В районе Аппер-Филмор откроется новый ресторан тайской кухни под руководством шефа Пим Тхамуанвивит

We now know another of the projects that will be coming to the Upper Fillmore as part of billionaire Neil Mehta's so-called revitalization plans for the already pretty nice Pacific Heights neighborhood. Chef and restaurateur Pim Techamuanvivit (Kin Khao, Nari) is taking over the former Starbucks location at 2222 Fillmore Street, between Clay and Sacramento streets, which is on the two-block stretch where Mehta has bought up multiple properties — including this one and the historic Clay Theater — in the hope of remaking his corner of the city to his own liking. The SF Business Times caught the news of the new spot, which has a working title of Khao Soi Ya, and that name suggests this will be a brick-and-mortar version of Techamuanvivit's 2024 pop-up on the mezzanine at Nari called Khao Soi Shop, centering on the beloved Thai curry noodle soup khao soi. Techamuanvivit reportedly hinted at the time of the pop-up that she was working on a project just focused on the soup. Techamuanvivit's associate, Sam Zelver, the general manager of her other restaurant Kin Khao, confirmed the project to the Business Times but said that the name may change depending on what the menu looks like — which will be dictated by what is possible in their kitchen buildout. Techamuanvivit, whose two SF Thai restaurants both have Michelin stars, is also the chef behind the Michelin-starred Bangkok restaurant Nahm. She first made a name for herself in the food world with her blog Chez Pim, and she has a cookbook coming out this month from Ten Speed Press called Cooking Thai. This is the second new restaurant project that we now know of coming to the vicinity, with the first being Monami, an upscale Korean barbecue spot that is headed to the former Noosh space at 2001 Fillmore Street — a property that was linked to Mehta's real estate buying spree two years ago. Monami is a second project from the team behind Michelin-starred SSAL on upper Polk, Junsoo and Hyunyoung Bae, and they last said they were aiming for a fall 2026 opening. Mehta also hinted that he wanted to bring an all-day diner to the area — with most of his property purchases being on the 2200 block of Fillmore, where the Clay Theater sits. And in December, we learned of the new floor plan for the renovation of the Clay, with the concept modeled after New York's Metrograph, whose programming primarily features second-run foreign, vintage, and art-house cinema. The revamped theater will include a fancified concession area in front, with beer, wine, and "small plates," as well as a new, small balcony. Regarding the new restaurant from Techamuanvivit, Cody Allen, executive director of the Upper Fillmore Revitalization Project, said, "This restaurant and its chef are exactly what the Upper Fillmore project desired. The chef and restaurant fit wonderfully into our plans for continuing to create a renaissance on Fillmore Street, the neighborhood and San Francisco." There's no opening timeframe for the yet unnamed restaurant, but we'll expect an update sometime in the new year. The Upper Fillmore Revitalization Project is also working on moving new businesses into other retail spaces along the corridor, including the former Ten-Ichi sushi restaurant at 2235 Fillmore, which closed two years ago after facing eviction by Mehta. The restaurant recently posted an angry note to its former customers on Instagram, saying that they had asked Mehta two years ago if they could continue operating until he found a new operator for the space, and Mehta allegedly refused. "It’s been empty for 2 YEARS & COUNTING," they write, and the space remains empty. Related: Billionaire Who Bought Up Part of Fillmore Street Promises New Theater and All-Day Diner Top image: Photo via Instagram