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Food

Recession Obsession: Eating Thai Town

By  Caleb Bacon
Published Jan 1, 2009 11:00 PM
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Former Thai Town Mural | Photo by Brandon Holmes / used with permissionLos Angeles is home to about a zillion and a half people. This includes, I hear, the largest Thai population outside of Thailand. Perhaps that's why we have a jillion Thai restaurants. Good thing their food rocks. It's typically cheap too.

That’s why we're going to East Hollywood for the LAist’s latest Recession Obsession: Eating Thai Town.

Thai Town is nothing new to the LAist. In September 2007, our series Thai One On, thoroughly explored the dining options on this half-mile strip of Hollywood Boulevard from Western Avenue to Normandie Avenue. These Southeast Asian meals are cheap then and won't sour your coin purse now. You can find a great meal for about $5-$10/person. Let's revisit some of our favorites --

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  • Ord Noodle opens daily at 10 a.m. Breakfast noodles, anyone?

Open Late

  • Sanamluang is no secret to LA's nocturnal inebriates. They're open until 3 a.m. nightly.
  • Torung is always packed well after dark.

Entertaining

  • The Thailand Plaza Restaurant scores high in kitsch points with their free musical entertainment. It's also the best date spot in Thai Town, offering good-enough food and lots of free parking.
  • Hollywood Thai stays open late for karaoke.

A Goldmine Mini-Mall

New Hollywood Plaza is located next to Thailand Plaza. It features --

  • Ruen Pair offers Thai Town's best food for the best price.

  • Bhan Kanom Thai is a bakery which'll uncover a side of your sweet tooth you didn't know existed.

  • Red Corner Asia doesn't skimp on portions.

  • Thai Patio occupies the former Palm Thai space. Sorry, Thai Elvis has left the building.

  • Ganda is reliable too.

World Renowned

  • Sapp's Coffee Shop is where Anthony Bourdain eats noodles when in town (video below.) Their cheap menu is pictured (right.)
  • Jitlada Thai’s unique southern Thai dishes make critics blush from spice and delight alike. It’s one of the more expensive meals in Thai Town but you can expect to leave for under $15/person so long as you don’t pig out on their addictive southern-style curry.

    • Pad Thai at Ord Noodle photo Zach Behrens for LAist. Sapp's Coffee Shop Menu photo by Lindsay William-Ross for LAist

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