"You don’t realize until you’re halfway through Funky Elephant’s chicken wings that you’ve been underneath a disco ball the entire time. It whirls around, casting silver lights over the dining room that’s already enveloped in a pink and purple glow. This effortlessly fun Thai place is a good time on its own, but it’s made even more fun by playful (and destination-worthy) dishes—they’re bold and spicy as hell. Funky Elephant opened in 2018 in a shoebox-like space in Berkeley. The second location, now in the Mission, is about three times the size. While the stage—and the crowd—are bigger, the Thai dishes are as knockout as the original. photo credit: Carly Hackbarth photo credit: Carly Hackbarth photo credit: Carly Hackbarth photo credit: Carly Hackbarth photo credit: Carly Hackbarth Now, back to the reason you’re under that glitter ball: the food. Appetizers, salads, curries, and noodle dishes are comfort on a plate. And heat knobs are cranked up to the nth degree. The papaya salad puts your sweat glands to work. The chili jam coated wings (aptly named “Party Wings”) will have you gulping down Thai iced tea like it’s a liquid lifeline. Look around and you might see a diner or two fighting back tears, and animatedly fanning their mouths as if they just swallowed a torch. But, we promise, the heat isn’t actually too overpowering, and the spice is in fact key to the DNA of these dishes—along with the sweet, sour, salt, and funk. Not every dish relies on soul-curing spice to impress. Even the milder dishes are an eruption of in-your-face flavor, like the smoky charcoal-grilled pork, the kao mun gai with rich fermented soy bean sauce, and the rockfish red curry. And ordering the shrimp and tofu pad thai, which might be a skippable dish at many Thai spots, is a legal requirement here. When someone on staff tells you to squeeze the shrimp heads and drizzle the juice over the noodles for extra umami, listen. Then expect to wipe the plate clean. photo credit: Carly Hackbarth photo credit: Carly Hackbarth There’s no way to have a bad time at Funky Elephant, unless you turned around and left before taking a seat. The relaxed energy, set to a backdrop of neon lights and hanging paper lanterns, will force you to let loose over natural wine, lick your chili jam-covered fingers like you just survived 100 days on Alone—and eat some of the best Thai food in these 49 square miles. Food Rundown photo credit: Carly Hackbarth Green Papaya Salad A dish that embodies the Funky Elephant approach to Thai chilis. That is, “Do not hold back.” photo credit: Carly Hackbarth Party Wings These wings must be on your table. They’re the blueprint all other wings should follow: fire-hot, sticky from the housemade chili jam, and charred in all the right ways. photo credit: Carly Hackbarth Crispy Rice Salad A texture overload that packs heat. We’d eat more salads if they came with red curry paste, strips of fermented pork, plus fresh herbs and lettuce for wrapping. photo credit: Carly Hackbarth O’s Breakfast Grilled Pork This charcoal-grilled slab of pork is an underrated hit. It’s crisp around the edges yet cuts like butter. And the lacy, peppery fried egg that rides shotgun sets a high bar for every other fried egg you’ll ever eat. photo credit: Carly Hackbarth K.M.G. #2 An excellent kao mun gai. The chicken is poached perfectly, and the broth on the side captures more essence of chicken. That said, there are definitely more exciting things on the menu to focus on. photo credit: Carly Hackbarth Pad Thai Old Skool We’ve had a lot of mediocre pad thais. But that’s not the case here—Funky Elephant absolutely crushes their version. It’s amped up with exactly two gulf white shrimps and hunks of creamy hodo tofu. photo credit: Carly Hackbarth Gang Rawang Beef Spice averse? (We hope not since you’re here.) If so, this is a solid option. Slices of grilled ribeye arrive atop a swath of coconutty green curry with a zippy watercress salad. Our only complaint is that the beef can sometimes be a little too fatty, and hard to chew." - Julia Chen
