News Summary
Los Angeles is home to the largest Thai population outside of Thailand, making its Thai cuisine an integral part of the city’s culture. Food critic Bill Addison has curated a list of his top 15 favorite Thai restaurants, celebrating the micro-regional cooking styles and bold flavors that define Thai dining in the city. Highlights include Anajak Thai, known for its innovative take on traditional dishes, and Ayara Thai, famous for its khao soi. The vibrant Thai Town neighborhood offers even more culinary delights, showcasing the rich variety of flavors that Thai cuisine has to offer.
Los Angeles boasts the largest Thai population outside of Thailand, making Thai cuisine a significant aspect of the city’s cultural and culinary identity. Renowned food critic Bill Addison has highlighted his top 15 favorite Thai restaurants in Los Angeles, showcasing the rich diversity and micro-regional cooking styles present in the local Thai dining scene. His list reflects the bold flavors, warmth, and unique ingredients that define Thai cuisine, such as the heat from bird’s eye chili and the aromatic tom yum soup.
Among the selected restaurants is Anajak Thai, founded in 1981 by chef Ricky Pichetrungsi, who merges his Thai upbringing with his Cantonese heritage. In 2019, after Pichetrungsi experienced a stroke, his son Justin stepped in, innovating the menu with new offerings like Thai Taco Tuesday. Anajak Thai underwent recent renovations that improved its aesthetic appeal, adding an open kitchen concept and a second dining room, while still featuring traditional dishes like fried chicken in rice flour batter and mango sticky rice.
Another notable establishment is Ayara Thai, opened in 2004 by Andy and Anna Asapahu. Ayara is known for its multi-regional menu, prominently featuring the dish khao soi, which consists of chicken drumsticks in a coconut milk sauce served over egg noodles. This dish impresses diners with its complex flavor profile, combining sweetness from palm sugar, heat from chiles, and toppings of lime and crispy fried noodles.
Holy Basil uniquely operates two locations, each presenting different concepts—one emphasizing takeaway service and the other providing a sit-down dining experience with an innovative menu. Chef Wedchayan Arpapornnopparat curates a distinctive culinary style that incorporates various influences. Signature dishes include fried soft-shell crab and shrimp prepared with a unique salted egg yolk sauce.
East Hollywood houses Thai Town, the only officially recognized Thai neighborhood in the United States, which emerged from the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. This vibrant area features numerous celebrated restaurants, such as Jitlada, renowned for its catfish salad and jungle curry and often attracting notable visitors. Another favorite, Sapp Coffee Shop, is popular for its boat noodle soup and boasts a broad array of classic Thai dishes.
Besides Thai establishments, East Hollywood is home to diverse culinary options, including Lebanese and Armenian eateries like Marouch and Caribbean culinary spot Bridgetown Roti, highlighting the neighborhood’s rich gastronomic variety. Other noteworthy locations include NTFC, an all-green Northern Thai restaurant focused on bold flavors, and Ruen Pair, which serves traditional Thai dishes late into the night, until 3 AM during weekends.
This dynamic culinary landscape underscores the multicultural essence of East Hollywood, where traditional and contemporary dining experiences can be explored, reflecting the broader appeal of Thai cuisine in Los Angeles. The integration of diverse flavors and innovative dishes highlights the city’s ongoing passion for Thai cooking and its cultural significance within the local community.
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Additional Resources
- Los Angeles Times: Thai Food is an LA Pillar Cuisine
- New York Times: Luv 2 Eat Express Thai Restaurant
- The Infatuation: Best Restaurants in East Hollywood Thai Town
- LA Eater: Mesa Thai – Celebrity Restaurant Sightings
- ABC 7: Thai Cuisine Takes Center Stage in LA
- Wikipedia: Thai Cuisine
- Google Search: Thai food Los Angeles
- Google Scholar: Thai cuisine Los Angeles
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Thai Cuisine
- Google News: Thai restaurants Los Angeles
Author: STAFF HERE HOLLYWOOD
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