Fave ethnic restaurants along Venice Boulevard (west of Sawtelle)?

[Kishari]

Once a week, I drive on Venice Boulevard heading towards Lincoln, and go by all these little ethnic restaurants featuring cuisines I've never tried but am dying to investigate. A few have been mentioned on Chowhound (Bamboo, Katmandu), but since I don't have a point of reference to know what is a good and/or authentic, I was hoping to get some recommendations on which are real Chowish gems? I personally prefer eating what regular people eat every day vs. the fancy tourist versions, so these seem ideal and ripe for the discovering.

I like most ethnic cuisine (except for Ethiopian, which I found disappointing). I regularly dip into Indian, Oaxacan, Salvadoran, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese. I already frequent Versailles and Gloria's on Venice but want more more more! LA is such a melting pot of cultures that it seems a shame not to sample the world's cuisines when they're all on one street. :)

Please help, won't you? A fave restaurant plus a rec for a representative dish would be most appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[EREDSON]

Have you tried Mediterranean Cafe? Near Versaille. Authentic middle eastern with nice people.

[hrhboo]

I like Cafe Brasil a lot, and I find it pretty authentic (my mother is Brazilian). I also like Meson del Taco for Mexican/Oaxacan food. Great stuff.

Oh, and I also really like Empanada's Place on Venice and Sawtelle.

[chowmominLA]

I also love Cafe Brasil. There's one on Venice east of Sawtelle, it's closer to Overland, and there's a new location west of sawtelle, although I can't remember whether it's on Washington or Venice.

[hrhboo]

It's on Washington. I haven't checked it out yet but I soon will!

[Kishari]

Thanks for the recs so far, but already go to Samosa House and Taqueria Sanchez (I live in Venice and am heading there via Culver City). I guess I wasn't specific....there seem to be Malaysian and African, Argentinian and other unusual ethnic eateries all in a row on THIS particular stretch of Venice Boulevard, and that's what I'm trying to figure out. :)

Thanks!

[Capybara]

Since you ask for information, not just recommendations, I hope this is helpful: I'm a fan of Bamboo, but it doesn't fit what you are looking for. Not only is it east of Sawtelle, but it isn't "authentic" regular ethnic people cuisine.

That's about all I can offer. If you drop down a block to Washington, you could stop in at Tacqueria Sanchez on Centinela (sit down) or Inglewood (take-out stand).

[westsidegal]

i wholeheartedly agree with the taqueria sanchez recommendation. i like the one on centinela and the dishes that i love are: shrimp tacos, shrimp tostada, and mojarra fritta. probably there are many others that are great, but i like these so much that i've never gotten past them.

if you are willing to go a little east of sepulveda, be sure to go to Thai Boom, 10863 west venice blvd. although i'm not a fan of their pad thai, i adore their pla prik pao and their som tum thai green papaya salad.

katmandu is a favorite for their lunch buffet.

for southern indian, go a little south to samosa house (formerly called bharat bazaar). this is a restaurant/market so they close early (they open at 11am) they have fantastic prepared foods, sort of like india's sweets and spices. i used to prefer iss, but now samosa house, imho, is far superior.
Bharat Bazaar and Samosa House
11510 W Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90066
[phone]

[LoveCulverCity]

I like Pam's Kitchen for Thai on Venice and Abbot Kinney.