ra ka de ka fresh thai kitchen

this place has been in our community coupon book recently, and after our recent trip to bangkok we were craving some thai food. it's just down the hill from kensington in the grantville area, in the huge strip mall at the intersection of mission gorge and friars.

it's billed as thai fast food, so don't expect much ambiance - cheap metal chairs, plastic plates and cutlery. but like in bangkok, where fluorescent lighting = good food, we were pleasantly surprised with our meals. instead of dishing out pre-made food, they cook it right there in front of you, and it comes out mouth-burning hot. appetizer-wise, the tom yum soup with chicken was spicy and light; the fresh spring rolls were basically devoid of flavor (a common problem with this dish, but we've been spoiled by the mega-sized shrimp spring rolls at saigon). my ka pow chicken was chock full of carrots, onions and a spicy sweet sauce - they nailed the sweet and spicy flavor combination thai food is known for. jay's beef yellow curry was heavy on the coconut milk, but the potatoes and flavorful beef were quite tasty when piled atop the jasmine rice with a curry coating.

what's amazing is the price point on these entrees - around $7. and they don't skimp on the portions, or serve you food made hours ago. other takeout options in the area are either much more expensive (the good but pricey chinese at szechuan mandarin) or just plain bad (the chinese place in the mcgregor's strip mall by qualcomm). so if you need a quick, cheap thai fix, and you're in the mission gorge neighborhood (or cass and garnet in pb), hit up ra ka de ka.