Pinches Tacos...a better taco for the Strip when you need it

8200 W. Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323)650-0614
Mon-Wed 11AM-Midnight
Thur-Sat 11AM-3AM
Sun 11AM-10PM

The Sunset strip. A place you love to go and also hate to go to. When you're there and want to be, it's THE place to party. When you HAVE to be there and DON'T want to be it can be the equivalent of sitting on the 405 at 5:05. The joy of the area is that there's lots to like about it even if you aren't there to party, such as shopping and great food. A new restaurant by the name of Pinches Tacos, right at the edge of the strip, is taking advantage of the night life street walkers (no... not "those" street walkers) that are hopping from party to party late at night.

What I like about this place is the fresh taste of the ingredients. The owners, the Anaya brothers of Cha Cha Cha fame, have really tried to keep things legit while at the same time making sure that the ingredients stand out as healthy (or at least as healthy as Mexican food could presume to be).

The place itself has fast food vibe to it where you walk up to the register and order your food and they bring it out. It does however have a great patio that's covered and the food is brought out to you.

Obviously this place is totally a taqueria, but they do serve more than that. The tacos themselves are not cheap but don't let that discourage you in the least. These tacos are filled to the brim with meat. Not fall apart and get you pissed off full, but mighty full. The carnitas shown above were nicely flavored and juicy. Many people's pork tacos fall flate cause they cook them a tad too long and they get prety dried out, but not so with Pinches.

The fish taco was not so much my thing. While it was packed I didn't like the fact that the salsa overpowered the fish all together. Definitely designed for the late night buzzed crowd.

Their flautas are pretty dynamite. Light and well constructed. The meat inside, delicately flavored and moist. All plusses and a sure bet when you can't decide on what to get.

The al pastor was pretty rocking and you could really taste the marinaded char on these. These have been the most consistent for me. I could load these up for a party and everyone would be happy (unless you don't "dine on swine").

Their mole tacos were special indeed. Very packed and slightly sweet which is refreshing from typical mole that has more of an earthiness to it. These were rich and very satisfying. These are wonderful, especially with the horchata they make.

The carne asada had just a hint of smoke and on occasion were juicy but for the most part were bordering on being a little dry. Though not my favorite in LA, I could hit these just about anytime.

As I said before, the tacos aren't that cheap. Ranging between $2 to $3 a taco it could get a little pricey if you're trying to go there when you could eat a small donkey, but those tacos are really packed and packed with good ingredients. There is parking too which is another miracle for Sunset. The final kicker is...they deliver! So next time you're partying on the Strip remember these tacos to send you on your way.

Free refills: On the soda yes, on the horchata no (I badly wish they did though).
Entree Price Range: Instead of quoting things...HERE'S THE MENU

Tara's Himalayan Cuisine...one of my top 3 this year!

10855 Venice Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310)836-9696
Lunch Mon-Sat 11AM-3PM
Dinner Mon-Sun 5PM-10PM

In LA you'll find that there are many different options when it comes to eating great food. We have some of the best cuisine in the world, at least when it comes to per capita. Rare is it though, that you feel you get to find exceptional standout food that you know the proprietor should probably be charging more for. I'm not talking fine dining really cause in my most humble of opinions, those owners are seeking to make an inflated buck. I liken it to how much it costs when you go to the doctor for anything. I do want good service but I don't want to go broke over it. When I go out for food I feel like I should feel like I paid for a good meal. Not going and having the opinion of "well...let the punishment fit the crime".

Recently I have made one such discovery. A small hole in the wall place called Tara's Himalayan Cuisine has become one of me and Celeste's favorite finds for this year. Not only is this a great find but in all honesty it's officially one of our favorite restaurants this year period.

Me and Celeste were on our way home from work trying to find this one spot on our list of "to go" places but they were closed on Mondays and so we kept looking. This was one of the few times you'll ever hear me saying "thank you for the traffic on Venice Blvd". The traffic made it easy to spot lots of places that we weren't as familiar with and Tara's happened to be one of them. I immediately made a U-turn once I saw they were open and parked right out front. We stepped into a charming little dining area with an exposed kitchen on the right. It was cold outside that night and coming into the warm sweet place made things get better instantly.

Let me preface this by saying that in my life on this planet I have made many attempts to enjoy tea. I have thought to myself "so many people love tea...what in the world do they see in it"? To me, it's lots of smell with very little payoff. Smells great but to me tastes like hot water. I've tried many teas in an attempt to be proven wrong, all to sad disappointment. It's a bummer for me cause I feel there's this profound group of intellectuals sipping tea that I will never be a part in conversation. Until now. We sat down and the lady (whom I can only assume is the owner and possibly named Tara as she pointed out small personal tidbits about the place) was quick to offer us some tea when we mentioned how cold it was outside. The tea comes out just as shown above, with milk already in it. She told us it was Nepalese tea which was made up of black tea and a mixture of Himalayan spices ( I believe cardamom and cloves were involved somewhere in the mixture). I can not tell you how much I liked it! I had 4 or 5 cups of it. I wanted to know if I could purchase the mix from her to always have it available (no such luck). It had lots of flavor and had a bouquet that drew you in to each sip. I pass by this place and think about just stopping in for the tea alone!

But let's not get carried away about the tea only, this place is still about the food and let's get to that. We started off with a couple of appetizers. Above shown is an order of Samosas. Their's consisted of mixed potatoes, peas, carrots in a perfect flaky crust and came with their own special tamarind chutney. They were smooth in flavor and texture and pretty darn big to boot.

Our other appetizer was their chicken Momos which came with their own special tomato achar. For those of you that don't know about momos, think Indian versions of dumplings. These were steamed to perfection and packed with tender chicken and floral spices. Their achar sauce was a pleasant departure from traditional achar in that it tasted of, what can only assumed, cashews which made a lovely complimentary to the abundance of flavor.

Their Saag Paneer may very well be my favorite version of this dish. Smooth spinach with chunks of paneer but the real secret in their saag is that it has cinnamon in it. Our's came with a full stick resting inside. This along with some other secret spices added a subtle sweetness that sneaks up on you and makes this very standard plate super memorable.

Their Chicken chili had chicken that was battered in chick pea flour, and sauteed in ginger, garlic, onion, tomato and bell peppers. As you'll notice their "chili" is very far from conventional American chili which makes us think of this pot of stew with beans that has enough heat to it to melt the fillings in your mouth. Not so with this dish, but more of an abundance of earthy flavors caressing the moist chicken with just a touch of after burn.

Their Lamb sekuwa is a sizzling platter of small strips of lamb that were tandoori oven baked with ginger, garlic and a special blend of Himalayan spices with a hint of soy sauce. This plate rocked and was gone in no time flat. The lamb was super tender and very moist despite having been tandoori cooked and may I add that the pepper popped in flavor all over this stuff but wasn't overkill. The onions were tasty enough to eat on there own and overall this plate is winner in every aspect.

We finished up our meal and at this point we were elated with everything including the wonderful service. She asked us would we like some dessert and that she had just made her carrot pudding? She could have told us anything and we would have bought it we were that happy. But oddly enough carrots wasn't what I was expecting for dessert. Her Carrot pudding was crushed carrots cooked in milk, raisins, and cream. We were pleasantly surprised at how much we liked this. If you were take a bite without anyone telling you what this was you might not guess that it was made with carrots except by the color. It had a mild sweetness with a thick wheat texture. It was gobbled up.

We weren't really paying attention to prices and we knew what to expect from previous Indian types of meals. Not so with Tara's! Super affordable be thy name!

This is by far one of those places that has tremendous quality and service all at "I'm stealing from your children prices". They have the incredible combination of not your completely standard fare (but familiar enough), great prices, they DELIVER, have wonderful service, take card, and to boot are hidden enough as to not have the place be packed all the time and yet positioned as to attract the many who sit in traffic. Serendipity has blessed me again!

PS. Here's the menu...remember they deliver! And on another side note, Tara's only uses fresh, locally grown produce and spices direct from Nepal. They really "do" authentic!

Free Refills: Yes...get the tea and fall in love!
Entree Price Ranges: Lunch is $5 to $7.50 and dinner $6 to $11.50 (but most are $9 or less)

Joe's Pizza (of Santa Monica!)...bridging the gap between New York and LA for pizza!

111 Broadway (at Ocean Ave.)
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310)395-9222
Sun-Thurs 10AM-Midnight
Fri-Sat 10AM-3AM
CASH ONLY!

Joe's Pizza. Joe's. Pizza. A hole has been filled in me that I longed for ever since I moved out here.

After much buzz about Joe's Pizza (famous of Carmine and Bleecker in New York and just famous of New York period) and a bit of delay, are finally open in a great little spot in Santa Monica right by the ocean. Let me explain a little bit to the people of LA. Joe's to many in NY is the standard by which many New Yorkers set there level of quality for pizza. And while New York has many amazing pizza places Joe's really does have a certain something that you can't quite put into words. You can go anywhere in NY and get a great hot dog from any vendor and you can go just about anywhere in NY and get a great if not VERY decent slice of pizza but there is still one Joe's pizza.

Finding out the rumors were indeed true that they opened yesterday, I HAD to head on down there. Now let me explain, I'm in a play currently and was finishing up at 11 last night at Santa Monica and Vine and was compelled to go down there. That's what kind of hold Joe's has on me. I was past Mid City in the middle of the city, far from the 10, and headed all the way over to the ocean at midnight to grab a slice of this man's pizza. Upon arrival I see a super simple store front where they make pizza and that's obviously the main concern. A couple of tables with stools and that's about it but that's really all you need. Joe was telling me that earlier that day the place was a madhouse! Luckily for me, we went late, and LA people seem generally resigned to the fact that there isn't much nightlife out here unless you're clubbing or getting wasted some where. So this new location, while they still had customers popping in, was way more under control.

THE CHEESE!

THE PEPPERONI!

Citysearch was on-hand while we were there to "paparazzi" Joe in action

Stunning results!

In life, you hope that you find what you love doing and are able to make money doing it. Joe seems to be one of those fortunate of people of whom it's plain to see that he loves making people pizza, and feels a great satisfaction from making people happy with his craft. It's people like him that you want to be around when it comes to food.


So how's the pizza? Some of the best I myself have had the experience of tasting. Now I won't claim that this will be the best for you cause after all we all have differences of opinions when it comes to food, but I can wholeheartedly say that you'll at least like it...a lot. So many intangibles are involved from the sweetness of the sauce, to how the dough is thin and crunchy but has just the right amount of give to be able to fold. It's the consistency of the cheese and how all the ingredients interact with each other. It's the marriage of all things coming together, in the right amount of heat, where you get consistent results. Joe's Pizza has all this, not to mention the guy is just a sweet man who has got it down to a science. His pizza can only be understood by tasting it. Words fall flat when it comes to describing it.

I ordered up 2 slices, one cheese and one pepperoni and was very satisfied. And yet I was compelled to buy another slice to completely fill me up as if I was afraid Joe's wouldn't be there tomorrow. What profound pizza this is for me. Top it all off with the fact that they have bottled Coke and you have a meal that could become as popular in Santa Monica as In N Out and Fat Burger are in other places.

Oh, and did I mention the price? Try $2.50 for a slice. I think the idea is that he knows he can sell his pizza at such a great price because if you keep it at a price people can afford, they'll be more apt to come on back...with friends. So yeah he may lose a little at first on projected figures, but in the long run he's got you hooked. Sure it's worth more than that. At other places they they do in fact charge more, but it's hard to rationalize pricey pizza at anytime, because most people know what goes into making one.

As I pause and reflect on what we like and don't like, as people who just love food...and in the end isn't that what it should all be about? Just about what you like. Pizza is one of those things which should be based only on what you like, and not it's state of origin. But Joe, you make a mean pizza that is as New York as all 5 boroughs. But more importantly, you make a pizza that fits my idea of what great pizza tastes like. I welcome you with open arms and hope you never leave LA!

PS. They DELIVER! And here's the menu for download.

Free Refills: No
Entree Price Range: $2.50 to $2.75 a slice and pies range from $17 to $20

Green Leaves...vegan love for the meat minded

1769 Hillhurst Ave.
Los Angeles, CA. 90027
(323)664-2345
Open Daily 11AM–Midnight

***Lindsey C. of Reality LA this is so you!***

Our next worthwhile foray into the world of veganism is Green Leaves and what can I say? I'm of the mindset that meat out of sight is out of mind. If any of you have been reading my posts you know that I'm not such a vegan, in fact I love meat to the point of almost wishing I had my own livestock to eat if I could.

Located right across the street from Home in the Los Feliz area this cozy spot has been winning vegan hearts on the East Side for a little while now. The interior has a sort of calm rock and roll meets corner cafe appeal to it (which ironically is also the crowd I think they're aiming for) .

Despite what you may be thinking this is a coconut, not an amateur rocket. And, it was cracked open just for us. If you haven't ventured to try the natural libation of coconut, this is the place to do it. No cracking it at home over your sink with your biggest/heaviest knife, risking life, limb and loss of juice. Here you can enjoy it's lightly sweet nectar and meat for $2.75 and get enough to share between two or three people.

Their Spring Rolls were solid veggie spring rolls, with an emphasis on glass noodles and tofu. What made them stand out was the unusual sauce they served along side, which was like the standard sweet chili oil sauce but theirs had a little something of a special aromatic that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Needless to say the sauce itself added an even fresher taste on this already fresh appetizer.

They describe this their Rock and Roll Noodle as "Pan fried wide rice noodles with tofu, chili sauce, basil, tomato, bell peppers, bean sprouts & our special house jalapeno sauce". I describe it as quite possibly my favorite vegan plate to date. It satisfies my basic needs for something flavorful, healthy, textures and plate size.

Almost looks like a hamburger with mushrooms doesn't it? Well, it's their mushroom burger with lentil loaf for the patty and it made quite a tasty burger. The lentil loaf itself was very tastefully spiced lentils, so if you like lentils you'll love it. The mushrooms were well sauteed and tender, the lettuce, tomato and sprouts fresh and crisp, and served on a super fresh (almost sweet) wheat bun. Make sure you try the sauces they bring out if you get this too, they add great flavors. One word of warning, the lentil loaf might fall apart on you. Celeste found though that if she removed the bottom bun and turned it upside-down that it stayed together just fine. Hey, what matters is that it tastes good and it's healthy, right?

All in all, the restaurant has great returnability factor. Healthy, tasty, good service and some awesome late night hours. Street parking can sometimes be tricky but there's plenty of it so you're cool. So next time you or your significant is feeling healthy or tired or not feeling healthy please pop on in as you'll be highly impresses with their sizable menu of familiar yet alternative eating!

PS. Pop on in for breakfast for some extraordinary pancakes!

Free Refills: Sorry to say but I always forget to check cause I never order soft drinks when I'm there...something about being healthy in there.
Entree Ranges: Appetizers are $3 to $6, soups and salads $3 to $7, breakfast is $4 to $8 and main entrees are $4 to $9. Can you say VERY good deal?

Cheebo's...In honor of our current sky

7533 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323)850-7070
Mon-Thu 8AM-11PM
Fri-Sat 8AM-12PM

The sky still has it's fresh layer of orange thanks to the fires that have crisped the south land. All that orange has reminded me of our very own Cheebo restaurant here in Hollywood. If you've ever been patrolling down Sunset you'll know that is quickly one of the most memorable places on the strip thanks to it's orange artsy exterior.

Inside your eyes are treated to pop art laden walls while your butts are treated to "getting-to- know-all-about-your-nearest-neighbor" seating. And though the seating is sometimes tight it's always been a friendly environment...maybe Cheebo's attracts all the right people.

While perusing their menu you'll notice it's quite eclectic and for the most part healthy. They strive to use organic, all natural, nitrate and hormone free products, but this doesn't mean flavorless. In fact, most of their plates exude a natural in your face experience. Take their Cheeborrito for instance. While possibly one of the simplest items on their menu, they have paid attention to make sure the the bacon is chopped and spread evenly throughout. They give you 3 extra items of your choice to accompany the eggs, hash browns, bacon and salsa already inside the tortilla.

I'm not going to mention everything on their menu though most of it I could easily write about. I will however make mention of two often bought items. One being the Porkwich. Their description of it is "slow roasted organic pork, pickles, roasted onion, manchego cheese, tarragon may on ciabatta". My description, "pork holiness nestled between artisanal bread". This is one of the "slamminest" (non BBQ) pork sandwiches on the West side. By the way, I love the chips that come with this plate (as well as many of their other plates), they're freshly made and never too salty.

The other favorite is their pizza. The crust is soft on the inside and a little less soft on the outside, the cheese is smooth with lots of "string" character, the toppings are very fresh, and it's consistently like this. It comes out on a wood plank and is good enough for one (with an appetite) or two people (if you're eating light) . Their pizza is by far above average but obviously more artisanal and therefore wasn't on my pizza week postings. That's not to say it isn't absolutely fabulous and worth ever cent you pay for it, it's just not your traditional pie (to some it's even better than tradition) . Pictured above is their Alfredo Slab, a white pizza with ricotta, ham, spinach and mushrooms. It's one of Celeste's favorites and I think has been ordered by someone in our party almost every time we've been. Now if you're going for take out, you may want to to order their famous "slab" which is a 3 foot slab of pizza that can be sectioned off for toppings.

This is just a sampling of the many glorious items they have to offer and though I only mentioned day time meals they will blow your socks off as well when it comes to dinner. I really do wish I could name off all the plates that are special, but I think you'll just have to go and discover for yourself. Oh man, before I forget, they have a killer Arnold Palmer...it's seriously my favorite. It's fresh lemonade and not your typical tea to boot!

Parking can be weird depending on when you're there. It's a safe bet to park on the street around the place but just pay attention to the signs...it is West Hollywood after all. The staff are pretty on it and though the place has some serious hustle and bustle to accompany the noise level, it's generally a pleasant experience always. When you do decide to go, try and grab a spot on their patio on a sunny day, it always reminds me about how nice it is to enjoy Hollywood.

PS. celebs go here...often... & FREE WIFI.

Free Drink Refills: Yes
Entree Price Range: Breakfast/lunch $7 to $20 and dinner is $10 to $24 with one special plate (28 day dry aged Prime all natural NY strip) setting you back $35

BIG PS. I have a winner for the ticket give away, thanks to all of you who gave it a shot. Keep checking the site for more opportunities (sometimes they're not the subject of the post) and BIG HINT, I'll have another REALLY REALLY soon.

India's Clay Oven...romance is in the air...maybe it's the spices

7233 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323)936-1000
Sun-Thur 10:30AM-10:30PM
Fri-Sat 10:30AM-11PM

I miss seeing people. I miss meeting people. At heart many people say that they could never label me as "not outgoing," but they forget about the time when they first met me and I was quiet. Observant. Wanting to impress, so I chose my words more carefully. Then as time went on I became quite the animated outspoken person that they know me as now, but that only came with spending time with them. My wife Celeste can vouch on everything I just said. I think this mentality is what keeps me the way I am when I visit restaurants. I'm never one to start talking to people I don't know right off the bat. I'll go, and try and be as inconspicuous as possible. I almost desire to be forgettable. Maybe inwardly I want people to work hard to get to know me. Who knows? I try and recall when Celeste (my wife) met me. Was I this hard to get to know? Oh that's right...she pretty much blew me off the night I met her...so at least you can conclude that I was not assertive (it was with persistence that I gained victory) . Anyways, these were things I pondered last time we went out to India's Clay Oven. I still love the fact that I go out on dates with her.

India's Clay Oven isn't a romantic spot per se but I've found that romance is what you make it and where you bring it. Dare I say it can be at a bus stop if you make it right. The place is nice and cozy though and rocking LA's Indian food scene for about 17 years now. They gotten raves from LA Times, LA Weekly, LA Magazine and Elmer Dills from channel 7 and they bring their A game to each customer that comes in, so much so that customers keep coming back. While dining there you may notice them welcoming people by name cause people return, and return with friends. The best type of viral marketing.

One of their items they're especially known for are their samosas. They are without a doubt something special. Lots of samosas suffer from blandness and too hard or thick of a shell. This is not the case with these. They have a knack for being super consistent with how light the outside is and how smooth the potato is with the peas enhancing the subtle spices. If you go in, these are a must try. Not to mention they're pretty hearty sized and a good price.

This time around, we also grabbed an order of Lamb Boti kabab, the Paneer Korma Curry and a plate of Murg (Chicken) Buryani. The Lamb Boti had pretty massive chunks of lamb that came out sizzling on a platter with sweet onions. We drizzled some lemon on it and the explosive flavor on each bite was a knockout. The lamb was moist bearing some sweetness from the onions and the spices were pungent in all those wonderful clay oven ways.

The Paneer Korma curry is without a doubt one of my faves there. It's not completely smooth which is great for the flavors of this dish. Sometimes Korma has the tendency to be a little too creamy where it weights you down early on in your meal. Their's is rich but not heavy and laced throughout with cashews and onion. It's lightly spiced and quite memorable when you have it. The paneer itself is firm and it's mild flavor complemented. I could eat at this plate once or twice a month and be totally happy.

The last words on India's Oven is that the surrounding area is street parking, and after 6 they have valet (if you know the area you know why) . To complete a night of makeshift romance, after you've grabbed your dinner you can head over a couple of doors to LA's best and I think only dedicated movie revival house to catch a double feature.

In the end, I think that this site is my form of getting people to know about me without me having to deal with my shyness. Thanks for partaking in my conversation.

Free Refills: Yes but they also have rocking India's Special beer (as well as other assorted Indian beer)
Entree Price Range: $9 to $15 (one item being $19) and combination plates run $16 to $19

Tribute to Burger Stand Week on What's To Eat LA: Irv's Burgers (a small ode)

8289 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323)650-2456
Mon-Fri 7:30AM-8PM
Sat 8AM-7PM
Sun Closed
CASH ONLY

To wrap up my week we have our, beloved of many, hamburger stand called Irv's Burgers. Many know the story, and for those of you that don't you can click on their page and read about the drama they've gone through in the past to now have come out (mostly) on top. To make a long story short though, Irv's was about to be turned into a coffee shop and people gathered in one voice to rescue this little underdog. Letters were written and emails were sent and Irv's got saved. Why would people really care all that much about a burger stand? Why would people actually be compelled to do something when it's just a little hut that makes burgers and fries?

This woman. Her name is Sonia Hong (owner of Irv's) and people like her don't exist. She may be one of the only people in LA that I know that expresses genuine non-stop cheerfulness. Does she have glum days? Possibly. But, I would never know it cause whenever I see her she reminds me that the potential for people to be incredibly full of love is possible. She is a bit of happiness personified. When you show up you'll notice that she talks to everyone as if she knows them and has known them for years (often she does), calling them by name, and the one's that she doesn't know by name she still treats like family...with enthusiastic sweetness and meekness. She is one of the few people that understands that a huge part about what makes people come back is "you". No other business can get another Sonia cause there's only one of her, and she is Irv's.

As for the burgers she puts together, she is a master. The kind of person who can walk away and talk and come back right on time to flip it. She just knows...cause she's been doing it that long. Notice the plate. They all come like that. When you taste it you realize it really was just for me. Also, an odd fact is that she uses the picture to identify the person who ordered it (yes that's what I look like in case you're wondering...at least on that day) . A customized burger that always knocks you down. The patty was put together fresh, as well as fresh ingredients for everything else, but really that's the most I can say about it. The mystery of Irv's is shocking, cause there's no real understanding of "why" it tastes so good by the looks of it. She has some kind of magic going on that makes her simple burgers taste so good...almost too good for how simple they are. Maybe they're done better by some magical means, like maybe the laws of physics cease to exist in her kitchen. Bottom line is that people come back for this amazing burger and to be around her. It is a testament to her and to the burgers that are so beloved that she had enough people rally to her aid when she needed it most.

There's an actual eating area that's covered (which rocks now that we're about to start getting some rain) and parking is street parking which can sometimes be menacing in West Hollywood but it's well worth it. Or if you don't feel like going out, you'll be shocked to know that they deliver. They are THE ONLY burger stand I know that delivers. Bless them for this.

To many people reading this, this is old news but to those who don't know or have never heard of Irv's please go on down and be amazed. You'll not only feel at home, but you'll be at home having a burger that is a thing of terrifying deliciousness. Sonia, if you're reading this, may you live to be 100 and have Irv's to show for it the entire time.

Free Refills: No
Entree Price Range: Burgers run from $2.91 to $4.58 but just get the #1 combo for $5.08

Thai House...a personal favorite spot in my hood

8657 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(310)274-5492
Lunch: Mon-Fri 12PM-3PM
Dinner: Sun-Thurs 5PM-10PM
Friday: 5PM-11PM
Saturday: 1PM-11PM

I laughed the other day when I realized I hadn't put one of my favorite local Thai places up. Thai House has been open for a quite a few years now and I've been blessed to live within relative walking distance of it. But really what is "walking distance" in LA? It's been interesting to watch how they've slowly been adding to their clientele and have really made it a great community dinner spot. Funny thing I've noticed recently about many Asian spots about our town is their very generic in their choice of names. I mean how do you distinguish one Thai House from another Thai House? Just makes me wonder why they chose the names they did. But I digress.

The walls covered with young artists artwork, the exposed roof, and the kind of a trendy overall warehouse atmosphere gives this place a pleasant feel that makes everyone feel at home. Now, while I can personally vouch for a good portion of the entire menu let me show off some recent highlighted plates that were pretty killer.

We started off with a bowl of their Coconut Chicken soup which had creamy Thai spice and lemongrass broth with galanga and fresh mushrooms. The coconut cream coupled with lots of tang thanks to the lemongrass and galanga are great. It's also hearty, with the healthy sized crimini mushrooms that float around in it. After having this a couple of times I need to ask my wife to snag me some of this soup next time I'm sick. It's big on taste and the hints of heat give it enough zing to put it within reach of most heat sensitive palates.

I test many places out with their cashew chicken to get a feel for how they make some of their basics. Their's consists of good sized hunks of tender, juicy, sauteed chicken coated in roasted red curry sauce (not too spicy), with scallions and water chestnuts to even out the plate. It's solid and worth getting when you can't decide on what to get.

Their Spicy Beef Thai Yumm has thinly sliced tender NY beef strips on a bed of fresh greens with tangy lemon grass vinaigrette and crisp red onions. Everything's lightly dressed, but there's plenty of extra if you decided to douse the meat and greens like we did. This is such a great plate when you're feeling like you want something more fresh but still want some meat.

Other plates of note include their Panang, Pad Thai, their Catfish Special (crisped whole catfish falling off the bone with a teriyaki and lime sauce), and their Angel Wings (chicken and pork stuffed in chicken wings). Every time I come back I wonder why I don't come here more often. The prices are pretty good, the place itself is always a pleasure to be inside and the service is good. Oh and theirs that whole walking distance thing...maybe I'm just lazy. Have a great 3 day weekend guys!

Free Drink Refills: No
Entree Price Range:Lunch specials range from $7.50 to $9 while dinner prices range $8 to $15
***********************************************************

A funny thing heard at a wine shop at their cheese section. A customer picked this up and the person at the counter said "Yeah made from real pug's milk". The customer was like "really"? Some people are so gullable.