Best noodles in Thai Town (2012)?

[ns1]

After a few years of hitting up the NoHo thai scene, we've been re-exploring the Thai Town area.

I'll be going today for some lunchtimes noodles - I think today is Pa Ord.

The point of this thread though is....

For 2012, where are the best noodle houses in Thai Town?

Sapp?
Pa Ord?
Hoy Ka?

Other?

Looking for tom yum/boat specifically.

[jdwdeville]

Tried Hoy-Ka over the weekend due to this post. I went intent on ordering the duck noodles, but most of us ended up ordering the Hoy Ka noodles (seemed important to try their namesake first). I'd rate them as good, but still below my #1 Sapp and #2 Pa Ord.
Is it specifically the duck noodles that are so fantastic? Hoy Ka was certainly of a quality high enough to warrant a return visit...

[Mr Taster]

The broth in the duck noodles was hot, rich, flavorful and comforting. The other dishes were good but since this is LA, one can find superlative versions elsewhere. Still, for the extremely affordable price it's not worth complaining about.

Mr Taster

[jdwdeville]

Thanks! I'll go back for the duck.
Had I not started with Sapp, I'd be heaping much more praise on what I had there the first time...

[J.L.]

Try Sapp's lesser known dish, their jade noodles.

[jdwdeville]

Y'know, what's funny is that I went to Sapp for breakfast yesterday and hemmed and hawed about trying the Jade Noodles but ended up with the Boat Noodles again- the joke is that after 30+ visits I've only ever tried one thing there!

[ns1]

I get the hoyka noodles if I'm craving that style of noodle...it's <$4 for a small bowl.

when I'm at Hoy Ka I usually get duck noodles/drunken noodles/boat noodles (in that order)

[Hypnotic23]

I learned allot from this thread, here's a question for you Hollywood Thai fans, as for as "Tom Yum Noodle Soup" goes, of the 3 which order do you rank these for this particular soup?

The Original HoyKa Hollywood

Pa Ord Noodle

Sapp Coffee Shop

Thanks,

Stuart

[ns1]

HoyKa isn't a true tom yum
Pa Ord's was okay

haven't tried Sapp. For some reason we still find Krua Thai having the best tom yum for our taste buds.

Whatever you do, don't get the tom yum from rodded.

[Hypnotic23]

Very interesting since that you like this soup at Krua Thai, drive 2 blocks to Swan Thai on Sherman Way and try their version, to this is my favorite so far for Tom Yum Noodle, I switch off each time in asking to use either glass noodles, rice noodles or the Pad Thai style noodle in the soup, great balance in this broth, try it!

[ns1]

I cannot stress how awesome this bowl of duck noodles from Hoy Ka is - I could eat this all day.

Duck noodles, medium spicy, small rice noodle. The medium spicy brings up the balance to the soup. Look at this ridiculously fat pile of fried garlic compared to Rodded. The duck was definitely more tender at Rodded, however I thought the firmer texture here was great as well.

The other bowl is the requisite hoy ka noodle.

$13.05 for a bowl of duck noodle soup + large hoy ka noodles after tax. I got a peek in the back kitchen and I think I found the secret - 2 old thai ladies and a third older thai gentlemen doing all the cooking.

Ord Hoyka Noodle
5401 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027

[Ciao Bob]

I am confused ns1 -- which place are you touting in this post?

Thanks, Bob

[ns1]

Sorry, added info to that post. Same place, Hoy Ka. Just wanted to revisit Hoy Ka after Rodded so my taste buds can validate previous assertions.

[Mr Taster]

After all these years I still have never made it to Rodded. Made plans to go with a friend tonight, and damn you ns1.... because of your enthusiasm, we're now going to Hoy Ka instead. Will I ever get to Rodded?!

Mr Taster

[ns1]

so many better places than Rodded/Torung. The pictures don't lie - a tom yum that looks like a bun rieu!?

I wasn't very impressed with the crispy pork @ Hoy Ka though...but then again, I haven't been impressed with the crispy pork anywhere.

[Porthos]

Not even the crispy pork belly with basil over rice at Sapp?

Senior Taster, I don't see why you can't do both... ;)

[Mr Taster]

Realized I forgot to check back in here. We went to Hoy Ka and absolutely loved it. The broth of the soup was rich and fragrant. The duck was delicious, although there could have been more of it. We ordered a very competent pad see ew (though not quite smoky enough for my liking) and som tum.

Thanks so much for bringing Hoy Ka to my attention. This will most definitely be a new addition to my Thai rotation.

Mr Taster

[ns1]

glad you enjoyed it.

whew, my chow reputation remains intact lol

Were you accompanied by your LTA?

[Mr Taster]

Sadly, no-- our mutual friend, my Associate LTA was in tow :)

Mr Taster

[Porthos]

+1 for the boat noodles at Sapp.

Don't forget to get the crispy pork sauteed with basil.

Their chicken rice is also pretty good when available.

[tenxtone76]

I prefer Sapp's boat noodles. But I like the slightly sour skewed balance of Pa Ord's Tom yum more than just about any noodle soup out there.

[lil mikey]

I'm with tenxtone76. Pa Ord's Tom Yum noodles are my favorite. But for other types of noodles, you might also consider Wat Dong Moon Lek, which just expanded. Their tom yum is okay, but their stir fried and pan fried noodle dishes are quite good. Also get their Chinese broccoli with crispy pork belly.... yum.

[LAgirl2]

is Wat Dong Moon Lek open yet from their expansion? i haven't been there in a long time, but +1 on their stir fried & pan fried noodles. hopefully the speed of their food service will improve as well. i remember waiting a very long time for my food the last time i was there (and they were only about half-full). i'll also +1 for sanamluang's fried noodles, but not as nice of a room as WDML and parking can be tough there.

[ns1]

GF's been looking for a killer bowl of tom yum, so think we gotta hit up Pa Ord. Thx

[ns1]

Dropped by Pa Ord for the TY noodles. It was pretty good but not OMFG mind blowing as I was hoping it would be. They also seem stingier on the noodles than other places.

[Porthos]

Stop wasting your time. Go to Sapp ;)

[ns1]

Nobody has said anything about TY noodles at Sapp. Need a little break from boat noodles.

Sapp get busy during lunch?

[TonyC]

If you need a break from the boat noodles, hit Pailin. The noodles come out fast and hard.

They have khanom jin nam ngiao (not very common in Thai town despite all the Thai noodle houses since it's Northern style noodle dish), they have kway jab, they have khao soi, and they have kao tao lord (a noodle hardly mentioned, and previously mentioned on Chow here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/66517 ) . If you're looking for sour noodle soups, their yen ta fo will make you pucker.

A pix of Pailin's noodle menu : http://sinosoul.com/wp-content/upload...

[ns1]

Thanks. Love $6 bowls of noodles. Nice break from $11 bowls of ramen.

[J.L.]

Jade noodles at Sapp

[ns1]

Dropped by Hoy Ka today, and I think I have a new found love for roasted duck noodles.

[ns1]

No seriously, this bowl of roasted duck noodles may be my new favorite bowl in Thai Town.

Also, no line @ Hoy Ka today. Think I'll stick to Hoy Ka instead of Pa Ord for lunch...30 minute wait last time I was at Pa Ord.

[linus]

how do these roasted duck noodles compare to rodded?

[ns1]

I'll let you know after I go to Rodded (never heard of it before)

[ns1]

Pics attached. There is a giant pile of beautifully sauteed (or fried?) garlic under that duck. $16 out the door for duck noodles and drunken noodles = win.

[Porthos]

Nice photos. But you do get a lot more duck and a lot more noodles at Trieu Chau. I'm just saying... ;)

[ns1]

Not doable within my 60 minute lunch. But I'll keep that in mind next time...as long as I can get the Chinese donuts ;)

[Porthos]

Any Chinese donuts at Hoy Ka? ;)

[ns1]

Bags of chicharron(sp?). $1.50

[ns1]

thanks a lot linus, I told my GF about Rodded and we're going there for dinner later LOL. I'll update this thread with a comparison later.

[ns1]

Dropped by Rodded today. Is this a fusion joint or what? Thai/Vietnamese/Chinese influences, almost like a chiu chow thai restaurant.

This review will be for the duck noodles only:

1. Duck Noodles - No skin on the duck. A pretty healthy chunk of duck to boot. Got it mild, and it was still fairly spicy. Noodles had great texture as did the duck. However, the soup was a little blander than I expected. Duck flavor for sure, as well as lots of spices, but wasn't as "ducky" as I expected it to be. I'll give the nod to Hoy Ka here - while the noodles aren't as good, I thought the soup had better balance/flavor (tends to run a little sweeter vs a little spicier at the mild level). The heaping of fried garlic was also much bigger @ Hoy Ka.

Overall the duck noodles were pretty good but I'd probably go to Hoy Ka - overall better noodle bowl (imho) and better hours.

[TonyC]

Rodded has always one of those: htf-does-it-survive restaurants to me. The duck noodle soup borders bland and lifeless. The rest of the menu is equally useless. *shrug*

[linus]

i havent been in a couple years maybe. at one time, in certain circles, they were known for their duck noodle soup and fried bananas. i enjoyed the soup, always saw lots of thais there.
happy to hear about hoy ka, especially if its better.

[ns1]

the fried bananas were fantastic retoasted at home.

[cartbaby]

5401 Hollywood Blvd
is this the address?

[Servorg]

When in doubt - Google it out: http://www.original-hoy-ka-hollywood....

[cartbaby]

When I yelpeD, it gave me ord hoyka. That threw me.

[mpken]

Ok, now I have to try the duck noodles at Hoy Ka. Off to the Hoy Ka on Garfield in MPk. Thx NS1.

[djquinnc]

I prefer the boat noodles at Ord rather than Sapp. I've always been a big fan of Sanamluang for a variety of their noodle dishes.