Kitchen Story Opening a Mission Sequel: Farmhouse Kitchen

There's a new project in the works from some of the folks behind exceedingly popular brunch spot Kitchen Story and its Marina counterpart, Blackwood. The new restaurant, Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine, will be a casual affair, serving Thai food influenced by the Bangkok upbringing of chef-owner Kasem "Pop" Saengsawang.

Saengsawang and his wife, Iing Chatterjee, chose the space formerly occupied by Florida Street Cafe (710 Florida St.) location for their first solo enterprise. They wanted a spot at the edge of the Mission to escape the hustle and bustle of the expanding Valencia corridor (which also boasts almost all of the area's Thai options), and offer a new choice to the surrounding neighborhood. "We want to bring bold flavor and non-pretentious food to San Francisco," said Chatterjee. "We think this neighborhood is perfect for it. "

The menu will feature a range of Thai cuisine, from typical street food to more exotic delicacies found on the fringes of Bangkok, including dishes like rice salad with toasted coconut, lemongrass, cilantro, sliced long beans, dried shrimp, chillies and kaffir lime. Traditional Thai favorites like pad thai and curries will appear on the menu as well, with Saengsawang's own creative spins—the street green curry with rice noodles offers a spicy coconut broth, bone-in chicken, Thai eggplant and bird eye chili, with the optional addition of blood jelly.

In contrast to the polished, Marina-ready interior of Blackwood (where Saengsawang was a manager before opening Kitchen Story with partner Steven Choi), Farmhouse Kitchen will match the laid-back vibe of the neighborhood. Prices will vary, ranging from $6.50 for 48 hour pork skewers to $24 for an entree of Mary's chicken served with grilled sticky rice. Beers will come from California and beyond, including Almanac, Rogue and Singha, while wines will skew towards small-production vintners like Sans Liege.

The restaurant is currently aiming for a late May or early June opening date. Hours will be Monday-Friday from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Sunday-Thursday from 5 p.m.- 10 p.m. and Friday-Saturday from 5 p.m.- 10:30 p.m.; weekend lunch may be added down the line.