Hed 11: An Upscale Thai Dining ExperienceHed 11: An Upscale Thai Dining Experience A decade ago, Michelin-quality Thai cuisine was a rarity outside Thailand. However, San Francisco has witnessed a culinary revolution with the advent of Kin Khao and its upscale sibling, Nari. Now, Hed 11 joins the scene, offering an even more refined and exclusive Thai dining experience. Located in Japantown, Hed 11 presents an 11-dish tasting menu over six courses. Chef Piriya “Saint” Boonprasan showcases seasonal ingredients, highlighting regional flavors and culinary traditions. The menu changes seasonally to emphasize different aspects of Thai cuisine. A Culinary Journey The current menu, “A Taste of the Southern Sea,” focuses on seafood and coastal fare from southern Thailand. Chef Boonprasan’s dishes are a harmonious blend of familiar and exotic flavors, embracing the funk and heat that characterize authentic Thai cuisine. The snacks offer an explosion of flavors, from the Thai coconut pancake with caviar to the Hokkaido uni grapefruit salad. The beef khao soi, a traditional soup, is innovatively presented as a crispy spring roll. The Khao Gang The highlight of the meal is the khao gang course. Guests are served various rice varieties and six spicy dishes designed to be savored together. The lingcod soup, fermented cabbage with dried shrimp, and mango salad with razor clams are all exceptional. However, the star of the show is the Southern crab curry. Rich, spicy, and bursting with crab flavor, it is a testament to Chef Boonprasan’s mastery. Thoughtful Pairings The wine pairings at Hed 11 enhance the culinary experience. The natural Gewurtztraminer from Union Sacré complements the food perfectly. A full bar offers a range of cocktails to choose from. Ambiance and Pricing The minimalist dining room provides an elegant backdrop for the vibrant dishes. Reservations are highly recommended, and the fixed price dinner is priced at $185 per person. While the cost may deter some, it is a worthwhile investment for discerning diners seeking an extraordinary Thai culinary adventure. Conclusion Hed 11 is a destination restaurant that showcases the pinnacle of Thai cuisine. Chef Boonprasan’s imaginative dishes and the thoughtful wine pairings create an unforgettable dining experience. Whether you are a seasoned Thai food enthusiast or simply seeking an exceptional meal, Hed 11 is a must-visit.
Ten years ago, it was rare to find fine-dining Thai food outside Thailand, let alone menus that explored Thai dishes beyond the familiar world of curries, pad Thai and a few other noodle dishes and salads.
San Francisco got its first taste of Michelin-quality Thai cuisine with Kin Khao, and then with its larger, even fancier sister restaurant Nari. There, chef and owner Pim Techamjuanvivit introduced SF diners to the dishes and cooking styles of her grandmothers and her family’s history, eventually earning Michelin stars for both restaurants.
Hed 11 arrives in Japantown as an even more upscale addition to the scene, with just one 11-dish tasting menu — served over six courses — focusing on seasonal ingredients and changing seasonally to highlight different regions and niches of Thai cuisine. It’s a more expensive spin-off from restaurateur Billie Wannajaro’s Union Square eatery Hed Very Thai.
The current menu, called “A Taste of the Southern Sea,” focuses on seafood and the coastal fare of southern Thailand. Chef Piriya “Saint” Boonprasan’s dishes are an eclectic but thoughtful overview of this regional cuisine, and one that doesn’t shy away from the funk and spicy heat that Western diners aren’t always accustomed to. Boonprasan previously cooked at Bangkok’s Michelin-starred Saawaan, and the level of skill at work here is very apparent.
The scallop with pineapple, dried shrimp, chili and coconut curry. Photo: Jay Barmann
The first courses are composed snacks, each offering a deep explosion of flavor. A Thai coconut pancake is served with caviar. Hokkaido uni adds a burst of sea flavor to a Thai grapefruit salad. The richness of beef khao soi, usually a soup, is wrapped in a fried spring roll. And a delicate Hokkaido scallop is served with a light noodle salad with coconut, chilies, and dried shrimp.
The star of the meal, however, is the khao gang course. “Khao gaeng” or khao gang means “curry over rice,” and Chef Saint offers a single course where each guest is served a bowl of different types of rice — jasmine, wild black, and purple rice — and a series of six spicy dishes, all of which are meant to be eaten with the rice.
There wasn’t a single dish here that disappointed. A lingcod soup with taro and mushrooms was full of deep seafood flavor, like the richest, darkest seafood broth you’ve ever tasted. A dish of fermented cabbage with dried shrimp was foreign to my taste buds but utterly delicious. And a mango salad with razor clams and cockles, cashews, onion, and peanut sauce was equally memorable.
The khao gang dishes, with the crab curry on the top left. Photo: Jay Barmann/SFist
The winning dish, though, had to be the Southern crab curry — a powerful, crab-rich, mega-spicy red/orange curry that’s probably one of the spiciest curries I’ve ever had. The waiter rightly warned us — mix it well with the rice, try small bites, wait for it to get hot. Nevertheless, it was one of the tastiest things, and probably the best crab curry, I’ve ever had from a Thai menu, layered with nutty, floral, sweet, sour and seafoody notes, under a wave of sweat-inducing spices.
Make sure to keep a few cucumbers and some cabbage aside to cool your mouth.
The wine pairings at Hed 11 were also thoughtful and complimented the food at every turn. Perhaps the best pairing was a natural Gewurtztraminer from Paso Robles winery Union Sacré, which specializes in Alsatian wines. A full bar with several seasonal cocktail selections is also available.
Hed 11 opened this spring in the base of the recently renovated Kimpton Hotel Enso (1800 Sutter Street). The minimalist dining room provides a nice backdrop for the colorful food and creative plating, and the place still feels like a well-kept secret. The prix fixe isn’t cheap at $185 per person, but it certainly rivals similar tasting menus around town and would be a real treat for any lover of Thai food — and spice.
Hed 11 – Open Tuesday to Sunday, 5pm to 9pm, fixed price dinner only. Reservations can be found here.
