Hawker Fare- SF

Chef James Syhabout is perhaps best known for Commis, his Michelin-starred prix fixe restaurant in Oakland. But this colorful, casual Lao Issan restaurant is his passion project, serving recipes inspired by his mother’s cooking. The dishes are sour, spicy, and salty, from blistered green beans tossed with curry paste and smoked bacon to the Isaan BBQ chicken, which is brined for 24 hours, rubbed with lemongrass and turmeric, and served alongside chili garlic and tart tamarind dipping sauces.