OSHA Thai Restaurant and Bar, San Francisco

Over the last decade, several neighborhoods throughout San Francisco have started to steep in the delicate aromas of curry, fried rice, and Thai noodle soup. The reason: Osha Thai Restaurant. It all started in 1996 at the original Osha Thai Noodle Cafe, where chefs turned a small, informal location into a destination for late-night drinks and spicy food that's truly spicy.

At each of Osha's seven locations, cooks take traditional Thai cuisine and spice it up with ingredients from local producers. Along with the signature shrimp or tofu spring rolls, the menus include roasted duck soup in an herb broth and the timeless pan-fried pad thai.

Wine and mixed drinks complete the dining experience. Depending on the location, that might mean specialty cocktails such as Drunken Thai Tea, made with vanilla-flavored vodka mixed with Thai iced tea. Each location surrounds diners in casual, modern decor.