Nirvana in San Francisco
A recent rainy day in the Castro found us searching for some warming and also nourishing food.
We stumbled across Nirvana, a restaurant with a mixture of Burmese and Southeast Asian food that was delightful from the moment we walked in. Entering long after lunch, the restaurant was quiet and tranquil, with beautiful Asian style décor. Statues of the Buddha decorated the entrance and walls, along with other Asian art and hangings. In the back of the restaurant, I spied a pavilion for warmer days, while fronds of bamboo plants waved in front of the front window.
The highly efficient and very lovely staff quickly seated us and brought out menus with a dazzling array of options. Soups, salads, fish, and roasted meats with recipes from all over Asia decorated the menu. Most of the dishes had a focus on unique flavor combinations and fresh ingredients. There were also a large number of vegetarian and vegan options, as well as gluten-free choices.
We started with a Nirvana platter, a sampling of fried tofu, samosas, spring rolls, and leek bread. The platter was beautifully presented and also had an assortment of dipping sauces including sweet chili, yellow miso, and spicy tomato. We could feel ourselves starting to thaw out already over the light and delicious food.
We followed with Firecracker Soup, which is not normally on the lunch menu. When the kitchen heard our cries of disappointment, they offered to make it for us anyway, since it was a slow afternoon. The Firecracker Soup was indeed incendiary: I would recommend ordering it in mild if you are faint of heart. It included chicken and fresh vegetables in a hearty coconut broth.
We followed with several Japanese style bento box lunches. A small green salad came with noodles, and an assortment of finger food appetizers. Afterwards, we were tempted by the idea of mango with sticky rice, and decided to resist because we were so full...another time, perhaps, and I sense that there will be many other times.
Nirvana is located at 544 Castro Street, in the heart of the Castro district. They are open for dinner seven days a week, and for lunch on Thursday-Monday. Prices are moderate—you can spend a lot or a little, depending on which parts of the menu you order from, but plan on spending approximately $20 on lunch for yourself before drinks.
