By Virginia Miller
Yellow Pa Taut’s Burmese chicken curry with lemongrass
After a little jaunt to nearby Hall of Justice (wait, let’s hope that’s not the case), you might want to take notice of the unusual: Burmese food in an alley across the street. Though it’s been around awhile, it’s remained quietly under the radar. And it’s good, too. Yellow Pa Taut, named after a Burmese flower, is a small, welcoming SoMa restaurant lit with twinkling lights, serving curries, salads, noodles and a range of vegetarian dishes. Standard Burmese salads like the tea leaf or ginger ones ($9.95 each) are fresh and bright, curries are mild (some a little oily) and chicken tenderly falls apart. There’s also eggs with okra ($7.25), rice-based biryani dishes, samosa salad ($8.50 – with shredded cabbage and mint leaves) and Burmese curry pork belly ($9.95). Next time your friends want to try something new and cheap, win points by suggesting a Burmese spot they haven’t tried yet.
15 Boardman Place (between Bryant Street & Fargo Place)
San Francisco, CA 94103
415-701-8188
www.yellowpataut.com