Jennifer Sportsman: Narai Thai (Restaurant Review)

The choice of restaurants on Clement Street between 19th and 27th avenues is astounding. Almost every ethnic food variety is represented in an eclectic mix that includes Thai food, juice bars, Chinese (including vegetarian), Vietnamese, old fashioned hamburger joints, Greek, Italian, Japanese, pizza parlors and tacquerias. Most of them are great neighborhood haunts well worth the try.

One long-time Richmond District favorite is Narai Thai, located at Clement and 23rd Avenue. The family-owned restaurant has been open at the same spot since 1977, which testifies to the consistent quality of the food and service offered.

Thai food is probably my favorite of all cuisines. It's the food I want when I have been gone from home for a while - it means comfort to me. I have tried many Thai houses around the City and I have found Narai to be in my top five. You can feel confident taking out-of-town guests who may have never had Thai food before. The servers are helpful, offering suggestions and "guiding" the novice with the "heat" level of any meal.

Narai is open six days a week, from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., serving both lunch and dinner. Evenings are sometimes crowded but the wait is never very long. Parking is available at a lot across the street.

On a recent visit we ordered two of my favorite appetizers; Miang Kum and Hoi Jo.

Miang Kum is one of those taste treats that is a surprise every time you eat it. Basically, it is butter lettuce (or spinach) that has six or seven finely chopped accompaniments that you roll up in the lettuce and dress with a sweet "mystery" sauce. I've tried to make the sauce several times but it is difficult because of its complexity. The salad/appetizer is one of the best culinary finds at most Thai restaurants.

The Hoi Jo reminds me of a deep-fried sliced egg roll, with crab and finely chopped veggies served with a sweet piquant sauce.

The entrees included Crispy Roast Duck, served with a chili-laden sweet sauce that had star anise in it. Most of the sauces are sweet, but well balanced, and sticky. The duck appeared to be prepared like those hanging in local Asian markets but must have been "crisped up" under extremely high heat as the skin was perfectly crunchy.

Our second choice was Seafood Choo Chee. This is a flash-fried fish filet (usually salmon but we had sea bass this particular evening), served with mild Thai curry laced with fresh basil and served with lightly sauteed zucchini and red bell peppers. Add sticky rice for two and a couple of cold Thai beers and it was a meal to remember. Also available for the table is a "trivet" of sauces and accompaniments, like chilies and various sauces, to add more flavor if you want your food really spicy.

The appetizers and crispy roast duck were very reasonably priced and the portions were plenty for two to three people. The Sea Bass Choo Chee was described as a "market price" item, but I was surprised at the $22 charge. I think that is a bit high for a neighborhood restaurant - perhaps prices should be posted if they are unusually expensive.

Dinner for two ran about $60, with tip. Granted, that is somewhat expensive for a midweek dinner; however, the food was exceptional and the service great. I hope they are in business for another 25-plus years.

Narai Thai

2229 Clement St.

Between 23rd and 24th avenues

(415) 751-6363

Take out available

No home delivery

Open Tuesday through Sunday