Great UM Noodletown: Amphawa Thai Noodle House (SF)

Sakura's noodle report from Bangkok earlier this week had me craving for a bowl of bah mee nam here in the Bay Area. I scoured the city's Thai restaurant menus but did not find anything comparable to Sakura's favorite noodle dish. But, fear not, as an awesome Thai spot recently opened up in the Richmond called Amphawa Thai Noodle House.

My beloved Johnny lives in the Outer Richmond neighborhood of SF and I am constantly in awe of all the good eats out there. So many gems! All pretty much hole-in-the-walls, but genuinely real deal cooking, on the cheap, wherever you go.

I've honestly had a tough time finding Great UM Noodletown subjects in San Francisco proper. You all know that I am an equal opportunity eater--I live in the East Bay, but constantly bounce around all over the Bay Area to look for good food, in different genres, and vast price ranges. Generally speaking, San Francisco constantly disappoints me. It's usually a lot of hype that deflates in my face at the dinner table, with an exorbitant price tag attached at the end of the meal. It makes me sad.

But, not all hope is lost. I love Amphawa! Johnny and I get take-out from there at least once a week (which we eat while watching Jersey Shore. It's awful. Don't judge me). The food is always full of flavor, heat and spice. So after Sakura's post the other day, I knew where to go for my Thai noodle fix.

I got the #93 Sukhothai noodle soup. The server recommended I get it with rice noodles. I obliged.



The bowl was full of roasted and minced pork, fishballs, cabbage and green beans. And peanuts! Upon every bite, they added a great crunch to the silky noodles. The soup was in a Tom Yum style--sweet yet tart yet spicy, with a lot of depth. I added the requisite pickled green chilis, which Sakura says she opts out of. But I can't get enough of the tang!

The menu at Amphawa is expansive. So far, I'm addicted to:
- #41 Kao Moo Krob: Crispy pork belly, chinese sausage and the chef's special gravy
- #70 Chan Pad Poo: Stir-fried Thai noodles with crab, egg and green onions
- #27 Larb Ped: minced duck with chili, lemon, rice powder and onions (below)



Next time, I will be ordering the wonton soup, which our server told us is most like the bah mee nam. Add egg noodles! And note to the brave: beware of ordering "spicy".

Despite my skepticism of SF eats, I feel fortunate to live in a place where I can get my hands on any food I may be craving at any moment. Umamimart writers are always inspiring me to try new foods from around the world, and I can actually find it around here without going too far.

And might I mention that it's gorgeous out today? Waaaa! Tough life!