Dupont Thai

Gee, I thought Dupont was all about the miracles of science like Corian countertops and Teflon… how could we have ever lived without Teflon? Think of all the broken yolks that have been avoided in all those no-​stick pans of sunnyside-​up eggs thanks to Teflon. But I have a feeling this little Thai place has nothing to do with the miracles of science unless you count the toilet deodorizer in the men’s restroom (…BTW, that didn’t help much). Anyhow, Jamie W. and I stumbled in here after he poo-​pooed Don Pisto’s as too wall-​to-​wall hipster for his taste. By contrast, Dupont Thai was as still as a tomb. We were a bit worried.
As it turned out, the food was quite satisfying probably because we had so little expectation going in. We started modest and ordered the $ 7.95 Thai Fried Rice with Pork, which is exactly what it was with a little tomato, scrambled egg and onion thrown in for good measure (see photo). Pretty good homestyle dish. The best dish was the $ 8.95 Duck Curry, which was a generous portion of the quacker seasoned in red curry and bathing in coconut milk and mixed with tomato, pineapple, basil and chili (see photo). It was especially good mixed with the fried rice. Pork and duck may make strange bedfellows but not in my stomach.
The only dish that was a bit off the mark was the $ 7.95 Pad Thai, which we requested with chicken. The pan-​fried noodles blended nicely with the tofu, ground peanuts, scrambled eggs, bean sprouts and green onions (see photo). However, the orange sheen from the chile sauce was rather off-​putting on the plate. Still, that didn’t prevent us from devouring it. Jamie and I both looked at each other nodding our heads in acknowledgment of a solid Thai restaurant in the highly competitive North Beach neighborhood. The nearby King of Thai Noodle may be cheaper, but I’m likely to come back here first since you’re not battling the crowds to get in here.
FOOD — 4 stars… surprisingly solid Thai food in a place that was closed for over a year… go figure
AMBIANCE — 3 stars… it has all the Cost Plus-​meets-​Pier One touches you would expect to see
SERVICE — 3.5 stars… certainly deferential and attentive enough… of course, we were the only diners for much of our experience there
TOTAL — 4 stars… Thai that’s worth a try in North Beach

Some days Dupont Thai is excellent. On other days, not so much.
In my experience it has been difficult to order take out from them due to the language barrier. There has been a problem every time that I have ordered take out. I only live a half a block away and my food always arrives cold. It’s best just to go to the restaurant.

Food and service were awful. We walked out because everything was so bad. Will NEVER return.
Our first warning sign came when we walked by the restaurant, at 8:00 p.m. on a Saturday night and the place was completely empty. Not a fan of Italian food, I was surprised to see a Thai option before we went to the theatre, so we went in anyway. Rather than seating us in the main room, where other diners could see us, the waitress directed us to the second, back room, but it was much darker and I didn’t want to sit there, so we sat in the main room. After about five minutes without a menu, another couple came in, and she also seated them in that second room, and also didn’t give them menus either.
The décor of this place is beautiful and everywhere I looked, I was impressed by the attention to detail and care that went into making it look so nice. If only they’d spent even half that time on their wait staff and chef.
I ordered a Thai iced tea, a few appetizers and some veggie fried rice. The Thai iced tea tasted like medicine, so I sent it back. I eat a lot of Thai food and this is the first time i’ve ever had to reject a Thai iced tea.
The menu was quite confusing because the captions to the photos are too dark to read, and the photos aren’t next to the items on the list, so you have no way of knowing which photo is pictured. The Dupont Combo consists of a different item, including Imperial rolls, but «Imperial» rolls aren’t on the menu. When I asked the waitress what was in them, just like every other question I asked her, she had to go back to the kitchen and find out.
The fried samusas were overdone, very dark (should have sent them back), but we didn’t have a whole lot of time before the theatre, so we tried to eat them. They tasted okay, but I don’t like fried items medium brown. My husband ordered the Shrimp in a Blanket, also fried too hard, he ate two of them, couldn’t eat any more. When my «crispy» tofu arrived, surprisingly, it was limp, which was a real surprise since they’d overcooked the other two items, they undercooked this one.
I picked up a piece of the limp tofu and noticed a black feather on the underside of it. HUH? Had they dropped it on the floor and put it back on my plate? Where in the hell did a feather come from?
That was it for us. I told the waitress we were done, didn’t want to try any more food from them and we left. Totally unsatisfied and still hungry, we grabbed a slice of pizza and made it to the theatre just in time.
I see why this place was empty. The waitress was probably new, had no clue what was on the menu, though she was quite nice, she couldn’t answer a single question. The food was DREADFUL and DIRTY. This place needs to be shut down.

What an excellent place! This was far and away my best meal in San Francisco. The place was empty when I arrived and take my word for it, it shouldn’t have been. The service was outstanding, the food was to die for and the ambiance was unbeatable.
I had the spring rolls (fun presentation), the pumpkin curry and mango sticky rice for dessert. I couldn’t have been happier with any of it. The server was very attentive but not overly so and the portions were generous.
You don’t want to miss this place. I’ll definitely be back on my next visit!

Aight.
My taste buds really want to tell me something different– because the décor is eye-​pleasing, the service is so friendly and attentive, and the menu has a nice selection– however, it stands that the «spicy» dishes we ordered were more sweet than spicy, there were a lot of deep-​fried ingredients that did not need to be deep-​fried, and there wasn’t anything that really stood out to me as being fresh.
Specific points:
— Tea leaf salad was delicious although strange how it came pre-​constructed
— Catfish was really tasty– cooked perfectly– although again, could have done without it being battered, fried, and covered in a sugary sauce
— Pad thai had about as much flavor as it would if it sat in the refrigerator for two days and then was reheated. Noodles were clumped together and there was no sauce, and the tofu was deep-​fried– very heavy tasting and feeling.
I might not know my Thai/​Burmese food that well, but my impression is that the most authentic aspect of this restaurant is the wait staff. The food is underwhelming. I bet if they used fresher vegetables and spices it would be way, way better.

There’s a cashew chicken dish with crispy hot chili (you can also get pork or beef) on their Al La Carte section that I’ve recently been getting is I think is a bit better than my previous favorite Thai place Tom Young Café. But this one has a bit more of a portion and the perfect amount of heat. The dining area is roomy with some pillows to recline on and you get a real napkin. There’s also a bit more sauce on this one which keeps the dish from getting dry. Very uncrowded still, every time I’m here or look into window when walking by. Run you $ 11.50 with tip for an excellent dinner if you’re content with water for your beverage. I recommend pairing a meal here while you’re drying your clothes at Little Bubbles as it takes the perfect amount of time.

I never knew a dish called Tom Kha Ghai. So a few months ago I broke my TKG virgin status. It was ecstatic! Right after that fateful meal I had to go overseas for several months to work. But the craving for TKG was still there! So I ravished the kitchens of Thai restaurants in countries looking for my fix. Alas no one came close. So I am here to thank the fact that my favorite TKG recipe is a 10 min delivery from my apartment!
PS: the delivery guys name is Panang and is super humble and accomodating! I arrived at the airport at 9.45pm and he agreed to deliver to me 20 min after closing time!!! Excellent service… tip him well he is a good guy.

Their spice spectrum is a little off from what I’m used to, but I guess that’s wise on their part given their location.
The tom yum chicken soup was good with forest mushroom, button mushroom, and tomato. I added chili paste and it really hit the spot. Samosa appetizer was yummy. Wish the peanut sauce was not so sweet. Penang curry with pork was a little more fluid than I’m used to, but still good. Sticky rice presented in aluminum foil was cute and decent. The hubby and I agreed that the pork and chicken used seemed like better quality than usual for asian food.
We had an interesting server with nice hair, but he was a little less attentive than we would have liked and was slightly hard to understand. Articulate, guy. But he was OK.
I am definitely returning on a colder day for some soup. Just gotta add a lot of chili. I like that they’re open till 10 or 11 p.m. depending on the night.

At this point I’m comfortable calling myself an «intermediate/​advanced» thai food eater. I’ve been to a bunch of places, and then realized it was time to finish off the tri-​fecta of thai in my neighborhood. First tuk tuk, then king of thai, and finally Dupont.
I rarely eat in a resteraunt when i’m near my house, so true to form I ordered to go. The décor here was nice; something I’m starting to see pretty consistently at most thai resteraunts, and the waitstaff was nice and helpful.
The food was… well… average. I went with a pad see yew alternative that has spicy thai chili in it, while my gf had a crispy tofu and green bean dish.
The noodles were good, but just not as delicious as the other two neighborhood places. They ground the beef up a lot more than I expected, and the noodles were just not at the same level… a little rubbery and lacking flavor. Overall the dish was missing some sauce or flavor. The big + that I found was the spicy though. This was the first place in YEARS that actually forced me to take a break it was so spicy!
The gfs dish was a lot tastier and flavorful, but even then I could tell the green beans weren’t 100% fresh. Oh well…
OH and we got these spinach wraps expecting somethign similar to spring rolls… turned out they were like lettuce wraps (so do it yourself). not too good, and served with these biig chunks of ginger. a bit too forceful in taste.
I’ve finally experienced the tri-​fecta, and I think I’m dropping this one for the duo. Oh well…

Thai is probably my favorite kind of food, so listen up. This place is good — especially for being located in the heart of the Italian district.
I eat in sometimes, but typically I order delivery from these guys. You have to spend $ 20 in order to get delivery, so it’s much better when it’s dining-​in-​for-​two.
The green curry is my fave. Fresh spring rolls come with plum sauce, so ask for peanut sauce if that’s what you have a hankering for — which, let’s be honest, you do.

So I don’t want to use the word «gross,» but there was something definitely off with these dishes. We ordered normal thai dishes, pad thai, pad se eww which you can get at any thai place. This place they do something different, which was not to my liking. They tasted really weird.
For great thai food, check out Marnee Thai in both the inner and outer sunset.

Was expecting it to be better than it was! I have absolutely amazing Thai food and this was in no way comparable. The green curry (which is my favorite) was blah, I basically had to soak my rice in the curry to actually get a good taste. The Pad Thai was good enough, but nothing to write home about. All in all I was a little disappointed with the restuarant. Pricing was not half bad, I think a party of three each paid $ 15.00 + tip. I will hit up China Town for better Asian cusisine next time! There is just something about a Thai place smack dab in the middle of North Beach that should have been a friggin’ warning!
A good thing about the restuarant besides the food, was the interior design. Looks very nice inside, now if only their food tasted as good as the restuarant looked! Walk down the block and get some better chow!

Went here for the first time last week and the potstickers were great… covered in a few different sauces, like a flavor explosion in your mouth. The dish I ordered was a basil and chicken dish and it had great flavor. Prices were decent and it was a nice atmosphere.
I’ll be back to try some of the curries in the future :)

Mild is definitely the word. Bland also sometimes comes to mind. Mediocre suits it well.
I’ve had the pad thai, the stir-​fried veggies, the duck soup. I’d say the duck soup is most worth ordering of the three. The girls working here are friendly and for the most part, pretty attentive, but this is probably the blandest thai food I’ve ever had. It’s worth it to walk down a block to King of Thai and possibly pay a few extra dollars.

I live just up the hill from Dupont Thai and I have been going there since before it was renovated and renamed. The food is good, especially when the price is factored in, and the staff is friendly. The restaurant itself is comfortable and looks nice, though I usually get my thai to-​go.
One special mention… I can’t get enough of the chicken Panang curry. The flavor is fantastic and I could eat it every day. It’s a little soupy when you order it to-​go, which sounds like a bad thing… until you pour the leftover sauce over fusilli cooked al-​dente, add a little corn starch, and make the most delicious second-​hand meal you’ve ever had. Try it, but remember it was me who told you, ’cause this is gunna show up on some Ithailian fusion menu soon.

(three and a half stars if i could)
I only live up the hill from Dupont Thai and I think it’s a good thai place to have in the neighborhood. The food is good. The staff is very friendly and efficient and the décor is pretty nice. It’s never packed and the food is nicely priced. A good place to go with friends especially group parties :)
The only thing I don’t like about the place are the televisions. TVs always throw me off at any place other than a sports bar. Also, I hate that they charge $ 2 for a small side of rice. Does that seem right?
Recommended Dish: I don’t think you can go wrong with any of their curry dishes! MMMMmmmm!!!

I usually enjoy Dupont Thai and had been a fan of every dish I’d tried there until last Saturday night. We headed to Dupont Thai with a group of 9 (which was fun!) and decided to each order our own dishes. I asked the waiter if the fishy noodle soup with fish balls in it was good and he assured me it was. I love trying new dishes but this was NOT good and I could barely eat it :(. The soup was pink and tasted really funny. I guess I should have listened when all my friends were teasing me for ordering a dish that included «fish balls»…

Went here as a party of 4 early evening/​late afternoon on a Saturday. We were one of two tables, at this odd dining time. The equaled great service for our entire stay. Friendly staff and there were at least 3 that helped us during our stay.
We each ordered something quite different from the menu and all were good. Pumpkin Curry with Duck, a Thai Soup, Pork Fried Rice and Pad Thai. The soup was very tasty; had some coconut milk in it which many like, but it gets a little old to me after a quarter bowl. The pumpkin curry and pork fried rice were requested to be very spicy and they certainly delivered the goods. These were my two favorite dishes we tasted. The pad thai was good, but I have had better.
Prices were reasonable and the décor was very nice, clean and recently remodeled. If you are in north beach and aren’t in the mood for some italian, give this place a try.

I ventured to Dupont Thai to meet a friend for a mid-​week dinner. Now, this may shock everyone, but I have never been to Thai before. Crazy, isn’t it? It is like I live under a rock or something.
In reality, I was under the impression that Thai food was all spice and not much in the mild department. I am all about the mild. I don’t like spicy food at all. But, I was presently surprised that all these years I have been very wrong.
Since it was the de-​virginizing of «Thai Natalie» I decided to try the appetizer combo plate to really get a taste for more than one dish. I was pleasantly surprised and loved three of the five offerings (hence the 3 out of five stars). The sauces were to die for as well. I loved the peanut sauce and the fresh cucumber salad with red onions.
I also loved the Singha beer, which the waitress suggested as the most popular one on the menu. The interior was also really well put together and a cute «date place.» I loved the dark lighting that makes almost anyone look good. Quiet, with music, but kind of slow service for how many people were there (6, included us?).

This place has decent thai food at a good price and is pretty quick. The décor inside is great and I really liked the atmosphere — we had really good service.
They deliver which is a HUGE plus for lazy people like me.