"Dinner at Funky Elephant is loose and fun—just look to the disco ball spinning over the pink-lit dining room as an indicator. The fiery Thai dishes at this Mission spot are just as exciting, like the sticky, charred party wings dotted with Thai chilis and a slow-burn papaya salad. If you’re here with people who start sweating just thinking about chilis (or maybe that’s you?), there are milder, equally fantastic options like an umami-packed pad thai and poached khao mun gai. Keep the natural wine and soju cocktails coming." - julia chen 1, patrick wong