Why Pok Pok LA Might Need to Make More Changes Than Just the Service Charge

Tamarind whiskey sour

From the start, Pok Pok has been in a tough place in L.A. Owner Andy Ricker kind of confused everyone first with a ticketed reservation policy via Tock that seemed appropriate only for a wildly popular place like Trois Mec. Customers were also confused by the 5% service charge that was one of the first of its kind in Los Angeles, leaving people not sure whether to tip 10%, 15% or what in addition to the 5%. He talked to Playboy today about the service charge issue and what the new minimum wage will mean to restaurants.

larb patties

Though Ricker later said he loves L.A. and meant no disrespect, the headline "Pok Pok's Tipping Experiment Didn't Work and Chef And Ricker Blames L.A." made it seem like L.A. isn't ready to treat its restaurant employees fairly, which is probably true. But if restaurants need to charge more to pay decently, it's probably easiest to just fold the costs into the menu prices. Though Pok Pok has now ditched both the ticketing system and the service charge, here are three other reasons it could still have issues gaining traction in the city with the biggest and most established Thai population in the U.S.

1) The size: It's still not clear how it's going to consistently fill the vast upstairs and downstairs space. Pok Pok is not only bigger than any other Thai restaurant in town, it's as big as the Chinese banquet and dim sum places that survive on weddings and family gatherings, not couples and small groups of friends. It's big enough to house the crowds that line up in Portland and Manhattan, but in a part of L.A. that's maybe not quite yet ready to be a happening nighttime restaurant destination.

2) The menu: Like Night + Market, Pok Pok's specialty is Northern  and Northeastern Thai cooking. After the Pok Pok's Phat Thai noodle shop opened in Chinatown with middling to positive reviews, I was excited to see what Andy Ricker could bring to L.A. that we didn't already have.

The verdict? After just one dinner, I'm not qualified to do a full review yet, but with so many great Thai restaurants in L.A., I'm just not dying to rush back. The signature roasted chicken was indeed nicely grilled and caramelized and used a much better bird than the average joint, and the fried larb patties had a good, complex flavor. But the server didn't seem concerned that we didn't finish the blah Jaw Phak Kad mustard greens and pork ribs, which seem to have now left the menu.

Why not offer the Phat Thai noodle menu too, so customers can have a wider choice of dishes like their excellent Phat Sii Ew?

3) The bar: That tamarind whiskey sour is as tart and refreshing as it was in Portland the first time I tried it, but I'm not sure I want it while I'm eating dinner at long banquet tables in the dining room. Beer seems like the best match for a spicy meal, but I might stop by if there was a dedicated cocktail space.

Why not turn part of the upstairs into a more intimate, funky cocktail lounge with the drinking snacks menu, and encourage people to come even if it's just for drinks? 

L.A. loves Thai food, but it also loves value and lack of pretensions. And noodles. If Pok Pok can strike the right balance, the city will welcome it with even wider arms.

Lacha Somtum: the Thai Restaurant You Should be Going To

What if one of the best Thai restaurants in Los Angeles opened in Hollywood, but hardly anyone realized it?

Lacha Somtum has been quietly rolling along for about a year now, while trendier Thai restaurants in Silver Lake and Chinatown get all the attention.
The restaurant attracted a small flurry of write-ups, mostly for its specialty in more than a dozen types of somtum, the tangy, spicy Northern Thai papaya salad. But the Thai Town restaurant, which is typically deserted around 7 p.m. (presumably it gets busier later on), is far more than just a papaya salad gimmick spot with plenty of other dishes that put twists on traditional Isaan cuisine.

Papaya salad with black crab, Thai eggplant

But first, the papaya salad: Green papayas aren’t sweet like their orange relatives. Shredded with tart lime juice dressing, the salads are a refreshing – although still spicy — counterpart to hot soups and curries. The usual preparation combines crushed peanuts, fresh chilies, long beans and dried shrimp or fresh crab. Here you can add salted egg, crispy pork, clear noodles, Thai eggplant or ground catfish to the fiery mix. Some don’t even have papaya at all, but instead offer corn, mango or fruit salad instead of the shredded fruit.

Kon Kaen-style duck larb

Besides papaya salad, one of the other mainstays of the Laos-adjacent Isaan region is larb, a salad based on ground meat mixed with chilies, lemongrass and lime juice. Crispy fried larb -- ground pork patties stuffed with cilantro, chilies, rice powder and lime juice -- are a terrific way to start a meal. For something a little less fried, the tangy duck larb is a must and is rounded out by roasted rice powder to create a flavor bomb of staggering proportions that ranks with the year’s best dishes.

nam kha tood - crispy rice salad

Crispy rice salad isn’t easy to find on typical menus, so by all means try Nam Kha Tood, where puffed crispy rice throws a wildly flavored party with ginger, chile, peanuts, ground pork and green onion. Silver Lake’s Night + Market’s version might be a bit better balanced, but this version draws no complaints.
Northern Thai isn’t really about noodles, so while the special crab pad thai is solid — if a little too sweet — take this chance to explore other areas of Thai food, like the hot pots bursting with giant prawns and tiny squid in a lemongrass-perfumed broth.

mussel pancakes

If you’re eating with several people, try yet another deep-fried indulgence: mussel pancakes — a mild and crispy mountain of battered mollusks baked into an egg base, topped with bean sprouts. Eat it right away for maximum enjoyment.

crispy fried pork larb patties

All the familiar Thai dishes are on the menu here, but really, the reason to eat here is the Northern Thai salads and hotpots. Most of the dishes are just exotic enough to be exciting, without some of the more unusual ingredients found in some of the city’s uber-authentic Thai restaurants. If you try the Tom Yum Chicken Ovary, please report back, as I've yet to sample it. Spice levels are geared for Thais, so when in doubt, ask for mild.
Open for lunch until midnight, the restaurant is usually practically empty earlier in the evening, making it a good choice for groups or a spontaneous meal. Delivery is available but many of the deep-fried dishes will work much better eaten on site.

Lacha Somtum
5171 Hollywood Blvd.
(323) 486-7380

Lacha Somtum was reviewed in April's Los Feliz Ledger. 

Night + Market Song Spices Up Silver Lake

beaded curtains and flowered tablecloths at Night + Market Song

Night + Market Song is the second outpost (Song means two) from chef/owner Kris Yembamroong, who about five years ago started adding spicier and more authentic northern and Isaan Thai street food dishes, first at his parents' Talesai on the Sunset Strip and then at his own Night + Market next door. The Strip was always sort of an odd place for such an interesting restaurant, so it makes sense that Yembamroong has finally come east, opening Night + Market Song in a small Sunset Blvd. storefront just east of Sunset Junction.
Open just two weeks, Song is still in somewhat of a soft opening stage, so there's no beer or wine yet, and when we went, it was cash only. Also, check the website, as the restaurant will close to be at Coachella both weekends.

crispy rice salad (nam khao tod)

The room: Much funkier and louder than its Sunset Strip cousin, Song is meant to look like a cafe you'd stumble on in Bangkok, with a bright pink exterior, folding wooden chairs, flowered oilcloth table coverings, kitschy posters on the wall and bright fluorescent lights. It's a fun room but not the place for a leisurely talkative dinner with friends.

Thai sour sausage

The pros: All three dishes we tried were total mouth fiestas. Isaan sour sausage was the highlight, and the tender, juicy balls of pork had the slightly fermented flavor that makes Thai sausage so wonderfully different. Crispy rice salad is one of the best in the city, bursting with ginger, peanuts, cilantro and chile with just the right amount of burn. Chinese broccoli rose above the usual version with a hefty dose of garlic and chili, making it actually the spiciest of the dishes we tasted. I'm also looking forward to trying the market pad thai, chicken larb and startled pig, to name just a few.

The cons: I get that this is really good Thai food, featuring some unusual dishes that aren't that common even in Thai town. But nearly $60 for a smallish dinner for two with just water to drink seems a high price indeed, especially with the cash only policy. Also, there's no reservations, no takeout or delivery, no BYOB, few substitutions and just a few vegetarian dishes.
Verdict: If you're into big and authentic Thai flavors, spicy food, checking out the latest buzz spot, or pretending you're at a Bangkok hole-in-the-wall, you'll probably like Song, if you can afford it and don't mind lining up for a table.
But if you prefer cushy booths, menus with lots of different choices and spice levels, mild food for the kids, reservations or low Thai Town prices, it's probably not going to be the spot for you.

Night + Market Song
3322 W. Sunset Blvd.
Silver Lake

Crispy Pork Gang: The gang's all here for crunchy pork bits

With a fun-to-remember name and open 24/7,  Crispy Pork Gang and Grill has beome one of Thai Town's newer hits. Located at Hollywood's veritable nexus of Thai goodness (the mini-mall at the corner of Hollywood and Hobart that also houses Ruen Pair, Red Corner Asia, Ban Khanom, etc.), Crispy Pork Gang departs from the all-too-familiar Thai menu by offering numerous dishes larded, so to speak, with delectable bits of crunchy pork. You're likely familiar with the Thai penchant for starting out with a heap of oh-so-nutritious Chinese broccoli and then showering it with a flurry of fried cracklings -- it's a standard menu offering at most Thai restaurants. But Crispy Pork Gang takes it a bit further, making the piggy cubes available on several other dishes.

crispy pork fried rice

Crispy pork fried rice is likely not the healthiest dish you will eat this week, but I'm willing to bet it will be one of the most delicious, with each grain of rice coated with a bit of the dissolved pork fat and uber-crispy bits of pork dotting the dish. And there's green beans and red peppers mixed in, so you feel like you had your vegetables.

boat noodle soup

Crispy Pork Gang's soups are available in small or large sizes, very convenient for getting to taste more dishes. The boat noodles are textbook, available in either beef or pork, and it's hard to imagine a bowl that has more going on for $3.50. Duck soup with crispy pork is another intriguing option. We didn't try anything from the small Grill section of the menu, but next time we'll certainly do Lime chile trout or Grilled jumbo squid.

fried morning glory salad

Fried morning glory salad is a bit greasy, but then, what do you expect if you order a "salad" made out of fried vegetables? Morning glories are also available stir-fried with crispy pork on top. Also available with crispy pork: Papaya salad and probably just about anything else, if you ask for it.
Prices are super low, and the desserts like mango and sticky rice sound good if you haven't already filled up on pork cubes. Delivery is also available.
Crispy Pork Gang
5253 Hollywood Blvd
(323) 465-9796

Hoy Ka Thai Noodles: Familiar flavors with a new name

 BBQ trio of pork over rice

The Thai town restaurant scene is constantly evolving, and though old favorites like Jitlada, Sapp and Ruen Pair are still going strong, it's always worth checking out the newer -- or renamed -- entries. Formerly Ord Noodles, now spiffed up with a new sign and known as Original Hoy Ka, it doesn't really matter because the Hollywood Blvd. joint is still cheap, friendly and packed with the Thai flavors Angelenos love. I haven't been to Crispy Pork Gang a few doors down yet, but in the meantime the BBQ pork over rice will provide the week's dose of Vitamin P, as FoodGPS would have it. Barbecue pork covered in neon red sauce, slices of Thai sausage and perfectly fried nuggets of chicharon result in a porcine trifecta that's a bit on the sweet side but can be customized to your liking with the accompanying bowl of broth, jalapeno-spiked sweet soy sauce and the well-stocked chile condiments tray. Drunken noodles are a textbook rendition, with a medium amount of wok hey and a medium amount of chiles melding into a maximum amount of flavor. Tom kha kai is slicked with more red oil than the average cauldron and is milder than the medium spice order requested, but it's still a fine bowl of coconut, galangal and kaffir lime-scented happiness. Hoy Ka serves up approachable Thai food, nothing too scary here, but solid renditions of favorite dishes make it a popular stop for either lunch or dinner up to midnight -- just bring cash, though you won't need much.
Hoy Ka Noodle
5402 Hollywood Blvd.
323-463-1339

Pa-Ord Noodle: Fiery and friendly Thai tastes

Chinese broccoli and crispy pork

Pa-Ord Noodle at lunchtime has to be one of the friendliest restaurants I've eaten at in a long time. After I awkwardly attempted to order my boat noodles "pet ma," which I thought meant "sort of" spicy, a table of four young women giggled at my pitiful attempt and insisted I stick with what the server described as "medium." They taught me the word for medium, which I've now forgotten, but it turned out to be the right call as Pa-Ord's medium was just about right -- almost as spicy as I wanted, though a bit more than Kathy preferred. Then an older Thai couple started talking to us about Bangkok, since a large photo on the wall pictures the floating market with Pa-Ord's owner Lawan Bhanduram working on one of the boats.
Bhanduram previously ran Ord Noodle on Hollywood Blvd., which like nearby Sapp was known for its boat noodles.

Boat noodles

I ate Thai food for several decades before attempting boat noodles, scared off by ingredients like beef blood, tripe, liver, and mysterious rubbery beef balls. When I finally tried the murkily delicious broth a few years ago, I was quickly won over by the combination of flavors like star anise, five spice powder and kaffir lime melding with strips of beef, chiles and noodles. (For a great recipe and description of the soup, see this post from Eat Drink + Be Merry). It turns out there's nothing scary about boat noodles, though I didn't actually eat the bits of liver that helped give a nice funk to the broth. At Pa-Ord, there's a choice of four types of noodles for the soups: egg noodles, wide rice noodles, thin rice noodles and even thinner rice noodles. There's also Tom-Yum soup with noodles, duck noodle soup and several other types like seafood soup and pork offal soup. The stir-fried noodle dishes like drunken noodles are fairly standard -- Pa-Ord's strength is mostly in the soups, though the papaya salad comes recommended.
But don't forget your vegetables. Fortunately, at Pa-Ord, the Chinese broccoli comes topped with hefty hunks of impossibly crispy pork skin. Hopefully you will not have just come from a cholesterol test at Kaiser down the street, and you will be able to carefully savor how well each cube's fatty crunch plays off the slightly bitter, somewhat spicy greens.

Pa-Ord Noodle
5301 Sunset Blvd #8
Hollywood
(323) 461-3945

Saladang Song: What took me so long?

A chicken omelette with soup was different than the usual Thai menu item...

Foodies sometimes seem to sniff at Pasadena's Saladang and Saladang Song -- so even though I've lived nearby for a year and a half, I wasn't rushing to try them. Plus, on nice summer nights, there's usually a large, off-putting crowd out front. But on a rainy Friday, though the restaurant was filled with several large groups of birthday celebrants (be ready for lots of singing and noisemakers), there were still two-tops available.
We definitely shouldn't have waited so long, since the food was a healthy cut above other Thai places in the area (don't even get me started on Patakan!).
I used to date a guy who always ordered the weirdest thing on the menu, whether it sounded good or not. Maybe that's what inspired me to order a Thai chicken omelette which comes with a cup of clear broth. Why? "Because the omelette is very dry," says the server. Not sure if that's a big selling point, but it's not bad, just not too exciting. For some reason I'm craving old-fashioned Polynesian-style spareribs, and Saladang Song's have a satisfyingly tangy sauce, but they're chewier than strictly necessary. The big winner is a zippy, creamy-sauced green chicken curry, that I'd definitely order again.
Though the service was a bit rushed and the prices higher than Hollywood and Silver Lake spots, that's not enough reason to avoid Saladang for as long as I did. We'll definitely be back to sample more items (corn fritters?), since there were a few things going to other tables that looked intriguing. Any suggestions? Any reason to go to Saladang instead of Saladang Song?

Wat Dong Moon Lek: a breath of fresh Thai air for Silver Lake

Rambutan salad is an imaginative addition to the Thai canon.

I used to drive down Fountain often, hoping that some day one of the forlorn Thai, vegan or Chinese restaurants between Sunset and Vermont would turn into something interesting. My prayers have been answered with the arrival in August of Wat Dong Moon Lek, a compact spot in the Fountain Ave. mini-mall anchored by the dubiously-named Point Dume Chinese restaurant. With turquoise walls hung with teak panels and a smiling, attentive staff and a blackboard full of specials, Wat Dong Moon Lek has a more modern and thoughful take on Thai food than the old school Thai Town spots, and it's a welcome update.Panang curry is classic and flavorful.

Everything we tasted was full of bright and strong flavors, with just the right amount of heat to satisfy my heat-seeking self but not make Matt regret going out to dinner with me. Refreshing rambutan salad was a completely new idea to me, combining the lichee-like fruit with shrimp in a sesame-flecked coconut dressing that was good enough to lap it up like soup. I was intrigued by ham hock rice with pickled mustard greens, which is more Chinese-influenced. Our only mistake was getting the half order -- just get the larger size, because otherwise you'll run out of the tender pork before you're done figuring out how to optimally combine just the right combo of sweet soy broth, hot sauces, rice and mustard greens with the pork. Don't be fooled by the plain-looking ham hock -- it's a mesmerizing combo with the various sauces.

Hainan chicken also comes recommended, but there were only two of us, so we also missed the signature Wong Dong Moon Lek beef or pork noodles. Instead we had tom yum udon with chicken -- a classic, well executed and fairly spicy tom yum broth with the new addition of udon noodles. Panang curry with pork was also a classic Thai dish, flawlessly executed with a homemade taste to the well-spiced curry sauce. After devouring just about every bite of the four dishes, the only problem was not having enough room to taste the wonderful looking plates of caramelized bananas and berry tarts coming out of the kitchen from the owner's Cordon Bleu-trained pastry chef wife.
To drink, there are fresh fruit smoothies, or BYOB. Prices are quite reasonable for the quality of the food, though portions are restrained. Our ample dinner for two was $30.
Tip: Try to get a table with real chairs instead of the backless stools; and save room for dessert.
Wat Dong Moon Lek
4356 Fountain Ave.
323-666-5993

Jitlada's new dishes: some fiery, some fun

Crispy morning glory and shrimp salad

Saturday night at Jitlada was absolutely packed, so we were lucky to get the last table before the waitlist started when we stopped by to try a few of the new dishes. There's now a small card of specials on the tables and Jazz will also tell you about other specials not listed. Most of the dishes on the specials card are on the pricier side -- lobster tails and such -- so we tried the two dishes Jazz suggested: pork belly with sator beans in yellow curry and an unusual salad of crispy morning glory stems with shrimp. The morning glory dish was a big hit -- crunchy saffron-colored batter coated the morning glory stems (they're similar to pea shoots in taste), which were then paired with shrimp in a light tangy dressing, showered with fried shallot slices. When the dish of cabbage and carrots on ice arrives, you know you're in for some serious heat, and pork belly with sator beans was serious, alright. The pungent yellow curry sauce was definitely one of Southern Thailand's hotter offerings, with slices of tender pork belly combined with Thai eggplant and the wild-tasting sator beans, topped with stalks of Thai peppercorns (left). Eating this dish is like passing a class in advanced Thai cuisine. I was less enthusiastic about shrimp and pineapple in lemon yellow curry, since hot pineapple slices in soup didn't work quite as well as some of the other dishes. Matt loved one of the old favorites, the rice salad, for its perfect spice level and combination of so many flavors, with lemongrass leading the charge. We were pretty full after all this but couldn't pass up the luscious sticky rice and mango topped with creamy condensed milk. As I said hi to Tui in the kitchen, a nice-looking salmon curry dish came out, looking somewhat less dangerous, spice-wise, and I made a note to try it next time. (I love intense heat, but it's not always easy on the other guests I'm eating with, and it tends to obscure the taste of dishes that come after it.)
It's great that Jitlada isn't resting on its much-deserved laurels, but continues to try new dishes and push the boundaries of authentic Thai food without resorting to "fusion" cuisine.
Tip: Make a reservation on weekends, or eat on a weeknight for even more attention from Jazz and the kitchen. And don't miss the framed receipt on which Matt Groening drew Homer Simpson when he ate there.

Trader Joe's find of the week: Tom Yam Rice Snacks

If I could invent the perfect snack, it would be crispy and spicy, with lots of extras like nuts and a bonus from something exotic like lemongrass. Trader Joe's seems to have sensed this yearning of mine with Tom Yam Rice Snacks from Thailand, which are little discs of crunchy rice topped with cashews, chile and lemongrass. They're like having a little handful of tom yum soup in a snack, and they're individually wrapped so you won't be tempted to overindulge. I'll bet they would be awesome topped with minced ahi tuna for an appetizer, or crumbled over nappa cabbage as a better class of crouton. Also, they're vegan and gluten-free. Here's hoping they won't get randomly discontinued any time soon.

Talesai take two: Venerable Strip spot changes it up

A new wine wall shows Talesai's more serious committment to the wine list

A quartet of independent producers discusses their next project; an elderly bleached blonde dines with her wheelchair-bound companion; a few agent types belly up to the bar, while next to us, two Beverly Hills couples return to check out one of their faithful spots.
It's a typical Sunset Strip crowd at Talesai, which chef Kris Yenbamroong says was considered cutting edge when his parents opened it 25 years ago -- when he was just one year old. Kris recently decided it was time to freshen up the menu, with stronger flavors and higher quality ingredients as well as a makeover for the room. We were invited by the chef to try some of the new dishes, so this isn't a real review -- but the manager told us they spotted S. Irene each time she came in, so I'm guessing she was treated well, too.
The new menu and look is all a bit much for the BH couples, who requested their old favorite mee krob off the menu and were not thrilled with the changes. Change is difficult for some folks, to be sure, but those who aren't clinging to 1980s Thai food should see a vast improvement in Talesai's dishes. We started with mushroom fries, similar to mushroom tempura -- I love mushrooms and I love anything well-fried, so these hit the spot.Larb made with filet mignon had just the right spice level to not scare away the regulars but still provide a little zing, with none of the gristle you sometimes get in cheaper restaurants. Zingy housemade pork Thai sausage was probably my favorite taste of the evening, although the sticky rice it's served with probably doesn't need to be made with sweet coconut milk. Fried chicken with housemade nam prik sauce had a delicious crust, but it might be a good idea to offer a spicy sauce and a mild one for different tastes. A duck "tamale" steamed in a banana leaf is basically haw mok but with duck instead of seafood -- the delicate custard is fragrant with kaffir lime, and the duck makes a nice change of pace. Subtle oxtail noodle soup (above) was nicely perfumed with anise. Most Thai restaurants don't have much of a choice of wine, but Talesai's new list has several good choices -- I had a glass of spicy Allimant Laugner gewürztraminer.
Fans of Ruen Pair and the like won't need to rush over here, but those looking for flavorful, well-prepared Thai food with interesting wine and cocktails and those who need a restaurant near the Strip will find it a welcome update.
BTW, chef Kris told us that some of his favorite local Thai spots include Ord Noodle and Palms Thai in Thai Town, Sri Siam in North Hollywood (ours too!) and Bua Siam in North Hollywood, although he wasn't sure if it's as good as it used to be.

Times turns Thai at Talesai: S. Irene goes ethnic

Thai sausage from the L.A. Times

Where to get "upscale" Thai food is a perennial Chowhound question, with possibilities including Nakkara and Naraya. Add to these the 25-year old Talesai on the Sunset Strip, which S. Irene Virbila reviews in Wednesday's L.A. Times, giving it 1 1/2 stars (between good and very good). Talesai has undergone a Jitlada-style makeover with new regional dishes and the likes of filet mignon larb -- I'm trying it tonight, and it's entirely possibly I've eaten more Thai food than Virbila, so I'll let you know how it goes.

Krua Thai: pad thai with all the fixins'

special pad thai includes lots more toppings

I'm trying to work my way through the amazing Thai restaurants of North Hollywood, and although Josh had a good report on Bua Siam, Krua Thai was next on my list. Krua was kind of disappointing, though. The cold, tile-floored room kind of reminded me of a remodeled Taco Bell, and the waitstaff seemed rather bored. The now-famous Pad thai Krua Thai, proclaimed by Jonathan Gold as the "best in L.A," was certainly better than an average pad thai, with lots of ground chicken and various other toppings. But there was a bit too much greasy chicken and the sweet tamarind sauce didn't offer much variation in flavors, unlike the special pad thai I had at a now-closed place on Sunset. Fortunately the Tom yum kai soup with chicken was quite a good version, with a touch of heat and a jolt of sourness livening up the chicken and mushrooms. Papaya salad was full of fiery flavor but seemed a bit tired, like they made it all at once a while ago. Maybe we didn't get to sample enough dishes at Krua Thai, but what we tried seemed no better than most Thai Town joints, certainly not worth a trip to the Valley. Or maybe it was just that we had come from a screening of "Revolutionary Road," which is sure to leave you with a slightly bad taste all afternoon. Did we miss any great dishes there?
Verdict: Food: two stars out of four
Atmosphere: Indifferent
Value: Good

Krua Thai
13130 Sherman Way
North Hollywood
818-759-7998

Bulan Thai: For your U.N.-approved meat-free day

Corn cakes appetizer

The United Nations, according to this L.A. Times editorial, has called for everyone to take a meat holiday once a week. I'm fine with that, in fact I could probably go three or four days a week without feeling much pain, until the carne asada taco craving hit. (Memo to L.A. Times: most vegetarians would consider fish sticks a form of meat, but whatever.)
If you're living on the near-Eastside, you've got more meatless restaurant options than pretty much anywhere: Elf, Pure Luck, Vegan Spot, Flore, Cru and a myriad of Thai veggie places. I had been deeply suspicious of the Thai places -- they seem to spring up like weeds in every minimall, and then you never hear of anyone going there. But I had also heard that Bulan Thai on Melrose was a cut above the other Thai veggie places. Then, voila, Bulan opened a new branch on Santa Monica in that funny little pie-shaped spot where Suriyo used to be.
The food at Bulan is nicely-presented, fresh and full of flavor. Like any Thai place catering to us farang, the spices are toned down a bit and the flavors tend toward the sweet, but the general care in preparation makes Bulan stand out.Busaba pumpkin with tofu

We tried the corn cakes, similar to the usual tod mun fish cakes appetizer, basically just corn barely held together with some binder and deep-fried until slightly chewy. Kind of different, but I love anything fried, and I love corn, so I was fine with it. The Busaba pumpkin special with pumpkin and tofu in a basil-perfumed curryish sauce showed that vegan dishes can rock with flavor just like meat dishes, although not all vegan restaurants achieve this. Kow soi noodles were made with crispy (fried) noodles instead of the usual thin rice noodles, but the rich coconut sauce and array of additions on the side like pickled cabbage made it a winner -- and there was a welcome hint of spice, too. Kow soi crispy noodles with faux chicken

Matt thought the faux chicken in the kow soi was a dead ringer for the real thing, but you can get it with tofu if you're scared of fake meat. Bulan is a little pricier than the average Thai joint but the quality of the food seems worth it. I'll definitely be back for my meatless day, or any day when I feel like eating a little "cleaner."
Bulan Thai (delivery also)
4114 Santa Monica Blvd.
323-913-1488

Daisy Mint chics up Pasadena

a crystal chandelier and ornate picture frames decorate the storefront Daisy Mint

Back in January, a Chowhound poster first tried the new Pasadena Thai fusion spot Daisy Mint and wrote a glowing review cryptically titled Pasadena Discovery. I took note, but the location near Pasadena City College seemed a bit out of the way, so it took me this long to get there. Started by a couple of ex-designers, the space is adorably decorated in the latest spinster-chic style. (Seems to be an increasingly popular style!) The menu includes most of the Thai staples, like slightly sweet but well-constructed drunken noodles, beef salad and various curries. But there's also a few Korean or Vietnamese-inspired dishes and Amerasian specials like steak with scalloped potatoes. No liquor license, but a vast selection of teas includes a refreshing if rather sweet lemon Thai iced tea. Fusion often means sweet, and I guess this place is no exception.
terrific colorful eggplant salad

But the tangy, spicy dressing on the eggplant salad was a big hit, and the large charbroiled sections of eggplant were a nice change from the usual chopped presentation of this dish. Sophie's chicken satay had bit too much curryish marinade for her, but I thought it had a good flavor. There's a choice of white or brown rice, prices are exceedingly reasonable, and the Chowhounds seem to love the pho, the garlic greenbeans and the salmon with creamy cilantro sauce. Don't come here looking for a super-authentic Thai experience, but rather for a lively atmosphere, an interesting selection of Asian flavors and, bonus, no corkage!
Update: I've returned to Daisy Mint several times, and found several more excellent choices. In particular, the kimchee fried rice is addictive.
Daisy Mint
1218 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena
(626)792-2999

Taste test: Spicy BBQ

Northern Thai sausage and sticky rice

Ack, so much to do...stay tuned for the Los Feliz Ledger's Los Feliz/Silver Lake/Echo Park/Atwater restaurant and delivery guide on Jan. 1, compiled by moi...amidst the chaos, we stopped in at Spicy BBQ, which isn't exactly in Thai Town, but it's not far. It holds down the corner of the Santa Monica Blvd. mini-mall that has housed Falafel Arax pretty much forever, and it's across the street from the wonderful Sasoun Bakery. While Northern Thai food can be found at places like Thai Nakorn, Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas, and a few places in the Valley, it's a little harder to find on this side of the hill. Spicy BBQ is a tiny spot run by head cook Nong and her family, with only about six tables. On a weeknight, much of the traffic seems to be folks from the neighborhood getting pad thai to go, which makes me worry that maybe not enough people are experiencing Nong's excellent Northern Thai dishes. Kao soy on right, pickles on left

While the famous Erik M. from Chicago has been there to translate the special menu, the dishes are clearly listed in English with helpful photos. The Northern Thai sausage was strongly perfumed with kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass -- it had a wonderful flavor, but we probably should have ordered one of the spicy dips to go with it. Kao soy noodles are often said to be hard to find, but actually I see them on most Thai menus in the area. But Spicy BBQ's version is the best I've had since Lotus of Siam, with supple egg noodles and tender chicken legs dancing in a rich coconut curry broth. A small bowl of spicy pickled vegetables is served alongside to stir into the soup, adding another flavor dimension to the mild, soothing dish. Northern Thai pork curry (kang hunglay) is a more advanced dish, with large pieces of stewed pork with the skin still attached lurking in a complex red curry studded with ginger slices and peanuts. Sticky rice served in a small steaming basket is the traditional accompaniment. Everything was bursting with flavor, and I'm looking forward to returning for the spicy jackfruit salad, northern ground pork salad and spicy & sour kang som curry.
Spicy BBQ Restaurant (closed Wednesday)
5101 Santa Monica Blvd.
(323) 663-4211