Fresh Rolls made with tofu, iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, vermicelli, mint, and rice paper, served with peanut sauce
Left: North & East Thai Sausage platter made with Northern style Thai herb pork sausage (Sai Oui) and North-Eastern style fermented rice pork sausage (I-Saan), served with ginger, chili, lime, and roasted peanuts
Right: Som Tum Thai made with green papaya, cherry tomatoes, green beans, garlic, chili, peanuts, and fish sauce
Left: Spicy Sizzling Seafood made with prawns, scallops, calamari, mussels, Thai herbs, young peppercorn, and galangal
Right: Pumpkin Curry made with kabocha pumpkin, carrots, bell peppers, basil, and chili paste
Crispy Pork Belly Sweet Basil made with pork belly, basil, bell peppers, string beans, jalapeño, and chili-garlic sauce
Left: Wok-Fried Cabbage made with cabbage, garlic, dried shrimp, and fish sauce
Right: Pad Se Ew made with pork, flat noodles, Chinese broccoli, and eggs
Last July, I visited Saap Ver, a hip restaurant serving cuisines from regions across Thailand, with a good-sized group of friends. Located on Division and Rhode Island in Mission Bay, this restaurant features a lively, bold interior that mimics its exciting menu.
We were able to try quite a few dishes during our visit. For our appetizers, we had the Fresh Rolls made with raw vegetables and delicious peanut sauce. We then had the North & East Thai Sausage platter featuring sausages from two different regions, both of which we wanted to locate at our local grocery stores. We had a spicy and dynamic Som Tum Thai salad made with green papaya, cherry tomatoes, green beans, garlic, chili, peanuts, and fish sauce.
For our main courses, we tried the Spicy Sizzling Seafood featuring prawns, scallops, calamari, mussels, Thai herbs, young peppercorn, and galangal. It was spicy and generous in how much delicious seafood it included. For a twist on a comfort food, we had the Pumpkin Curry made with kabocha pumpkin, carrots, bell peppers, basil, and chili paste, which I believe we ate with sticky rice. I think the next dish was the Crispy Pork Belly Sweet Basil (my notes are failing me), served with grilled meat, bell peppers, and onions. We rounded out the meal with Wok-Fried Cabbage made with cabbage, garlic, dried shrimp, and fish sauce as well as the Pad Se Ew made with pork, flat noodles, Chinese broccoli, and eggs, another more popular choice.
Although it's been a while since visiting, I remember enjoying the food and atmosphere greatly and thought going with many people was a good way to sample what Saap Ver has to offer. I would definitely return for a celebratory gathering or casual weekday meal in the future. Next time I'll try dessert — perhaps the Coconut Ice Cream or Grilled Banana.
88 Division St., San Francisco, CA 94103
Open: Daily 11am - 2:30pm & 5 - 10pm
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