Krua Thai-North Hollywood

[SIMIHOUND]

After looking up old posts I took a ride to Krua Thai for some takeout. Overall it was just ok.

I ordered fresh egg rolls, pork satay, angel wings, bbq chicken, pad thai, panang, pad prik and pineapple rice. I followed this up with some fresh wonderful Baklava from the Baklava Factory across the street.

I got the fresh eggs roll to try something different. The fresh egg rolls have tofu, shrimp, mock crab, chinese sausage and bean sprouts wrapped in a soft egg roll skin. This dish wasn't exactly to my taste but hey, I experimented and I learned.

I wanted beef satay but was told that they did not have beef for some reason. The pork satay was ok but but nothing out of the ordinary.

The angel wings which were perfect in every way. Great flavor, perfectly fried and even after the 25 minute ride back to Simi Valley their was still not one drop of oil to be found. This morning they reheatd well. I was impressed.

The bbq chicken was really good. The pieces were good sized and flavorful. I hate getting El Pollo sized chicken pieces. Chicken is inexpensive IMO and I expect something of size.

The pad thai was good but I as I said, I expected much more intense flavor in the dish.

The panang was a new dish or me that was recommended. Again I wanted intense flavors and the dish seemed mild.

The pad prik was good. I thought I might have been given some rice to go with it. The dish was flavorful and had a mild bite to it. It was a tad bit greasy however.

The pineapple fried rice was good but not to be redundant, where is the intensity of the flavors in these dishes?

The staff was very helpful and the restaurant seemed very clean indeed. If this is the best thai food in the SFV I need to go farther out.

I would go back because the angel wings were outstanding and the food was not bad at all. I have had better food at Ruen Thai in North Hollywood and Anajak in Sherman Oaks, both of which I have not been to in years. Are they still around and still good?

Is there better thai food in the SFV?

Happy Fourth of July everyone. Remember the troops!

[dana_what]

Oof. I had the blandest Thai food of my life at Anajak. If anyone reads this old post, don't go there. I don't know if it used to be good, but I went a few months back and the food had no freaking taste.

[barham turner]

I think Krua Thai is, overall, the best Thai place I've tried in the SFV, and I've been there a couple of times recently. With all due respect, I don't think it's fair to judge a restaurant based on takeout that has endured, as you indicated, a 25-minute car ride. Food is perishable and it will not taste as good after it has sat for some time and/or been reheated.

In meals eaten at the restaurant (the service is amazingly fast) I have actually found the flavors at Krua Thai to be pretty intense and very authentic. Pad Thai is a mild dish but Krua Thai's version (Pad Thai Krua Thai) is fresh and flavorful. I loved the roll noodles appetizer, which is steamed wide noodles rolled around a filling of chicken, shrimp and mushrooms and served with a sweet-soy dipping sauce. The Pad Kee Mao with pork is complex and delicious. I haven't tried the curries but the curry-flavored "chili" sauce served with the deep-fried tilapia was fabulous.

I don't worry too much about a B rating. If you look at the Health Department's website, you will find that many of the Thai places on Sherman Way have had B's in the past and/or have skirted close to a B. An A today can be a B tomorrow, and vice versa. I do draw the line at a C, which indicates multiple and/or serious problems.

I have had great dishes at other Thai places on/around Sherman Way (the Golden Fish--fried fish with mango salad--at Sunshine is spectacular, but I found the rest of the menu lacklustre) but Krua Thai does the best all-around job, IMHO.

[Das Ubergeek]

The pad thai Krua Thai is better than the regular pad thai. The tom yum goong is very good, and I love their papaya salad.

That said, I don't think it's the best Thai restaurant in the SFV -- the chain of Thai restaurants along that stretch of Sherman Way is the best Thai food in the SFV, but only certain dishes at each one. There's Swan, Sunshine, Bua Siam, Sanamluang, Cha Chaa, Khun Dang, Sri Siam (which is on Vanowen and Coldwater Cyn) and of course the Wat Thai (weekend lunches only).

Anajak is still in Sherman Oaks; I don't think Ruen Thai is still around.

[bodie]

Generally speaking, I love Krua Thai but my most recent meal from Krua was pretty disappointing. We ordered Pad Kee Mao, Green Curry, Squid Salad and an app, which was paid for, though not included in the order, neither was rice to accompany the curry. I know there are places where the rice is ordered separately however, Krua has never been one of them.

The Pad Kee Mao, which is my favorite - was kind of gluey and just so-so. The green curry was servicable and the squid salad was spicy but not the best, nor the freshest I've had.
I am not sure whether to chalk it up to an off-night, a holiday weekend or whether the place is slipping. The health rating is now a B, which doesn't freak me out but could be interpreted as sign of a slide.