Tycoon Kitchen pulls off the ideal workday lunch - Review - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"Tycoon Kitchen in the Salesforce Transit Center knows exactly what it’s doing when it comes to the downtown workday lunch crowds. It’s quite the departure from the nearby plastic bowls of salad or pre-made wraps and sandwiches. Instead, this spot churns out satisfying Thai staples like pad thai, fried rice, and curries in hefty portions that will keep you full until dinnertime. This place is tiny, with just a few two-tops inside and out, but they’re largely unnecessary because almost everyone here is ordering at the kiosks or locked into their phones while waiting the few minutes it takes for their name to be called. While lunch is Tycoon’s strong suit, they stay open until 5pm, so if you need a quick on-the-go meal before commuting home, put in an order online for pickup. Food Rundown Pad Thai Hit-or-miss. At times, every noodle is coated in a caramelized sauce that toes the line of sweet and salty. Other times, many strands are colorless and bland. This is one of the biggest entrees, though, so if you want to take your chances, you’re at least guaranteed leftovers. photo credit: Patrick Wong Pad See Ew This is a more consistent noodle option. The rice noodles are speckled with smoky char marks, and we love the sprinkling of fried onions (that stay crispy) on top. photo credit: Patrick Wong Salmon Curry Bowl Spicy, but with a bit of sweetness to round out every bite. The salmon is usually perfectly cooked, though on a rare day, it has arrived dry. photo credit: Patrick Wong Hainan Chicken Rice Our favorite rice dish. On occasion, we’ve had a couple of parched pieces of meat, but most of the time it’s so moist it slips around the to-go container, and the skin avoids any kind of sliminess. Eggplant Tofu A bit oily, but it gets the job done for those avoiding meat." - Patrick Wong