A highly anticipated new restaurant just arrived in Japantown, and it joins a rare group of Thai restaurants doing fine dining in the Bay Area. “We want to be the first Thai restaurant that only offers a tasting menu in San Francisco,” owner Naruephon “Billie” Wannajaro says.
Hed 11 marks the second restaurant stateside for Wannajaro (she previously ran restaurants in Bangkok) in just over a year. She’s building on the popularity of her FiDi lunch favorite Hed Very Thai that local office goers particularly love for its elegantly plated set trays of Thai food.
Wannajaro and her partner are taking things to the next level with Hed 11. They’ve brought on Piriya “Saint” Boonprasarn, who previously worked at Bangkok MICHELIN-starred restaurants Bo.lan and Saawaan, to lead the kitchen. You’ll see him leaning on ancient recipes from royal Thai cookbooks, importing essential ingredients from Thailand, and folding in seasonal produce from California.
“We want to create the most authentic Thai dishes never had in this market before,” Wannajaro says. “They’re even hard to find in Bangkok.”
Read on for exciting dishes to try and more at one of the coolest recent openings in San Francisco.
What to eat
The tasting menu is the only way to go, and you’re bound to be dazzled over 11 courses. You can especially look forward to dishes like a beef curry puff inspired by the Thai noodle soup khao soi—think a crisp sweet potato crust encasing a rich and tender curry.
You should also look out for the grilled scallop with rice noodles and pineapple and the red curry chicken that’s a celebration of banana with green banana in the sauce and crispy pieces on top. “That dish reminds me of my childhood,” Wannajaro says of the curry. “It’s my favorite dish that my grandmother cooked.”
What to drink
Chase it all with five wine pairings from around the world, including selections from the West Coast, France, and Italy. Wannajaro especially wants you to try a pinot noir from Hunt and Harvest Wines in Oregon’s Willamette Valley that she says pairs wonderfully with the warming spices of the food.
Or try one of the refreshing cocktails; the signature drink marries gin, pandan, and lemongrass.
Where to sit
Hed 11 is on the ground floor of Kimpton Hotel Enso, and you’ll notice the restaurant’s modern dining room lined with dark wood, smoked mirrors, and brass hardware as you walk in. Sit under the golden glow cast by geometric lamps set over wooden tables, and peek out through the big round windows at the action in the Japantown Peace Plaza right outside. Hed 11 feels especially inviting because of the fresh flowers that are brought in each week to complement the theme of the menu.
When to go
Hed 11 originally planned to rotate the menu every three months, but Boonprasarn is so fired up, he might swap it sooner. So catch a reservation in May or June to try the opening menu, then swing back in July for a fresh summer set. That next menu will mostly have seafood—and an even-more-ambitious 14 courses.
Becky Duffett is a food writer living and eating in San Francisco. Follow her on Instagram at @beckyduffett.
