Thai Food Festival Hosted by Chef Jet Tila

If I had to choose just one type of food to eat for the rest of my life, it would undoubtedly be Thai food. With the cuisine’s diverse offerings of curries, soups, noodles, meats and vegetables, how could you ever tire of it? For me, that’s not rhetorical. I couldn’t and could never have too much of it. Enter: the Thai Food Festival.

This weekend, Thai food and culture were spotlighted at LA’s first Thai Food Festival at Paramount Studios, hosted by Chef Jet Tila. The festival featured cuisine spanning the four regions of Thailand from celebrated chefs such as Sang Yoon (Lukshon), Andy Ricker (Pok Pok), David LeFevre (MB Post, Fishing with Dynamite), Kris Yenbamroong (Night + Market) and Susan Feniger (Street) as well as restaurants that proudly serve up authentic Thai cuisine.

Tents lined Paramount Studios for the festival

Chiang Mai Khao Soi (braised beef curry noodle) from Jet Tila

Bamee Yok (Jade Noodles) from Sapp Coffee Shop

“Shrimp Donut” from Lucky Elephant

Khao Gee (savory stuffed sticky rice fritters) from Street

Miang Kam (fresh betel leaves topped with crab, prawn, kaffir lime limes, lemongrass, shallots, coconut, ginger, peanuts and Thai chili w/ liquid nitrogen frozen grapefruit) from Ayara Thai

Prik King Chicken from Siam Sunset

Larb and Kua Ling (dry curry short ribs) from Lum Ka Naad

Khao Soi w/ Chicken from Thai Society

Pang Gee (coconut and taro fritter) and Kanom Beuang (“dessert taco”) from Bhan Khanom Thai

Ruam Mit (“Thai treasures in coconut milk”) from Bhan Khanom Thai

There were no duds in the impressive, well-curated vendor line-up, but a handful stood out from the rest:

Re-Imagined Thai Beef Salad w/ tongue, compressed cucumber, lettuce soup and crispy tomato from Sang Yoon (Lukshon)

BBQ Pork and Dry Curry Chicken w/ Rice from Jitlada

Suki Haeng (Thai stir-fried glass noodles, Napa cabbage, sprouts, carrots, water spinach, Chinese celery, tofu, eggs and a chili beancurd sukiyaki sauce) from Pok Pok

Yum Nua Beef Salad from Thai Nakorn

Koi Tuna (Issan tuna ceviche) from Night + Market

Som Tum and Kaw Moo Yaahng (green papaya salad and grilled pork) from Ruen Pair Restaurant

Blue Crab and Sweet Corn Green Chili from Chef David LeFevre (MB Post, Fishing with Dynamite)

This couple came prepared. I liked their style. 

The festival also showcased Thai culture and artistry:

Flower garland making

Beautifully arranged flowers floating in a bowl of water

Muay Thai demonstration. If I wasn’t wearing a dress, I would have asked them to let me in on the Thai pads action!

Intricate carvings…on fruit! Those are definitely the prettiest watermelons I’ve ever seen.

Umbrella painting

Thai dancing…

…and Curtis Stone (host of “Top Chef Masters,” fellow Thai food fanatic, dreamboat) and Evan Kleiman (host of KCRW’s “Good Food”) in the middle of it. 

A discussion of Thai food, culture and “authenticity” with David DeLefevre (MB Post, Fishing with Dynamite), Kris Yembanroong (Night + Market), Andy Ricker (Pok Pok), Curtis Stone and Evan Kleiman

The festival boasted delicious, diverse offerings, a perfect ratio well-known chefs to small restaurants, and a thought-provoking discussion. My only quibble? Very light Singha pours! In all seriousness, I hope this becomes a yearly event. Until then, I’m already dreaming about my next plate of pad see ew.

Lotus of Siam (Las Vegas)

After spending my first day in Las Vegas braving triple digit temperatures while trying to shop and lounge poolside and jockeying for breathing space in a crowded nightclub, I reached a conclusion: Sin City and I were at odds. Don’t get me wrong, I fancy shopping, sunning and dolling myself up just as much as the next girly girl, but I enjoy none of the above when I feel as though my internal organs are slowly roasting. Fortunately, I found a friend in another Vegas pasttime. Eating. And it allowed me to be indoors.

One of J’s requests for our weekend getaway was a trip to Lotus of Siam, a Thai restaurant he remembered fondly from a family vacation. His (repeated) laudatory review aroused both my curiosity and my skepticism. Is this place really that good? With this in mind, we headed off the strip to the restaurant.

Lotus of Siam sits in an unassuming plaza populated largely by various ethnic restaurants. None of the taco shops, Korean BBQ/ karaoke joints, or Japanese restaurants, however, had a 45-minute wait like our intended dinner spot. Although I was disappointed by the large gap in time that stood between me and my favorite Vegas activity, I was intrigued that a restaurant so far removed from the hustle and bustle of the strip boasted such a waiting list.

As we waited, I read several of the many articles about the restaurant posted on the walls, scouring for info and tips on what to order. I soon learned that 1) the restaurant prided itself on its authentic Northern Thai cuisine prepared by chef and owner Saipin Chutima, 2) the must-order appetizer was nam kao tod, 3) Lotus of Siam was nominated for a James Beard award and 4) that the esteemed Jonathon Gold called it “the single best Thai restaurant in Northern America” in a piece for Gourmet Magazine. Hot damn! I was officially excited.

After making friends with the hosts, we snagged a table when a party failed to respond to their name being called and quickly got down to business ordering. I started with a Thai iced tea, which was refreshing but decidedly heavier on tea than milk, and I prefer the creamy, milky inverse.

Per my waiting room research, we began with the omni-reviewed nam kao tod ($7.95) as an appetizer. Featuring minced sour sausage, crispy rice, ginger, green onions, fresh chili and lime juice, each bite of the dish delivered a zing straight to the tastebuds followed by a pleasant but heated kick. The powerful flavors were tempered by cool sprigs of Thai basil and rounded out texturally by the crunch of the peanuts. I almost switched from a fork to a spoon to be able to eat more with each bite (pesky fork tines).

After receiving a sterling recommendation for the garlic prawns ($19.95) from another waitlister, J selected the “chef’s choice” dish as his entree. The puffy, deep-fried prawns delivered a strong garlicky flavor reminiscent of the famed fare of Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck in Hawai’i, but the ground pepper which topped them prevented the garlic from becoming cloying.

Feeling adventurous, I decided to order something other than my favorite–pad thai–opting instead for crispy duck on drunken noodles ($20.95). Rosy slivers of crunchy duck topped with Thai basil arrived perched atop deeply flavored, spicy pan-fried flat rice noodles. A striking combination of flavors and textures, this dish was a lovely reward for my deviation from the status quo.

So, to answer my own question I posed in the beginning: Yes, this place really is that good.

Lotus of Siam
www.saipinchutima.com
953 E. Sahara Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89104
(702) 735-3033

Pailin Thai Cuisine

There are few dishes that I crave more frequently than pad thai. Although some might categorize it as an unadventurous default dish, pad thai combines some of my favorite comfort food elements–noodles (a.k.a carbohydrate goodness), shrimp (the only seafood I touched until this year) and Asian flavors (Japanese; from Hawaii; you get it).

After sampling many restaurants’ take on the dish and being disappointed by most, I finally stumbled upon Pailin Thai Cuisine about a year ago and, now, it is specifically their pad thai that I crave.

Located in Hollywood, Pailin Thai offers traditional Thai fair as well as regional off-the-menu specials (fans of these more adventurous dishes include Tony of SinoSoul and Zach of Midtown Lunch). What is most charming about the restaurant, however, is not its small size or its Buddhist-inspired decor but its family feel; your server will either be the owner or one of his two adorable children.

On the most recent visit, there were three in our party–one of whom was a Pailin newbie. To give our out-of-town guest a well-rounded experience, we all ordered Thai iced teas ($1.00) and chicken satay ($5.95) as an appetizer. It is difficult to beat either the taste or the price of the milky sweet Thai iced tea, and the fresh, homemade peanut dipping sauce make these tender satays a winner.

Branching out from his usual panang chicken curry ($5.50, also highly recommended), J ordered the roasted duck curry (red curry with coconut milk, pineapple, tomato and basil, $6.95). The flavor of the hearty and spicy curry base was sweetened and brightened up by the addition of coconut milk and pineapple, and the mild flavor of the bite-sized pieces of duck tied everything together. J was pleased with his decision to try something new.

My friend and I both ordered the pad thai–I with shrimp ($6.50), and he with chicken ($5.25). Abandoning all sense of propriety, I twirled huge forkfuls of steaming, flavorful noodles mixed with peanut crumbles into my mouth and then added a bean sprout (or two) and a bite of snappy shrimp to get all the flavors in one bite. After inhaling most of the plate, I stopped, leaving four bites or so for a snack the next day.

After re-visiting this most recent, deliciously satisfying meal at Pailin for this post, I think I may be in need of another fix soon…

Pailin Thai Cuisine

5621 Hollywood Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90028

(323) 467-6775

Thai Corner at Mercado la Paloma

Any mention of Mercado la Paloma to a foodie is sure to evoke happy memories of the savory cochinita pibil from Chichen Itza or the hearty lomo saltado from Mo-Chica. Rightfully so, I say; both are delicious dishes.

There is, however, another impressive restaurant in Mercado la Paloma that has been left out of the foodie fun.

Thai Corner sits in the back, right corner of Mercado la Paloma–almost exactly halfway between Chichen Itza and Mo-Chica, like the middle child who flies under his or her parents’ (or in this case, patrons’) radar.

Long before Mercado la Paloma garnered attention for its Yucatecan and Peruvian cuisine at no-frills prices, a friend suggested that I visit the food court to sample Thai Corner’s offerings, and it has been my go-to lunch spot ever since.

For me, any Thai meal is incomplete without a Thai iced tea ($1.75). The nominal price of Thai Corner’s iced tea belies its quality; this Thai iced tea combines the perfect ratio of tea to milk to craft a creamy but refreshing drink.

Because I am both a creature of habit and a pad thai aficionado, lunch this day was, of course, shrimp pad thai ($7.00). In terms of quantity, quality and price, this dish is second-to-none. This deep to-go box was absolutely jam-packed with perfectly-flavored noodles, well-cooked shrimp as well as the standard pad thai toppings of carrots, bean sprouts and peanuts. Although this is not my favorite pad thai in Los Angeles, it is certainly towards the top of the list.

For his lunch, J ordered the papaya salad with shrimp ($5.55), which provided a satisfying crunch with every bite thanks to the shredded papaya, tomatoes and peanuts. Although this dish is sweet at first, wusses (like me) beware; the spice of the chili lime sauce kicks in very suddenly and doesn’t let up. J (who didn’t notice the chili pepper next to the dish on the menu) ended up drinking most of our Thai iced tea to wash this down.

With quick, delicious food at reasonable prices, a lunch stop at Thai Corner never fails to deliver. The next time you’re at Mercado la Paloma, keep walking past Mo-Chica and give them a try.

Thai Corner

www.thaicornerfoodex.com

3655 S. Grand Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90007

(213) 748-8006

Yai Restaurant

I am a pad thai fanatic. About every other week, I ask J, “You know what I’m craving?” and he, knowing the answer by now, responds, “Pad thai?” Indeed, my good man. Indeed.

As a result of my obsession, I am always on the hunt for new Thai restaurants and always game to try any place that people claim has “the best pad thai (!!!).” I’d heard good things about Yai Restaurant and decided to branch out from my favorite Thai restaurant–Pailin Thai Cuisine–to quell my most recent craving.

Yai Restaurant is located in Hollywood, in an assuming corner location next to Natalie Peruvian Seafood Restaurant (which is hear is quite yummy) and a 7-11. I’ve driven past the restaurant a million times and never noticed it, but now it was time to give them a try.

Any Thai meal is incomplete without a Thai iced tea ($1.50). Yai’s version was good but the flavor of the tea dominated the taste of the milk, and I prefer a creamy, milky Thai iced tea.

Because we were starving, J and I ordered egg rolls ($4.95) as an appetizer. I don’t love eggrolls and believe that, if you’ve tried one, you’ve tried them all. These were fine, and I was glad to have some food in my stomach.

J ordered the Panang curry ($8.95). I don’t know if it’s because the curry was served on a plate rather than in a bowl, but it seemed like there was a mountain of chicken. Score. The chicken was delicious and tender, and the curry had the perfect amount of spice which worked beautifully with the rich peanut-y flavor.

And now, the piece de resistance: the pad thai ($6.95). For as hungry as I was, the first thought I had was, “The bean sprouts and peanuts take up half the plate!” Sad. The shrimp were lovely, plump and perfectly cooked, but the noodles were oddly wet and juicy, and the overall flavor of the dish was a little weak. The pad thai wasn’t bad; it just wasn’t all that I hoped it would be. I sort of wished that I had stuck with Pailin Thai.

Yai Restaurant is a lovely hole-in-the-wall with great prices, friendly service and yummy food. However, until I find another Thai restaurant that has supposedly the “best pad thai,” I’m sticking to Pailin Thai Cuisine.

Yai Restaurant

5757 Hollywood Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90028

(323) 462- 0292