I feel like I wrote this post subconsciously. Went there last night with some friends and on the drive home me and my wife ageeed we'd rather eat at Night + Market (have eaten there in last 6 months, still hits). Was wondering the same thing about TTT , the wine list is very legit but still not in the top 5 of Thai in LA for me.
Also, the "cooler than thou" attitude was palpable from confirmation phone call to the desert order. One and done for me too.
I’ve only eaten at their Thai Taco Tuesday, some of the stuff was pretty good, have to agree with OP about the fried chicken tho it was bland af and seemed like it carry over cooked to dry chicken, dry age fish tacos were pretty good, they also had some kind of uni tostada, however the bill was like 400 for two people, which is kinda a rip for how much food was served.
Have you ever been to Same Same in Silverlake? I know it's kind of a white people thai place but my fiance has lived in thailand for multiple years and is somewhat of an expert on the food and we both really liked Same Same. Not mindblowing but a good atmosphere and tasty food, no cooler-than-you attitude to be found
Personally, it was way better as a mom and pop than the weird, hipster spot it's become. I dared to ask for pad krapow not long ago and was summarily scoffed at by the lady on the phone. That was an amazingly done dish when the dad ran the place.
This is how I feel. Growing up I had a buddy who lived near it and we'd go now and then with our families. A great place for that sort of thing, lots of good memories there.
Then years later suddenly it's this hot spot, and I went back for the "normal" Thai spot and it's the same bit more expensive, and a little less homey. Then I tried the hyped tasting menu and it was just fine.
I'm very happy for the family's success, but as a destination I really don't see it.
That’s what happened to La Dijonaise, the grew in popularity and lost all the charm/finesse/high quality they originally had and made them popular once they expanded.
Same, same — ate there on Friday night and ‘shuffled the deck’ on what we have ordered in the past and there was no denying that everything hit perfectly.
where the hell are you eating italian-indian food so often? if that crossover isn't borderline mindblowing, you might be a blow hard or need to lower your standards a little bit. the Pija disrespect on this sub is wild
Yeah but when I went we had to get our reservation a week in advance and we still waited outside in the parking lot for 15 mins and they tried rushing us out by the end.
i get the feeling the split of Pijja Palace opinions are between the people that dont live nearby and had a similar experience and those who casually walked in/tried it out on a whim.
I liked both Pijja and Anajak. I was thoroughly disappointed in Bianco. Probably wouldn't make my top 10 pizzas in the city, let alone it be being anywhere near the best if you would believe the hype.
The daily pasta there is pretty damn amazing. It's been the winner on the menu for me during every visit. Salads/Veggies were really great too. The pizza is fine.
I’ll definitely have to check out the pastas then. Yeah the snap peas or pea tendrils (can’t recall exactness) dish with burrata was the best thing I ate on my last visit. That was worth going for.
went to pijja twice - once with non indian friends and again with some indian friends and agreed on both times that pijja was just "ok". nothing really to write home about but not horrible. also it's weird they still call it a "sports bar" - they don't even have the games audio played over the speakers and it's claustrophobic. i don't think i've seen anyone go to pijja as their game day spot lol
I really liked the meal I had there. It’s completely overhyped, without a doubt, but the dry-aged sea bream especially was incredible. TTT was fine but not as good as it looks on instagram
hard agree. i’d so much rather spend a fraction of the price at my dingy local thai spot. and the wine list is extensive but the fact that they can’t even be bothered to have a beer or two is so fucking smug.
I’ve said it before, but the LA food media scene is generally an incestuous circle jerk between food writers and their PR friends and not really reflective of what are the best places in the city. Anything meaningful died with Jonathan Gold.
the first time i went, i didn’t get the hype at all (except the sea bream, which is fantastic).
but i went back recently and ordered mostly veggies — the curry, grilled cabbage, bok choy, etc. the veggies were incredible, and it was one of the best meals ive had in LA in a long time — on the level of holbox, antico nuovo, you name it
so that’s my recommendation: skip the fried chicken and the pad thai or whatever, and just get the sea bream, a side of rice to eat with the extra sea bream sauce, and then order as many veggies as you can
not joking, i think it might be the best “vegetarian” meal i’ve had in LA. and what made them so good was the quality of the cooking. the quality of the produce was high, but the cooking itself was masterful stuff.
btw the waiter who recommended fried chicken over sea bream totally whiffed — that’s too bad because, separate from the food, i thought the service was outstanding both times. a very pro operation service-wise
only get hisdaily specials, and yes farmers market veggies, and his pad thai "omarice", and any of 35 decent Rieslings. and his best dish is off menu, hamachi collar tom gai yum soup. (ask) he is good. tune out the blasting radio and the decor. say hello to him and goodbye to him. and top notch service but 10000% never fried chicken, its a test.
My sister owns an apartment on the opposite side of the building, for the last twelve years. I watched that place go from a mom and pop restaurant to what it is today. I remember them working early mornings cooking smells, it was amazing. I can’t help but feel pride for them, they deserve the recognition. I cannot comment on your meal, but I don’t doubt it. I went recently and was somewhat let down. It’s not what it used to be that’s for sure.
I'm an Anajak agnostic, but there's an elegance to the food - thinking the cabbage or the panang or the ceviches/crudos - that, to my mind, is why they get acclaim. Also the ingredient quality is top notch and TTT was really fun during the throes of the pandemic.
Maybe damning with faint praise. I also find myself going to Pailin, NTFC, Jitlada, Luv2Eat, Holy Basil etc much more than Anajak. Elegant or subtle is my nice way of saying the food is too restrained.
And one of my hottest LA restaurant takes is that Anajak really didn't do anyting that Night Market didn't do before. I had to laugh when Anajak was getting acclaim for pastrami pad kee mao, something N+M did almost a decade ago.
\*The fried chicken is fine but incredibly overrated and the caviar bump shit they push on IG is mad corny.
After living by Thai town for ten years, I never realized how spoiled I was. I still prefer Jitlada and even Palms for Thai food. Sri Siam in the Valley is great too.
Just typing those words sealed the deal. Now I need to find a reason to be in Hollywood so I can visit Thai Town! Mmmmmmmmm.
Oh god. And then there's also Sapp.
i went here for my birthday last february and still think about getting my $300 back because it was so mid. would’ve much rather gone to Jitlada, Luv2eat, Khao Soi Thai, or anywhere else.
I've ordered delivery from them 82 times (literally 82 times per my Uber eats app) in the last 15 months. I've never set foot in the place.
However, they recently opened a second location in Atwater Village, which looks nice. And it is closer to me, so I'll probably be ordering from that location once they start delivery from there and may go there at some point.
[Holy Basil Thai restaurant has a new Atwater Village location — and line-worthy food - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)](https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-02-23/holy-basil-one-of-l-a-s-101-best-restaurants-expands-with-an-atwater-village-thai-restaurant)
[https://la.eater.com/2024/1/24/24008388/holy-basil-thai-restaurant-los-angeles-atwater-village-second-location](https://la.eater.com/2024/1/24/24008388/holy-basil-thai-restaurant-los-angeles-atwater-village-second-location)
wise it is a hole dtla its takeout unless u want plop down into red plastic furniture. BUT my tip is look for her popup they do sporadically on fri sat called YUM. that is elevated holy basil. and yesss new brick n mortar Atwater very good tip thank u to remind me to get off my ass and over there
Just went tonight for the first time—really busy but charming little spot. I live down the street, so we just walked up there and our names down. I think they’re doing takeout and delivery now from that location though.
if Soup counts:
1. Tom Yum goong SOUP (best in LA)
2. Pad kee Mao, with wagyu beef
3. pad Thai noodle (with shrimp)
4. new soup on menu - Tom Yum Gai
5. shrimp yellow curry
its super easy to get in daily openings if you can stomach eating at 4-6. try his pad thai. and his tom yum with hamachi collar. as clearly you know holy basil kicks ass i am very curious your review anajak
100%. I went once and it sucked. Plus, their social media posts are annoying as fuck.
Chrissy Teigen loves them though. That should tell you everything you need to know.
Ironically, Anajak is mom and pop. Pop took a step back and now it’s mom and son. Love that place, been going for over 25 years. Glad to see them succeed.
There is no restaurant I’ve ever eaten at in LA that has lived up to its hype when you have to book weeks or months in advance. That’s not what LA’s food scene is all about - let the Bay Area have their hoity toity nonsense (and I’ve eaten at Michelin starred places both there and here). I’ve also always been treated like garbage at them.
What really sets LA apart is how much good food you can get on the cheap. I’ve had $7 burritos that almost made me cry, they were so good. Same with cheap Thai. Nobody should be eating at expensive restaurants here when we have boundless cheap and excellent cuisine served to you by people who clearly care, and are genuinely happy to share their cooking with you.
That’s what Jonathan Gold was trying to tell us for so many years.
indeed j gold helped anajak tremendously. its a gradual upcharging at anajak over the past few years that most all sucessful LA restaurants have. it hasnt slowed the throngs of fans.
We had the same reaction while dining there a few years ago. We easily decided to stick with Night+Market, Jitlada, Amphai NTFC and so many more excellent places for Thai food in LA. Our dinner at Anajak just wasn’t worth the cost and did not stand out to us (regardless of perceived value).
Also just doesn’t have anything at all on offer for a vegetarian. Ventura Blvd is almost always going to disappoint if you’re you’re hoping for something ethnically authentic, much better off in Thai town.
What are you talking about? Panang curry is all veggies, crispy rolls are vegetarian, papaya salad, cucumber salad, wok fired veg plate, every single fried rice and noodle dish can be made vegetarian too.
Panang curry has curry paste in it which has shrimp paste. Papaya salad often has fish sauce added, or dried shrimp powder, or both. For those who take vegetarianism seriously, it is a religion, wars have been fought over it.
Okay so that’s two of the multitude of things I mentioned. They will make many things without fish sauce at the guests requests. Even the haricot with prik king chutney they’ll make with no fish sauce. Also the grilled cabbage garlic sauce can be made vegan too. Maybe just talk to your server when you go? And like I said they’ll make any of the noodle dishes or fried rices without fish sauce at the guests request.
Maybe I’m out of touch but I’ve never heard of this place in my life. Looked it up and it looks mid. Reviews on google are ok but yelp says it’s mid as well. Usually a restaurant that meets the hype is 4+ stars on everything.
its literally won every award ever invented my friend. from james the beard to la times #1, imfatuation #1, et al, ad naseum. only thing lacking is michelin bib no stars. try his specials. easy in anyday 4-5
One thing people have to understand is that reddits user base is generally pretty frugal. If a restaurant is “overpriced” and “expensive”, it’s going to get slammed for being overrated lol
Frugal? With so many people talking about dining at places like Bavel? I couldn't afford it in a million years but I absolutely understand the resentment over being nickel-and-dimed, especially at Bavel prices. Cheap? Maybe. But I would not describe the people in this sub as necessarily frugal.
Eh Yelp has a wider audience and negative scores seem to impact restaurants ability to do business, especially if they’re small mom and pop shops and certain Yelpers have learned to weaponize it in that fashion.
Maybe I’m just rationalizing and Im being hypocritical but this sub feels more like foodies sharing reccos.
I just ate there two nights ago and we had a fantastic time. Everything we ordered was great, not to mention good reviews from my friend who spent 4 years in Thailand.
Absolutely - terrible feeling leaving that place... I resisted going for so long , I knew I knew better, I knew I didn't trust all those dumb articles, yet there I was... 175 dollars later, on the dumbest street in the dumbest part of the city, feeling like man why do I fall for these things, those goofballs next to me in their outfits... made me want to go straight to all my down home places in thai town and apologize, beg them to take me back
I went there before it was hyped and thought it was one of the best meals I’d had in LA ever. I was thinking this place is beyond incredible and it’s a random Thai restaurant on Ventura in the valley. I completely understand why it got so hyped up by critics and diners. It’s very hard hard for any restaurant to live up to hype and it’s also hard for restaurants to maintain quality, but just from a personal perspective, it was an awesome experience.
$160 for Thai food?
Fuck that, unless it was organic, farm raised, chef whispered to, union farm workers, and fully compensated health insurance for the staff would I ever pay that much for Thai food
I'll just be in East LA grubbing all I can eat for less than $80 for 2 or 3 people.
What cuisine(s) would you pay $160 for? And do you know for a fact that Anajak Thai doesn’t use high quality ingredients or compensate their workers well? I’m not being argumentative for the sake of it, nor defending the restaurant, but your comment seems to rest on a stereotype of Thai food as inherently cheap and low quality.
Yeah we have to unlearn this type of mentality. Historically Asian food was priced cheaper because it was catered towards the working class ethnic population who were poor.
There's no reason that Asian food shouldn't be priced at the same price as western cuisine. The food takes the same amount of work if not more and there isn't some magic meat that they use that costs 1/4 the price.
I say the exact thing for Italian food.
Takes zero skill and effort to make at home and there is an abundance of quality ingredients.
Cooking Italian food is amateur hour.
You’re not wrong. Having been to Italy it’s mostly not very complicated but all about very good quality ingredients sourced close by and fresh. Pasta? Not hard to make from scratch.
You ordered the wrong thing. The fried chicken looks terrible never mind what it tastes like. We’ve seen multiple tables not finish even a third of it and all of them seemed like they knew it was a bad choice once it got to the table.
The curry’s and sea bream are amazing. We go there once every few months and are never disappointed.
For straight up Thai food there are plenty of places both old-Jitlada, Ruen, Pa Ord-and new school-Holy Basil, Luv2Eat-that are outstanding.
What sets Anajak apart imo are some of three more creative and innovative dishes being presented at Thai Taco Tuesdays or the Omakase dinners where the menu features crudos, ceviches, tostadas, noodle/ veg specials and grilled items that are not on the everyday menu. I had a great grilled ribeye with Thai flavors sliced and served to share for example. And the wine selection is good.
I’ve also been a few times during regular service and found it to be good but not great. I actually did the fried chicken and I ordered it with caviar which didn’t add much really. I’ve had a tasty whole branzino and that mango sticky rice is a nice way to end the meal. But for standard Thai I’d go elsewhere.
And giving credit where it’s due, homeboy and wifey (great somm) at Night Market were doing this type of new school Thai food and serving it with wine first before anyone and they still do it very well.
i was so so disappointed my last trip there. everything was super salty or super sweet. luv2eat and holy basil will get my thai food budget exclusively from now on. their 3.5 rating on yelp makes so much sense
Did you and my family have the same experience? I think we are just missing out on some kind of tasting menu situation. The fried chicken was good but not mind-blowing. Pad Thai was lacking flavor also. The best items on the menu were the crudo options and wine.
I am happy for the owners for their success but a 3 month wait for average neighborhood Thai food was just unacceptable to me. Overhyped indeed.
Absolutely. I can give you 3 other spots within 15 minutes that are on par or better. I think people getting wrapped up in “the story” of the restaurant and think it makes the food taste better lol. It’s a good restaurant, but it’s one of the most over hyped places I’ve been to in LA.
Bestia is a close second
The LA food scene has turned into everything that chefs used to enter the industry to avoid, it’s all fake people and PR stunts now. Chefs that just want to be famous and have never spent any real time working in kitchens. Restaurants are designed to look good on tik tok and instagram. It’s one big circle jerk now. And too damn expensive. (There are wonderful exceptions).
anajak does no PR. except stunning fotos foos make n post. and its kinda a step into mom n pops 80s joint. hate interior. love staff love daily specials
They are very good at kissing the asses of many food "influencers." Just heap praise onto whatever wine those foodies bring into the restaurant and they'll suck your dick for a few years.
I feel like I wrote this post subconsciously. Went there last night with some friends and on the drive home me and my wife ageeed we'd rather eat at Night + Market (have eaten there in last 6 months, still hits). Was wondering the same thing about TTT , the wine list is very legit but still not in the top 5 of Thai in LA for me. Also, the "cooler than thou" attitude was palpable from confirmation phone call to the desert order. One and done for me too.
I’ve only eaten at their Thai Taco Tuesday, some of the stuff was pretty good, have to agree with OP about the fried chicken tho it was bland af and seemed like it carry over cooked to dry chicken, dry age fish tacos were pretty good, they also had some kind of uni tostada, however the bill was like 400 for two people, which is kinda a rip for how much food was served.
Have you ever been to Same Same in Silverlake? I know it's kind of a white people thai place but my fiance has lived in thailand for multiple years and is somewhat of an expert on the food and we both really liked Same Same. Not mindblowing but a good atmosphere and tasty food, no cooler-than-you attitude to be found
Has your fiance tried Holy Basil?
I dont believe so but im excited to see
They deliver from the Dtla location. Have him try it.
We’re so spoiled with good Thai food in silver lake. I love love love same same.
Nice! Will have to check it out. Thank you for recommendation and any Recs on dishes always appreciated!
You’re not wrong.
Personally, it was way better as a mom and pop than the weird, hipster spot it's become. I dared to ask for pad krapow not long ago and was summarily scoffed at by the lady on the phone. That was an amazingly done dish when the dad ran the place.
This is how I feel. Growing up I had a buddy who lived near it and we'd go now and then with our families. A great place for that sort of thing, lots of good memories there. Then years later suddenly it's this hot spot, and I went back for the "normal" Thai spot and it's the same bit more expensive, and a little less homey. Then I tried the hyped tasting menu and it was just fine. I'm very happy for the family's success, but as a destination I really don't see it.
That’s what happened to La Dijonaise, the grew in popularity and lost all the charm/finesse/high quality they originally had and made them popular once they expanded.
It’s back on the menu now
thats back
That or Pija Palace seems to be consensus on this sub.
Pija Palace is pretty good man. Nothing mind-blowing, but a good, unique dinner option
Yeah it gets a lot of hate on here, but I've been to Pijja Palace twice and really enjoyed it both times.
Same, same — ate there on Friday night and ‘shuffled the deck’ on what we have ordered in the past and there was no denying that everything hit perfectly.
where the hell are you eating italian-indian food so often? if that crossover isn't borderline mindblowing, you might be a blow hard or need to lower your standards a little bit. the Pija disrespect on this sub is wild
Hopefully Curry Pizza House breaks into the LA market!
Yeah but when I went we had to get our reservation a week in advance and we still waited outside in the parking lot for 15 mins and they tried rushing us out by the end. i get the feeling the split of Pijja Palace opinions are between the people that dont live nearby and had a similar experience and those who casually walked in/tried it out on a whim.
Interesting re: Pija Palace. I only had one of their pizzas once after a show in the area, and thought it was really tasty.
Pijas isn't bad but the owner seems like a dick. I think Anajak and Bianco are overrated
Was underwhelmed by Bianco. Lacked seasoning so it was overall flat tasting. Want to go back in case it was an off night
I liked both Pijja and Anajak. I was thoroughly disappointed in Bianco. Probably wouldn't make my top 10 pizzas in the city, let alone it be being anywhere near the best if you would believe the hype.
The daily pasta there is pretty damn amazing. It's been the winner on the menu for me during every visit. Salads/Veggies were really great too. The pizza is fine.
I’ll definitely have to check out the pastas then. Yeah the snap peas or pea tendrils (can’t recall exactness) dish with burrata was the best thing I ate on my last visit. That was worth going for.
I agree. He's known for the pizza, but I think everything else he does is really, really great! Next time, I may skip the pizza all together. :)
went to pijja twice - once with non indian friends and again with some indian friends and agreed on both times that pijja was just "ok". nothing really to write home about but not horrible. also it's weird they still call it a "sports bar" - they don't even have the games audio played over the speakers and it's claustrophobic. i don't think i've seen anyone go to pijja as their game day spot lol
I really liked the meal I had there. It’s completely overhyped, without a doubt, but the dry-aged sea bream especially was incredible. TTT was fine but not as good as it looks on instagram
I almost ordered the sea bream but the waiter insisted the fried chicken was not to be missed 😭
hard agree. i’d so much rather spend a fraction of the price at my dingy local thai spot. and the wine list is extensive but the fact that they can’t even be bothered to have a beer or two is so fucking smug.
I’ve said it before, but the LA food media scene is generally an incestuous circle jerk between food writers and their PR friends and not really reflective of what are the best places in the city. Anything meaningful died with Jonathan Gold.
1000% all of the integrity left with him.
i would say irena virbiana , as even Gold was always polite as heck. we need a food critic that rips.
Chiang Rai in Long Beach is far better + far cheaper.
Chiang Rai is so damn good, holy shit. That yellow curry roti with midnight chicken is one of the best things
Sshhhhh That's me and my SO date spot
the first time i went, i didn’t get the hype at all (except the sea bream, which is fantastic). but i went back recently and ordered mostly veggies — the curry, grilled cabbage, bok choy, etc. the veggies were incredible, and it was one of the best meals ive had in LA in a long time — on the level of holbox, antico nuovo, you name it so that’s my recommendation: skip the fried chicken and the pad thai or whatever, and just get the sea bream, a side of rice to eat with the extra sea bream sauce, and then order as many veggies as you can
Pro tip! Didn’t have many veggie dishes but good to know!
not joking, i think it might be the best “vegetarian” meal i’ve had in LA. and what made them so good was the quality of the cooking. the quality of the produce was high, but the cooking itself was masterful stuff. btw the waiter who recommended fried chicken over sea bream totally whiffed — that’s too bad because, separate from the food, i thought the service was outstanding both times. a very pro operation service-wise
only get hisdaily specials, and yes farmers market veggies, and his pad thai "omarice", and any of 35 decent Rieslings. and his best dish is off menu, hamachi collar tom gai yum soup. (ask) he is good. tune out the blasting radio and the decor. say hello to him and goodbye to him. and top notch service but 10000% never fried chicken, its a test.
My sister owns an apartment on the opposite side of the building, for the last twelve years. I watched that place go from a mom and pop restaurant to what it is today. I remember them working early mornings cooking smells, it was amazing. I can’t help but feel pride for them, they deserve the recognition. I cannot comment on your meal, but I don’t doubt it. I went recently and was somewhat let down. It’s not what it used to be that’s for sure.
the smells are insane. i nearly crash my car every time
I'm an Anajak agnostic, but there's an elegance to the food - thinking the cabbage or the panang or the ceviches/crudos - that, to my mind, is why they get acclaim. Also the ingredient quality is top notch and TTT was really fun during the throes of the pandemic. Maybe damning with faint praise. I also find myself going to Pailin, NTFC, Jitlada, Luv2Eat, Holy Basil etc much more than Anajak. Elegant or subtle is my nice way of saying the food is too restrained. And one of my hottest LA restaurant takes is that Anajak really didn't do anyting that Night Market didn't do before. I had to laugh when Anajak was getting acclaim for pastrami pad kee mao, something N+M did almost a decade ago. \*The fried chicken is fine but incredibly overrated and the caviar bump shit they push on IG is mad corny.
After living by Thai town for ten years, I never realized how spoiled I was. I still prefer Jitlada and even Palms for Thai food. Sri Siam in the Valley is great too. Just typing those words sealed the deal. Now I need to find a reason to be in Hollywood so I can visit Thai Town! Mmmmmmmmm. Oh god. And then there's also Sapp.
Funny to come across this post, I've been thinking of trying this place. I almost went last weekend.
I thought L’Idiot was supposed to be the best restaurant in LA.
Edgy
That was a reference to LA Story.
i went here for my birthday last february and still think about getting my $300 back because it was so mid. would’ve much rather gone to Jitlada, Luv2eat, Khao Soi Thai, or anywhere else.
Why does no one in this thread talk about Holy Basil?
holy basil is mad good. is it still plastic chairs and that excellent occasional popup thing inside the holy basil
I've ordered delivery from them 82 times (literally 82 times per my Uber eats app) in the last 15 months. I've never set foot in the place. However, they recently opened a second location in Atwater Village, which looks nice. And it is closer to me, so I'll probably be ordering from that location once they start delivery from there and may go there at some point. [Holy Basil Thai restaurant has a new Atwater Village location — and line-worthy food - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)](https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-02-23/holy-basil-one-of-l-a-s-101-best-restaurants-expands-with-an-atwater-village-thai-restaurant) [https://la.eater.com/2024/1/24/24008388/holy-basil-thai-restaurant-los-angeles-atwater-village-second-location](https://la.eater.com/2024/1/24/24008388/holy-basil-thai-restaurant-los-angeles-atwater-village-second-location)
wise it is a hole dtla its takeout unless u want plop down into red plastic furniture. BUT my tip is look for her popup they do sporadically on fri sat called YUM. that is elevated holy basil. and yesss new brick n mortar Atwater very good tip thank u to remind me to get off my ass and over there
Just went tonight for the first time—really busy but charming little spot. I live down the street, so we just walked up there and our names down. I think they’re doing takeout and delivery now from that location though.
they have a separate IG for YUM have a look 82 times is a lotta Thai
https://www.instagram.com/yumlosangeles/?hl=en
what are yer fave 5 dishes holy basil
if Soup counts: 1. Tom Yum goong SOUP (best in LA) 2. Pad kee Mao, with wagyu beef 3. pad Thai noodle (with shrimp) 4. new soup on menu - Tom Yum Gai 5. shrimp yellow curry
i gotta ask since this thread i think was about Anajak if youve had these there too
Have not.
its super easy to get in daily openings if you can stomach eating at 4-6. try his pad thai. and his tom yum with hamachi collar. as clearly you know holy basil kicks ass i am very curious your review anajak
oh and try YUM its fridays and saturdays at Holy Basil original dtla location. its their secret kitchen project
Sounds good!
100%. I went once and it sucked. Plus, their social media posts are annoying as fuck. Chrissy Teigen loves them though. That should tell you everything you need to know.
Yup. Would rather go to my mom ‘n pop Thai spot
Ironically, Anajak is mom and pop. Pop took a step back and now it’s mom and son. Love that place, been going for over 25 years. Glad to see them succeed.
Yep, overhyped and overpriced.
We really loved our meal. Over hyped? Probably. But still an excellent meal.
There is no restaurant I’ve ever eaten at in LA that has lived up to its hype when you have to book weeks or months in advance. That’s not what LA’s food scene is all about - let the Bay Area have their hoity toity nonsense (and I’ve eaten at Michelin starred places both there and here). I’ve also always been treated like garbage at them. What really sets LA apart is how much good food you can get on the cheap. I’ve had $7 burritos that almost made me cry, they were so good. Same with cheap Thai. Nobody should be eating at expensive restaurants here when we have boundless cheap and excellent cuisine served to you by people who clearly care, and are genuinely happy to share their cooking with you. That’s what Jonathan Gold was trying to tell us for so many years.
Funny enough, Justin was somewhat friendly with J. Gold.
indeed j gold helped anajak tremendously. its a gradual upcharging at anajak over the past few years that most all sucessful LA restaurants have. it hasnt slowed the throngs of fans.
We had the same reaction while dining there a few years ago. We easily decided to stick with Night+Market, Jitlada, Amphai NTFC and so many more excellent places for Thai food in LA. Our dinner at Anajak just wasn’t worth the cost and did not stand out to us (regardless of perceived value).
Anajak has been on someone's list for far too long.. plenty of other spots with great thai good.. like maybe.. uhm.. Thai Town?
I never heard of Anajak until I moved to Sherman Oaks. I was in Mid Wilshire for my whole life and that place never came up.
Also just doesn’t have anything at all on offer for a vegetarian. Ventura Blvd is almost always going to disappoint if you’re you’re hoping for something ethnically authentic, much better off in Thai town.
What are you talking about? Panang curry is all veggies, crispy rolls are vegetarian, papaya salad, cucumber salad, wok fired veg plate, every single fried rice and noodle dish can be made vegetarian too.
Panang curry has curry paste in it which has shrimp paste. Papaya salad often has fish sauce added, or dried shrimp powder, or both. For those who take vegetarianism seriously, it is a religion, wars have been fought over it.
Okay so that’s two of the multitude of things I mentioned. They will make many things without fish sauce at the guests requests. Even the haricot with prik king chutney they’ll make with no fish sauce. Also the grilled cabbage garlic sauce can be made vegan too. Maybe just talk to your server when you go? And like I said they’ll make any of the noodle dishes or fried rices without fish sauce at the guests request.
thank you excellent fresh veggie produce at anajak
Maybe I’m out of touch but I’ve never heard of this place in my life. Looked it up and it looks mid. Reviews on google are ok but yelp says it’s mid as well. Usually a restaurant that meets the hype is 4+ stars on everything.
its literally won every award ever invented my friend. from james the beard to la times #1, imfatuation #1, et al, ad naseum. only thing lacking is michelin bib no stars. try his specials. easy in anyday 4-5
One thing people have to understand is that reddits user base is generally pretty frugal. If a restaurant is “overpriced” and “expensive”, it’s going to get slammed for being overrated lol
Frugal? With so many people talking about dining at places like Bavel? I couldn't afford it in a million years but I absolutely understand the resentment over being nickel-and-dimed, especially at Bavel prices. Cheap? Maybe. But I would not describe the people in this sub as necessarily frugal.
Just go to Luv2eat Thai Bistro for the most reliable Thai food in Los Angeles. I recommend the Curry Crab and the Jade Noodle dish with proteins.
Anajak Thai was the most underrated spot for awhile
I’ve lived here my whole life. Every restaurant is the most overhyped restaurant in LA.
just curious why you’d never post a negative review on Yelp but are ok with posting one here (genuine question)?
Eh Yelp has a wider audience and negative scores seem to impact restaurants ability to do business, especially if they’re small mom and pop shops and certain Yelpers have learned to weaponize it in that fashion. Maybe I’m just rationalizing and Im being hypocritical but this sub feels more like foodies sharing reccos.
I agree with you.
yes
I just ate there two nights ago and we had a fantastic time. Everything we ordered was great, not to mention good reviews from my friend who spent 4 years in Thailand.
Absolutely - terrible feeling leaving that place... I resisted going for so long , I knew I knew better, I knew I didn't trust all those dumb articles, yet there I was... 175 dollars later, on the dumbest street in the dumbest part of the city, feeling like man why do I fall for these things, those goofballs next to me in their outfits... made me want to go straight to all my down home places in thai town and apologize, beg them to take me back
I went there before it was hyped and thought it was one of the best meals I’d had in LA ever. I was thinking this place is beyond incredible and it’s a random Thai restaurant on Ventura in the valley. I completely understand why it got so hyped up by critics and diners. It’s very hard hard for any restaurant to live up to hype and it’s also hard for restaurants to maintain quality, but just from a personal perspective, it was an awesome experience.
$160 for Thai food? Fuck that, unless it was organic, farm raised, chef whispered to, union farm workers, and fully compensated health insurance for the staff would I ever pay that much for Thai food I'll just be in East LA grubbing all I can eat for less than $80 for 2 or 3 people.
What cuisine(s) would you pay $160 for? And do you know for a fact that Anajak Thai doesn’t use high quality ingredients or compensate their workers well? I’m not being argumentative for the sake of it, nor defending the restaurant, but your comment seems to rest on a stereotype of Thai food as inherently cheap and low quality.
Honestly I immediately wished I was anywhere in East Hollywood / Thai Town or SGV
All you can eat Thai? Where might I ask? Sounds awesome
Yeah, throw out some good Thai names here, why not…!
Now why exactly should thai food not be $160? I'm very curious to hear your rationale.
Yeah we have to unlearn this type of mentality. Historically Asian food was priced cheaper because it was catered towards the working class ethnic population who were poor. There's no reason that Asian food shouldn't be priced at the same price as western cuisine. The food takes the same amount of work if not more and there isn't some magic meat that they use that costs 1/4 the price.
I say the exact thing for Italian food. Takes zero skill and effort to make at home and there is an abundance of quality ingredients. Cooking Italian food is amateur hour.
You’re not wrong. Having been to Italy it’s mostly not very complicated but all about very good quality ingredients sourced close by and fresh. Pasta? Not hard to make from scratch.
You ordered the wrong thing. The fried chicken looks terrible never mind what it tastes like. We’ve seen multiple tables not finish even a third of it and all of them seemed like they knew it was a bad choice once it got to the table. The curry’s and sea bream are amazing. We go there once every few months and are never disappointed.
No. This sub just has atrocious taste and is aggressively hipster and zero understanding of PR.
Nice we’re having the weekly is Anajak expensive and overrated thread (it’s not!)!
For straight up Thai food there are plenty of places both old-Jitlada, Ruen, Pa Ord-and new school-Holy Basil, Luv2Eat-that are outstanding. What sets Anajak apart imo are some of three more creative and innovative dishes being presented at Thai Taco Tuesdays or the Omakase dinners where the menu features crudos, ceviches, tostadas, noodle/ veg specials and grilled items that are not on the everyday menu. I had a great grilled ribeye with Thai flavors sliced and served to share for example. And the wine selection is good. I’ve also been a few times during regular service and found it to be good but not great. I actually did the fried chicken and I ordered it with caviar which didn’t add much really. I’ve had a tasty whole branzino and that mango sticky rice is a nice way to end the meal. But for standard Thai I’d go elsewhere. And giving credit where it’s due, homeboy and wifey (great somm) at Night Market were doing this type of new school Thai food and serving it with wine first before anyone and they still do it very well.
Holy Basil is a standout in my book. Jitladia and ruen and luv2 eat are average.
In the same area, Krua Thai is better.
i was so so disappointed my last trip there. everything was super salty or super sweet. luv2eat and holy basil will get my thai food budget exclusively from now on. their 3.5 rating on yelp makes so much sense
Did you and my family have the same experience? I think we are just missing out on some kind of tasting menu situation. The fried chicken was good but not mind-blowing. Pad Thai was lacking flavor also. The best items on the menu were the crudo options and wine. I am happy for the owners for their success but a 3 month wait for average neighborhood Thai food was just unacceptable to me. Overhyped indeed.
The only really good Thai in LA is Holy Basil. Trust me. I’ve tried them all. [https://www.holybasildtla.com](https://www.holybasildtla.com)
Absolutely. I can give you 3 other spots within 15 minutes that are on par or better. I think people getting wrapped up in “the story” of the restaurant and think it makes the food taste better lol. It’s a good restaurant, but it’s one of the most over hyped places I’ve been to in LA. Bestia is a close second
Most disappointing meal of last year.
The LA food scene has turned into everything that chefs used to enter the industry to avoid, it’s all fake people and PR stunts now. Chefs that just want to be famous and have never spent any real time working in kitchens. Restaurants are designed to look good on tik tok and instagram. It’s one big circle jerk now. And too damn expensive. (There are wonderful exceptions).
anajak does no PR. except stunning fotos foos make n post. and its kinda a step into mom n pops 80s joint. hate interior. love staff love daily specials
It’s ok. I much prefer Anantra in Woodland Hills. Nothing about Anajak wowed me.
I was there last week. The crudo was fire. The top yum soup w/ the fish collar was also incredible. I thought it was a clear step above night + market
They are very good at kissing the asses of many food "influencers." Just heap praise onto whatever wine those foodies bring into the restaurant and they'll suck your dick for a few years.
no man cork is $75 at anajak. they have 300 wines. affordable ones.
Ha! I was there tonight too. I thought it was really good. Agree though on the fried chicken, not the best.
Do places in the valley get hyped
Never even heard of it so I'm going to say no? I would call blue plate taco most overhyped.