Field notes
Sourcing, brand picks, seasonal notes, and operator playbooks from the team supplying Bay Area Thai, Lao, Vietnamese, and Pan-Asian kitchens.
A working guide to opening a restaurant in the Bay Area: where to check permit requirements, planning the build-out, and how to find and vet food vendors before opening week.
Read the noteMae Anong vs Mae Ploy curry paste for Thai foodservice: sweetness, authenticity, and which brand chefs reach for. Both stocked by Dao in foodservice packs.
Read the noteDao Distribution vs Sysco, US Foods, and Restaurant Depot for a Bay Area Thai restaurant: where a specialist beats a broadliner on price, freshness, and know-how.
Read the noteThe real difference between Aroy-D and Chaokoh coconut milk for foodservice: additives, body, and which one to reach for. Both stocked by Dao, by the case.
Read the note