Osha
149 2nd St
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 278-9991

I’m sorry to say but Osha is a lot of hype. Such is the tendency of trendy Thai restaurants. What they exude is cool interior design, creative drinks and dishes, and fancy presentation. They equally lack authentic flavour, spiciness, and ingredients. That isn’t to say that the food was altogether bad, as attested by the 15 minute wait on a Sunday night. But the flavour and texture of the dishes was wholly Chinese in execution. Even the barometer I use for Thai restaurants, Pad Se Ew and Nam Pla Prik, did not even hint of authenticity. The Thai restaurants in New York are many times better in flavour and price in comparison to Osha.

The decor like many new Thai restaurants is fantastic with ultra modern lighting, paneling, and seating. The menu has a big focus on shrimp (which unfortunately I cannot eat due to an allergy), so I had a clay pot of brown rice with mushrooms and chicken, Panang curry, Pad Se Ew, and spicy basil tofu. We ordered the curry and basil medium spicy, and even with a good dowsing of Nam Pla, the dishes weren’t even a little spicy. Accompanying, I had Osha’s Thai iced tea, a mix of Thai iced tea, lemonade, and Soju. Again like most trendy restaurants, the drinks were tasty but missed the punch of a good amount of alcohol, and the cost was pretty dear.

Perhaps I’m being a bit harsh since I lived in Thailand and am very familiar with the cuisine. My friends enjoyed the meal, but for me the price and hype definitely brought my expectations up to a level that the restaurant did not perform at. If they focused more on authenticity and less on the lighting they might bring me back, but I don’t think I’ll make the trip back again unless they find a new chef.