San Francisco Food Truck Fat Thai Serves Soju and Crispy Pork Fried Rice at Marina’s First Restaurant

When Bobby Hossain heard that a friend was starting a food truck, he heard the friend ride the truck and deliver stuffed packages, and he wanted to be a part of it. . That’s why he opened his Thailand in 2010. This was his first food truck and also his fifth food business for his family. His grandmother ran his three restaurants in Thailand, and Ms. Hossein ran Lama His Thai with his parents in San Francisco until it closed in his early eighties. More than a decade after launching as a food truck, he’s opening the doors of Pad Thai’s first permanent space at 2380 Lombard Street.

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Fans of Thai food trucks can expect the same menu at the brick-and-mortar location. Because the restaurant offers five-spice chicken, pasiew with shrimp and soft-shell crab tempura, and many other traditional Thai dishes. But now, popular weekly specials will also be available daily. Hossein said customers reprimanded her for bringing crispy pork fried rice back to her truck, which is usually only served during the warmer months, so she felt it was time to add it to the menu permanently.

Hossein inherited the Yukol Palace lease from a family friend who ran the marina for many years. He said the owner is considering retiring and returning to Thailand, and his parents, who have been helping the food truck for many years, no doubt want to lure the entrepreneur. “Running a food truck is a young man’s job,” says Hossein. The transition to restaurants is a good transition. “

That’s why Hossein brought in his brother to run the bar in the new location. An avid craft beer fan, Hossein’s brother plans to keep six bottles of draft beer on hand, along with carefully selected sake and shochu. For now, the restaurant cannot serve food or drink past 10pm, but Hossein plans to seek an extension of the permit as soon as possible. Friend Bobby Ramirez, also known as artist Inkzilla, is more involved in the community, painting San Francisco-inspired murals on the walls before the grand opening.

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The opening kicks off in one of San Francisco’s wealthiest neighborhoods during the season when city dwellers read left and right about downtown’s “Doom Loop.” But Hossein isn’t worried, saying Marina appears to be insulated from both the recession and the impact of the coronavirus. The restaurant’s opening coincides with the family-friendly Union Street Festival, and in Hossein’s mind, Fat Thai’s success in the area bodes well. “It’s always busy here,” says Hossein. “If I open downtown or SoMa, it might be more difficult. But there are a lot of hotels and tourists around me.”

fat tie Debuts Saturday, June 3rd, 11am-10pm at 2380 Lombard Street.