Kothai Republic

"Few restaurants bring you extra food for having conversations with strangers. Such is  first-generation San Francisco native Sung Park’s corner spot. Brunch here is slept-on; the smoked salmon toast, graced by a heavy hand of mustard seed, is enough to make a millennial weep." - Paolo Bicchieri

"A restaurant located on the corner, offering an array of dishes." - Paolo Bicchieri

"The Inner Sunset neighborhood packs this corner restaurant that blends Korean and Thai foods for a dining experience that’s notable even in the area’s crowded dining scene. For a more classic Thai option in the area, you’ll want Marnee on Irving, but Kothai’s small plates like kimchi rice balls and a riff on ceviche stand out for being well-executed and flavor-packed." - Dianne de Guzman, Eater Staff

"Kothai Republic serves food unlike anywhere else in the city—probably because it’s the only Korean-Thai fusion spot that we know of in town. Settle in with a few of your friends and order a mix of small plates (where this place shines) that blend fermented and tongue-twistingly tart flavors. Think a Thai green curry with a kimchi-covered king salmon, a ceviche that looks like small fish balls atop little gem lettuce, and the crowd-favorite kimchi rice balls covered in bacon and sharp cheddar. Whatever you do, get a bottle of sake, and make sure to get the apple pie cheesecake, which has the right amount of citrus. " - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez

"On foggy days—which is a lot of days in the Sunset—Kothai is the place to be. It’s a cozy space full of window heaters, and inventive Korean-Thai fusion dishes that feel like a step above what’s probably in your typical casual dinner rotation. Mosey on over with a few friends (or run, if you’re freezing), and order their standout small plates like the slightly spicy ceviche on little gem lettuce or the cheddar-coated kimchi rice balls, and maybe the bigger king salmon haw mok with kimchi and green curry. And since it’s usually easy to get a table (even after a short wait), you’ll want to sit back and sip on some sake—just don’t leave with getting the apple pie cheesecake." - Julia Chen 1, Lani Conway, Will Kamensky, Tamara Palmer, Ricky Rodriguez