but always keep coming back to the same 6-7 to keep us wanting more; salt baked crab, clams with basil, young chou fried rice, salt baked spare ribs, pea sprouts, charbroiled pork, and whole fish (steamed and fried).
We've come to know the owner and the tall waiter the best - 'cui' and 'ngoc' is what we can make out are their names. They are fast, friendly, and never charge a corkage fee!
I always get excited seeing the crab lady come out from the kitchen to fish-out a big one from the tank and plop the live fella into her bowl. My daughter loves the big Buddha in the back next to the candy pail. Best of all, they keep her picture on display behind the counter - Xmas card 2007.
You can have the razz of Slanted Door and Crustacean. We'll always go to Kim Thanh for the real deal and the good vibes.
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When my dad asks, "Do you want to eat crab?" I know that he's talking about Kim Thanh. The Salt Baked Crab with Butter is amazing. You'll want to not only get to the meat but eat the little salty crunchy bits too. Another favorite is Stuffed Bean Curd, Steamed Oysters and Black Bean Sauce. The Pea Sprouts w/Garlic Sauce is a great little side dish. Be sure to drink lots of water after this meal.
If you're feeling like treating yourself, ask for the Salt Baked Lobster. :-)
My inner Vietnamese woman came out full force whilst my man and I were there for vacation. She wanted roasted crab and garlic noodles! After seeing Yelp (my most trust worthy resource) went here after a wonderful spa treatment at Recharge. Couldn't get much better then this. Super fresh.. great pricing.. friendly service (these traits seem so natural for San Francisco).
When the crab and garlic noodles arrived she tore right into them like some sort of sex starved nympho! Oh she was juicing and kooing as she sucked the shells and shoveled noodles into her awaiting gullet. Oh this place was heavenly!
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Do you like Vietnamese baked crab? This place has one of the best baked crabs in the city....better than Crustaeans on Polk and their sister restaurant out by Ocean Beach on Balboa. It's very tasty and topped with peppercorns and jalepanos. The pea sprouts and salted prawns are delicious too. I would recommend this place and will return. YUM!
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I was having a crazy craving for crabs and seafood. So I looked up Yelp... Since between my friends and me, we've already tried the usual Crustacean, PPQ and Thanh Long, I suggested giving Kim Thanh a try.
OOOOHMIGAWD it was SOOOOO friggin GOOD!!!!
We had the salt and pepper crab, ginger-greenonion lobster, deep fried oyster, crunchy quail, garlic noodles and the pea sprouts.
First, the food was BETTER than Crustacean in that it wasn't as greasy/oily. Second, quick service!! Within 10 mins of ordering, the food started flowing in one after the other. They were steaming hot and perfectly served.
The moment they place the dishes on the table, me and my friends got quiet and just tore into it. It was plenty awesome.
There was a couple next to us who seemed upset at the service. Hunnie, this is the kind of place you come to for the quality of food, not the service/ambiance. The guy even yelled at the manager on his way out and told him he was not leaving a tip because they were not professional. what a jerk!!
But seriously, the waiters were friendly and quick to respond if you wave them down. If you just sit there, they're unlikely to circle back like other restaurants to make sure you're okay. If you need something, just holler and you'll get it.
We're DEFINITELY coming back.
We didn't have any plans on dinner after the Union Square Tree Lighting Ceremony, we just kept walking and ended up here.
It's a Vietnamese & Chinese seafood restaurant and it was pretty busy. We had to wait maybe 10 min.
We ordered:
1. Lemon beef salad (raw beef) $8.95-many small chunks of raw beef, cilantro, onions, w/ a sauce on the side. Just ok.
2. Curry lamb in clay pot $9.95-good sauce, lamb just ok.
3. garlic sauce peasprout (large leaves) -price not listed probably $10
ok.
4. fresh steamed oyster $9.95-hubby picked black bean sauce. 6 to an order, huge oysters, just ok.
5. steamed rice $1 per bowl. We got a tub so don't know how much it was..maybe $3?
Total before tip was $46.45. No leftovers so portions are not that big and kinda pricey.
Service was slow, credit cards taken. Separate bathrooms available.
Hrs:
M-F 11a-11p
Sat-Sun 5p-11p
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This place is for people that know how to eat real Chinese/Vietnamese food. If you're into egg rolls and egg foo young, don't bother coming here. The lobsters and crabs here are huge and they cook them to perfection. I can't even get into how awesome the fist-sized oysters are. Reminds me of the giant Chinese banquet dinners I had with my family as a kid. Super authentic.
Diamond in the rough
I've had PPQ and Crustaceans and my friends kept insisting that Kim Thanh was way better, so I decided to give it a try. Kim Thanh was kinda hard to find, but it is worth the search.
They are known for their crabs, which is by far the best I have had. We had the salt baked crab which had the perfect amount of seasoning cooked perfectly. I'm not a huge crab fan, but after trying it here I will be back again when I'm in SF again. The garlic noodles were seriously the best ones I've ever had. It was so good that after we finished the first plate, we ordered a second plate that we finished. We had the filet steak cubes and a vegetable which were all good.
My friends who eat here all the time said the catfish in clay pot, hot and sour soup are also some of their signature dishes. But judging from the food that I had, I think all the dishes must be really good.
If you like crab and think PPQ or Crustaceans is good, give Kim Thanh a try. I've found my new favorite crab spot!
WTF the waiter guy took our hot sauce and gave it to a different table. There were three empty tables...yet he picked our table and jacked out hot sauce. -1 star for the hate...the hate...ok other than that the waiters were typically decent people. The food was ok too. I ordered catfish claypot. My favorite vietnamese dish! It was good but they didn't have any green onions in it! -1 star for that. My friend also ordered a vietnamese dish that has egg rolls and charbroiled chicken. The chicken tasted a little plain. Maybe the chinese food is better here? Although that wouldn't make sense since the resturant name is vietnamese (am I right?). I think they had more chinese dishes on the menu than vietnamese dishes. Screw it let's be mean. -1 star for the over priced barely decent chicken and for having a vietnamese store name with more chinese dishes than vietnamese dishes.
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After reading yelp review, I visited Kim Thanh. I lived only 2 blocks from the restaurant but I never realized it was there...
We ordered:
1. Imperial Rolls - good but nothing special (3 stars)
2. Combination Noodle Soup - good with a lot of seafood on top. Simple but good broth (4 stars)
3. Pork in Clay Pot - meet was not tender and bad seasoning. Pagolac's Pork Clay Pot is much better (1 star)
4. Salted Baked Crab with Butter - very nice! But little over-priced for restaurant like this (4 star)
5. Honey Walnut Prawns - average but on the greasy side (3 star)
7. Lemon Grass Chicken - very lemon grassy and tasty. The chicken is moist yet browned outside (5 star)
So the average is 2.85714285714.. stars
Oh I forgot to say, when I was walking in front of the restaurant a few days ago, I saw very dead (looked like it died a few days prior) rock cod in their fish tank... So I'll give 2 stars.
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Great place to eat before you have drinks at Ambassador/Rye. Salt baked crab was very good ($30.95) and a bit steep, but it wasn't coated with butter like other places. Big Pea sprout leaves w/ garlic and the garlic noodle are good side dishes that complement the crab. The portions are pretty good though and a good value. Finally, I wasn't impressed with the seafood sour soup b/c it was pretty sweet. Next time, I will try the Szechuan hot and sour soup.
UPDATE:
Leave it to an SF newbie to bring me to this joint. What's attractive about this city is how it contains nooks and crannies even though you think you've scoured the streets clean.
On Tuesday, February 27, a companion and I had:
-hot and sour soup for 2
-frog legs with veggies
-fried oysters
-baked buttered crab
-grilled pork with imperial rolls
OVERALL: * * * * *
On Wednesday, February 28, I brought my sister who uttered,
"...this is a special place," after the first bite from the fried oysters.
We had:
-fried oysters
-crispy quail
-catfish in claypot
-eggplant in some sauce
OVERALL: * * * * *
On Friday, March 2, I brought my twin brother who had come from Sacramento who uttered, "...this is worth the 4-hour drive."
We had:
-fried oysters
-crispy chicken
-hot and sour soup with pork
-mongolian beef
OVERALL: * * * * *
On Saturday, March 3, I brought a portion of the family (13 of us)
visiting from Roseville, Union City, Rocklin, and fellow San Franciscans for an impromptu get-together.
We had:
-seafood soup
-fried oysters
-crispy chicken
-catfish in claypot
-pea sprout dish
-mustard greens dish
-deep fried chow mein with squid
-sauteed scallops
OVERALL: * * * * *
4x in one week. Overkill, I know, but I wanted to get my fill before the restaurant closes for the rest of the month of March.
The restaurant is walking distance to Union Square, and the space itself smells of food not grease.
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revised 07/22/07
downgrade to 4 stars
Ouch! The bill hurt last night.
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I have had a few Chinese dishes here and they really did nothing for me. However, anytime I am sick (cough, cough) I order up some of their chicken noodle soup. Slices of breast meat float around in the goldeny broth and the bean sprouts and egg or rice noodles come on the side. And it's $6.50 after tax. It is making my throat feel a lot better.
Also, I love love love their shrimp pork rolls. See, but this and the soup are probably the only two things I will ever order from this restaurant. Damn, and there are no other Vietnamese restaurants nearby...
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I cannot believe that I just happened to stumble upon this place. And since I did, many people have told me that this is a much-loved spot of theirs too! I was having drinks in the area and wanted to go to a good restaurant. We asked a couple on the street and they mentioned that they loves the seafood restaurant across the street.
I didn't have the crab and am now just going to have to go back to try it.
I loved the Hot & Sour soup and the prawns we ordered, but the coconut chicken we ordered was just OK (and oddly not very coconut-y).
the baked pepper crab is suuuuppper yummy.
garlic noodles are good, not greasy...(boooo, too bad i love greasy ha!)
bo luc lac ( cubed beef steak) was tasty
beef carpaccio w/ lime & mint salad (probably my favorite)
lobster was decent.
the combination fried rice is amazing.
great service and prices are good!
After a 9 hour flight from Japan on 7/22, my crew members and I (6 of us) decided to stroll over to this joint for dinner. We got to the restaurant about 6:30ish and were seated right away. The two members that took us to this joint knew what they wanted so we left the ordering up to them. We dined on Szechuan Hot & Sour soup $10.95 (L)(ask for the red vinegar...yum!), Sauteed Squid (2) $9.95, Salt and Pepper Crab (1) $?, Honey Walnut Prawns (2) $10.95, Pea Sprouts w/ Garlic Sauce (2) $? , and a order of their fried rice (2)...I don't know which one it was I think it may've been the combination or the seafood? Everything was so good and tasty. The bill came out to $27 per person including tip so I think that it was pretty reasonable considering that we ordered the crab and a few alcoholic drinks.
They are open from M-F 11am to 11pm and S-Sun 5pm to 11pm. Located between Leavenworth and Jones.
The restaurant is nothing fancy but it is clean and doesn't smell greasy. The waitress and waiters were nice but one waitress did not speak English very well and she tried clearing our crab plate before we were done...don't worry we made sure to get our crab back :).
I would love to go back with a party of 3 or more so that we can order different choices again. I joked that I wanted frog but no one else fancied the idea. Hee hee! Anyone up for Deep fried frog with butter??
My friend looooooves the crab at this place so we decided to venture out there. I've passed this place many times while driving home but it was somewhat obscure and the signage kinda blend in with the neighboring laundromat, the entire stretch of signage is in dark green hence I didn't pay attention that it was two different stores. We ended up going on a Monday night and it fairly open and we were seated right away. My friend did the ordering, salt and pepper crab, pea sprouts with garlic, lemongrass beef, panfried seafood noodles and stirfried clams. My favs were the crab, lemongrass beef and pea sprouts. I thought the noodles was just average and I'm not a big fan of clams.
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Allow me to preface this review with the following factoid. I hadn't eaten all day and prior to meeting up with my friend I had kinda enjoyed a meh kinda bloody mary and was really on the hunt for something of that variety and so seeing as how we ended up at a thai place, I'm not sure that my taste buds were really feeling thai, but I was friggin hungry and so, hey, when in SF...
With that said, I thought the place was simply, okay. I am no expert on Thai cuisine, definitely trying to learn more, but of the few places I've gone to in LA, I enjoyed the food more. We ordered the soup and a chicken and noodle dish and both just felt a bit skimpy. The noodles seemed like they were prepared too fast and the dish was missing that yummy caramelized effect that personally makes Thai food for me. The soup was also filled with a pretty lame variety of vegetables and more variations of lettuce that actual soup worthy veggies.
If I could have given it a 2.5, I most likely would have and seeing as how my lovely dining companion had raved about this place, but then noted that the quality had gone down a bit since the last time she was here 6 months ago, I think my assessment is pretty fair.
Would I go back,? Sorry Kim Thanh, but the answer is no.
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Used to be, it was the crack and the tranny hos that left me drooling in the tenderloin. Now it's the crispy quail. And the salt baked crab. And the lemon grass anything. And the charbroiled everything.
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Since I live in the heart of loin, it didn't take me long to discover this gem of viet-chinese cuisine! Because of the weird hours I work, I practically live off delivery and take out, especially anything open late night. (Kim Thanh till 11!) Their prices are very reasonable for the quality, and I order their combination fried rice, fried wontons, and mongolian beef on a weekly basis. Their soups are also delicious - my favorites are the crab meat and asparagus or chicken soups.
I tend not to order the seafood too much since it's usually delivery I'm getting, but my sitdown experiences have been wonderful. The fish is always fresh and I love their oysters.
My only slight annoyance is the difficulty I have giving my order over the phone - I often get handed to two different people before someone comes on who can understand me well enough to take down my credit card number. As a result, my roommate and I fight like crazy over who has the job of calling in the order. Delivery is fast, though... and for affordable authentic asian cuisine in my area, I don't think it can be beat.
P.S. I was heartbroken they closed for a month! Can't wait to start ordering from them again now.
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Always good, always fresh. Salted baked crab is a wonderful dish for two to share. Order noodles on the side.
I eat here 2-4 times monthly, and it's always excellent. Lots of Vietnamese eats in my hood, this is my favorite. Always lots of Asian faces eating here, that's a good sign. I don't understand the one or two negative reviews here. Did you eat somewhere else and went home drunk to review the wrong place?????You are all mixed up.
Dinner for two with beers is cheap and delicious, and it won't break the bank. Eat here now.
After reading all the glowing reviews, we were really excited to try this place. I dunno, maybe something changed after their remodeling. Maybe there's just so much better -- and cheaper -- Vietnamese food in the city. But we were wholly unimpressed.
So unimpressed that I can barely remember what we had & we were there a week ago. hmmm.
Lessee, I know for sure we got the whole crab. It was ok, but a little salty. A little too salty for $26.99. And we got the bun. I'm pretty sure it was the charbroiled pork and imperial rolls one. Now that was a complete and utter disappointment. Bland, boring, non-delicious.
My dear yelpers, I ask you, HOW CAN YOU MESS UP BUN? Bun is merely noodles (always delicious!), meat (yum yum yum!), veggies (feel those delicious vitamins!) and nuoc cham sauce (special VN secret!). Bun is like the gauge of a restaurant. It's so simple and so good that if you've messed that up, you can be absolutely certain I, for one, will never ever step foot in your restaurant again.
Sorry Kim Thanh, I wanted to love you. I really did. You're like the guy I had a crush on and then slept with and you were so bad in bed that I am left with a feeling of shame that I ever had a crush on you to begin with.
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What I like about this place -
* unbelievably fresh seafood (any fresh seafood cooked with their blackbean sauce is just mind blowing)
* chinese AND viet food
* great tasting
* simplicity
I mean, don't go here on a first-date or anything. Go to this place for the food, and the food only. Also take a bib with you (seafood can get messy)
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I can't believe I didn't write a review on Kim Thanh. I've been going to this place since the late 80's. They make the best black pepper/garlic Dungeness Crab in town!
Unlike, Crustacean Restaurant on Polk/California, these crabs are not smothered with butter and high prices. Kim Thanh is a casual restaurant with weird waiters, especially the short older guy in the black vest. I don't think he's intentionally rude...he just looks that way.
Anyways, this is what we order when we go there:
1) The sweet and sour pineapple fish soup - the soup is well balanced and the catfish is fresh and goes well with the fish sauce and pepper.
2) Raw Mirugai (Giant Clams) - this you could order at any sushi place, but u'll know it's fresh here because the chef comes to the storefront aquarium to grab your order. Check the price before ordering, cuz it's seasonal.
3) Black Pepper and Garlic Dungeness Crab - this is their signature plate. Almost every patron in the restaurant would have a crab shell on their table. Speaking of patrons, it seems like everytime I go it is always full with mostly Japanese female tourist and/or Korean foreign art students (just an observation).
4) Half Crispy Chicken - goes great with the lemon/black pepper sauce.
5) Chinese spinach with beef slices.
6) Claypot Catfish - goes well with fish sauce and peppers. The sauce in the claypot is semi-sweet and will taste awesome in your rice .
7) Cooked oysters in half shells - I'm ok with this a la carte.
For lunch, i love their Big Shrimp Head in Claypot with broken rice.
Enjoy!
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I believe my fabulous cousin, Pam, introduced me here! I love the butter garlicky FRESH KING CRABS here! To die for!! Yum and their Lemon Garlic Butter Noodles! Gotta get your butt here when you are in San Fran!
We ordered take-out from Kim Thanh and were very pleased.
We pass this place on our walk home from work each day and there's usually a good crowd inside.
If you're in the area looking for a good meal, it's worth stopping in, but I wouldnt come out of your way.
Pretty good food. Decent service. Decor is simple and neat. I have had some seafood here, but after reading some of the other reviews, I think I will be going back to try the crab.
Though, the rice and noodle offerings are a bit overpriced.
(Maniacal laughing) $60! Sixty fucking DOLLARS!!! Oh my god, I just spent $60 dollars on dinner for JUST ME!!!! Hahahahahahahahaha! So a bit of advice for all you Yelpers out there: Don't decide you want something "exotic and different" from someplace you've never been to and don't have a menu (with a price list) for. Here's what happens: You settle on something that seems relatively inexpensive and order the dishes that others recommend. But the catch is you are playing Russian Roulette with the prices. Who knows what's seasonal? Who knows how much ANY of it costs?
Here's what I now know: the salt and pepper buttered crab really IS all that. "All that" costs around $30 for one whole crab. When you add combo fried rice (also delish), soup (not so great) and the crispy quail (outstanding) plus a $3 delivery tip you get $60!!!! For one, small, blonde, hungry (but not starving), girl in Lower Nob Hill. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Guess what I'm eating ALL week! This is worse than grocery shopping stoned!
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Wooh hooh, I may just have a new favorite dish! Steamed oysters in ginger and green onion, perfectly balanced, piquant. They're old school, dubious if fresh but plump and soft and delicious cooked, the size of small chickens. I could eat that every night of the week.
Long Chinese menu with some Vietnamese, tanks of prawns and crabs, lobsters, and other sea life line the window. Most dishes are at least decent, some excellent. Jellyfish salad is tasty as is fish soup. Shrimp with snow peas was nothing to rave about, but if the tank is lively you can ask to substitute some fresh prawns and the results are good. "Specials" like geoduck sashimi and mirugai (which don't change and are on the regular menu anyway) are written in English on the wall. Interior is standard but a extra cleanish and pleasantly decorated for its class of bright-light Asian, with prices a dollar or two higher per dish than the most bargain of restaurants. Service is sincere, friendly and functional.
I have on good report that Kim Thanh made the Japanese guidebooks, and the Japanese guidebooks do not mess around, though they can sometimes be outdated. Personally, I wouldn't cross town much less the ocean, but if you're in the neighborhood and you want solid sit down or take out Chinese, this is your place. Open till 11 every day. Gotta love the Tenderloin!
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Everything I've had here is tastey as hell. The Catfish Claypot is delicious-catfish-crack. It has so much flavor it's all I can do not to lick the inside of the sizzling hot claypot. Also amazing are the geoduck (a pile of sashimi style, with a handfull grilled in black bean sauce), the Vietnamese style hot and sour soup, and the bun. Damn tastey. Keep in mind: It's very clean but not pretty, they do not serve pho, and some seasonal dishes can be pricey while others are stil very cheap. And I still give it 5 stars without reservation.
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This place is seriously delicious and totally overlooked by the snooty crowd piling into Slanted Door. Don't miss the real thing here. The salted crab is to die for, and the rest of the seafood is always fresh and well flavored. I also love their salted fish fried rice, best in town.
For some reason, this place is always crammed with Asian tourists? I think it must be on their list of tour stops. Well, they all look hungry and happy.
The family (?) that runs the place is friendly and prompt. I think they recognize me by now.
I have been eating her for a couple of years now and it has got to be one of my favorite places to go. I have been to Thanh Long and Crustacean and have had the signature whole crab, but Kim Thanh is by far much, much better...not only in price but in FLAVOR! The Salt Baked Crab w/ cracked peppercorn is so finger licking good! Along with their clams and lemongrass beef. The staff is always super friendly and fast service. They literally wait on you hand and foot, immediately clearing your table of excess plates and crab shells. I also love their fresh squeezed soda lemonade. This is definitely a "hole in the wall", but very clean and casual. The area is kind of so-so, but there are reasonably priced parking garages nearby if you can't find parking on the street. Definitely pay a visit...your tummy will be glad you did!
