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September 28, 2007
Thai One On: Thaitown Noodle
As much as I hate to admit it, I'm not the most adventuresome eater of Thai food. Don't get me wrong, there are dishes that I love but the sad truth is that I return to those dishes over and over again. Partly this is because with all the varied ethnic foods in Los Angeles, I usually only eat Thai once or twice a month so I really don't feel like I'm always getting the same thing. Though, of course, I am. In fact, rarely do I order anything other than the safest, most obvious dish on a Thai menu--the ubiquitous (and flavorful!) pad thai.
I've managed to rationalize this dull tendency away to a degree by sampling pad thai at different restaurants. You see, I'm not really eating the same thing every time because each preparation is slightly different, each restaurant a new experience. Sometimes, I even have them hold the shrimp. Occasionally, I will even order the dish 'spicy' or 'with light oil'. And so, with that pathetic fact in mind, I ventured far into the hinterlands of Thai Town to sample the house dish at Thaitown Noodles.
It's a great, fucking pad thai! Not heavy at all, the noodles still springy, the protein cooked perfectly, the crushed peanuts unusually abundant and a full half-wedge of lime instead of the usual eighth or fourth. It was exactly like something you'd expect to have come out of a home kitchen which is precisely the atmosphere of Thaitown Noodles. A young woman served me my meal and I'm certain it was her grandmother who cooked it. The place is tiny. Tables are pushed against the wall. Mysterious relishes adorn the table. It's perfect.
I wish I could tell you more about it than that, but, frankly, the entire menu was in Thai and no one spoke English. I will say that the other diners seemed to be enjoying their meals as much as I did mine. The tiny plum candy that I received with my check was a perfect complement to my meal--rich and cleansing to the palette. I think the best thing you can say about any restaurant isn't just that you would go back, but that you'd recommend it to others. And so it is with Thaitown Noodles. I hope (and expect) you'll like it as much as I did.
Thaitown Noodle
5136 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 667-0934
P.S. Can anyone recommend places to get good pad thai on the Westside?
Photos by me for LAist
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I'm like you - not a very adventurous Thai food eater. Actually, some of the offerings kinda gross me out. Anyway, my problem with Pad Thai, as this is the dish I usually order, is that it has so much sugar in it. I usually order mine with light sugar but then it doesn't taste the same. I made the mistake and forgot to order mine with hald sugar at Rambutan Thai a couple of week ago and it was so sweet that I had to return it. Blah! Maybe they can use Agave or Stevia. Ha! That would be gourmet Thai and then not the same I guess.
Oh, and to answer your question, I have no idea about Thai on the westside. I live in Mar Vista and would love to know and i'm not talking Natalees either.
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I recommend Thai Boom on Venice Blvd. Its a little hole in the wall kind of place, but their food is awesome (and they deliver!). IMHO it is the best Thai on the westside and I am picky as hell.