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Kin Len Brings Thai Street Food to North Park

The 30th Street restaurant is now serving beer-friendly Southeast Asian cuisine

The front patio of a Thai restaurant. Candice Woo

Snacks and dishes popular at Thailand’s famous night markets have arrived in North Park where Kin Len has opened on 30th Street next to the Office. With a redesigned outdoor patio, the restaurant’s colorful interior is the nostalgic creation of owner Kan Sritong, who grew up in the country’s historic city of Chiang Mai. Decorated with vintage advertisements and retro snacks and toys, the space is currently offering dinner Tuesday through Sunday but will add weekend lunch service later this month.

Centered mostly around street food favorites, like spicy Thai basil beef and rice noodle soup served with stewed beef and meatballs, the menu ranges from small bites like fried enoki mushrooms with sweet chili, fresh oysters with seafood sauce, and chicken satay to larger plates that include Southern Thai-style fried chicken accompanied by curry and roti flatbread and khao soi, a Northern curry dish served with egg noodles. Sritong says he plans to add less commonly-seen snacks, including skewers of grilled intestines.

A colorfully-decorated restaurant with lights strung across the ceiling. Candice Woo

The sweets — mango sticky rice with coconut ice cream and pandan, Thai tea, and ube custard served with toasted rolls for dipping — are selections from his other businesses, Asian dessert spots U2You Cafe and MNGO Cafe (which recently opened a second branch inside National City’s Market on 8th).

Kin Len’s taps pour a mix that includes Singha, Thailand’s signature brew, with a bottle list that includes the Laotian lager Beerlao and Taiwan Beer.

Vintage Thai advertisements on the wall of a restaurant. Candice Woo
A display case filled with Thai candy and toys. Candice Woo
A bar with beer taps on the wall. Candice Woo

Kin Len

3932 30th Street, San Diego, CA 92104