LA Thai town suggestions PLEASE

[WHODATCALI]

Looking for a really yummy Thai joint to eat lunch at that is off the grid and worth the trip downtown. Suggestions??? Also, since we will be staying downtown for the night, Gorbals or Lazy Ox for dinner?
Thanks

[sushigirlie]

To me, Jitlada is far and away the best and most interesting Thai restaurant in Los Angeles (at least if you order off the Southern Thai menu). After Jitlada, I like Yai's on Hollywood Blvd for Isaan dishes such as larb fish and bamboo shoot salad.

I have never thought much of Ruen Pair. There's nothing wrong with it, but I find it underwhelming. I think that the Thai dessert place in the same plaza, called Bhan Kanom Thai, is closer to a must try.

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Jitlada
5233 1/2 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Ruen Pair Restaurant
5257 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Bhan Kanom Thai
5271 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Yai Restaurant
5757 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

[tenxtone76]

I definitely am experienced in Thai food. Sapp Coffee House and Jitlada are both great. But I love Sapp much more... it's cheaper, downer, dirtier, never busy, and one of my favorites in LA, not just Thai town. Sanamluang is solid and all around, and a good late night choice, as is Palms, Hollywood and many others. But I stick to the first three. I need to try Ruen!

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Jitlada
5233 1/2 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Sapp Coffee Shop
5183 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

[Luther]

I'm an out of towner who's been trying to gather opinions about all these places online. How do Jitlada and Sapp compare to Pailin? I've seen some very promising blog posts but nobody's mentioned Pailin in this threadyet.

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Jitlada
5233 1/2 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Pailin Thai
5621 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

[Bruin2]

Jitlada and Ruen Pair are the choice. I would suggest that if you like your food really really spicy, the kind where you can brag to your friend about how hot it was after your eyes have teared, and your scalp started to sweat, go to Jitlada and order off the sourthern menu as others suggest. But if you prefer more moderate spice, I personally would suggest Ruen Pair. The service is better and you have a bit more elbow room (although the parking is lousy),

To clear up the alcohol issue at Ruen Pair, they now have their wine and beer license, and do NOT want you to byob. I tried to bring a 6 pack of singha as I used to, and they definitely were not happy. I did not press the issue, and just concurred and ordered a singha from them.

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Jitlada
5233 1/2 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Ruen Pair Restaurant
5257 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

[WHODATCALI]

Thanks so much everyone. I knew I could count
On ya... Very excited!

[tastycakes]

ruen pair - BYOB is cheaper anyway! also torung on hollywood and wilton is good.

[cdub]

lazy ox over gorbals. easy pick in my opinion.

[estone888]

For food, definitely Lazy Ox if you have to pick one. But if you get a chance, why not go to Gorbals for a drink - they have hard liquor as well as wine and beer, Lazy Ox only has wine and beer - maybe split their one and only dessert. It's a fun place.

Jitlada in Thai Town hands down. Have they started taking reservations? They never used to unless it was for a very large party.

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Jitlada
5233 1/2 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

The Gorbals
501 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

[ipsedixit]

Jitlada, followed by a distant second with Ruen Pair and then a distant third being Rodded.

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Jitlada
5233 1/2 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

[mc michael]

Note that you have to bring your own booze to Ruen Pair, not so at Jitlada. One of the virtues of Ruen Pair is that it's open till 4 am.

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Jitlada
5233 1/2 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Ruen Pair Restaurant
5257 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

[Grog]

"Note that you have to bring your own booze to Ruen..."

This is not the case anymore. They have a w&b license as of last fall '10, though the selection is very limited.

[Bjartmarr]

Jitlada, make a reservation, and expect very slow service. Order off the Southern section of the menu, which is crammed onto the very last page.

And yes, the food is worth the crowd and the slow service.

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Jitlada
5233 1/2 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

[lil mikey]

My taste tends to run with ipsedixit's, and I would agree with this order of the places mentioned, but for me, Pa-Ord Noodle is in front of Jitlada.

Pa-Ord doesn't have the 200 or so items on the menu that Jitlada does. But I've had many of their noodle dishes and their chow mein, and every single dish I've had here has been outstanding. Even the pad thai and papaya salad are different and tasty. My favorite dish is the tom yum noodle, but they also do a very good boat noodle.

At Jitlada, there are bright spots, like the squash blossom dish. But there are also dishes that don't have the spark I'm looking for. And if you add the service problems that arise due to the crowds, this place has fallen in my book. Another restaurant that doesn't get much press, but that I think is in the same league or better than Jitlada is Spicy BBQ. No crowds, and similar offerings.

Ruen Pair remodeled and seems larger (maybe it's just the new color scheme). I still like the nam tok woth pork and the papaya salad here, but many of the other dishes seem tired to me.

And Rodded serves a good duck noodle soup, which is kind of sweet. If you like this dish, Rodded is the place for you. The rest of the dishes I've had are pretty pedestrian.

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Jitlada
5233 1/2 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Ruen Pair Restaurant
5257 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Spicy BBQ
5101 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90029

Rodded
5623 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028