Rate-A-Restaurant #311: Sticky Rice

Restaurant: Sticky Rice

Location: Grand Central Market: 317 S Broadway Ste C-4-5 (Downtown)

Type of restaurant: Thai




We stipulated: We were downtown for lunch recently, and decided to visit the Grand Central Market. We hadn't been to the legendary spot in a while, and wanted to see all the changes (including the addition of several upscale spots) we'd been hearing about.
They stipulated: The Thai food stand is among the new wave of eateries opening in the Grand Central Market as part of its overhaul.



What we ordered: Gai Yang (BBQ chicken, sticky rice, papaya) $10; Tom Yum Goong (spicy shrimp soup) $4



High point:  The Tom yum going soup was fantastic -- rich, and spicy to order. I love spicy. It was too much for Maria, but I liked that it made my eyes water.



Low point: My pet peeve: too much skin on the chicken.



Overall impression: A great addition to the Grand Central Market, and I love the feeling of a Thai street food stand like what you might find overseas. I think the Grand Central is doing a good job of keeping and honoring the traditional food stands while also bringing in a whole new generation to fill the empty stalls, like Sticky Rice, Eggslut and Valerie.

Will we return: It looks like their menu rotates, and I'd love to try their curry. (I didn't last time because only beef curry was on the menu that day.)

Rate-A-Restaurant #293: Chadaka Thai

Restaurant: Chadaka Thai

Location: 310 N San Fernando Blvd. (Burbank)

Type of restaurant: Thai



We stipulated: We were meeting friends in Burbank and looking for a place to meet. Thai sounded good.

They stipulated: Happy Hour deals include $3 beers, $5 cocktails and $5 appetizers



What we ordered: Grilled Calamari (Grilled calamari over charcoal served with spicy lime garlic chili dipping sauce); Basil Eggplant (Sauteed with onions in chili black bean); Pad See Ew Noodles (Flat rice noodles, wok sauteed with broccoli and Asian broccoli in a black bean soy sauce)



High point: The calamari was decent and the happy hour prices are great.

Low point: There were flies buzzing around the restaurant, distracting us from the food. The entrees lacked any heat -- even the chili sauce was surprisingly mild. We had to ask for the tofu to be cooked regularly in the eggplant dish. And even rice was extra.



Overall impression: Missed opportunity. Nice location and trendy atmosphere, but mediocre food.

Chance we'll go back: In a town crawling with good Thai restaurants, Chadaka Thai doesn't make the grade.

Thank You, Songkran, For Turning Us On To L.A.'s Best Thai Food

The portion of Hollywood Blvd. between Western and Normandie was shut down Sunday afternoon as thousands hit the street to celebrate the Thai New Year Songkran Festival.

Songkran is also known as the 'Water Festival' and "is a time of joyous cleaning and purification." For us, it also means "hitting Thai Town for some fantastic food."

We were invited to a lunch thrown by Songkran Festival sponsor Singha Beer -- and catered by the hottest Thai restaurant of the moment in Los Angeles, Jitlada.

Of course, we've been reading all sorts of raves about Jitlada for some time -- starting with LA Weekly's Jonathan Gold, whose seal of approval is about the best thing you can get these days. So we braved the traffic -- and found some decent parking right off of Franklin -- and headed to the Singha beer tent.



Jitlada owner "Jazz" Singsanong (above) was there, and couldn't have been prouder of her food -- and excited about the success of the restaurant. She told us that J-Gold has come back numerous times over the past year or two (he's a fan) and that a few more high-profile pieces on Jitlada should be hitting newsstands soon.



She also warned us that Southern Thai cuisine -- Jitlada's specialty -- is spicier than what we might normally expect. (You said the magic words, Jazz.) Even so, Jazz says she's dramatically toned down the spice for Western tastebuds. I guess we can't handle the spice!



My favorite dish was easily the spiciest. The khua kling beef (on the right) is marinaded in a spicy green curry... and has quite a kick to it. I can't stop thinking about it.



Other dishes served included coco mango salad; larb (ground beef); pad ka thi (mixed veggies with a coconut sauce); pad thai; and pla pear (fish with basil and coconut).



We're going to have to hit Jitlada and do a bona fide Rate-A-Restaurant in the coming weeks. (Hell, I may have to pick up some food to bring home this week.)





The Hollywood Songkran event also included hundreds of booths offering arts, crafts and vendors; California's second-annual international curry festival; the third annual Miss Thai New Year USA contest; dancing; a procession of Thai Buddhist Monks.

A few more shots:







Check out last year's event post here.

Rate-A-Restaurant #184: Catchdefish Seafood & Thai Kitchen

Restaurant: Catchdefish Seafood & Thai Kitchen

Location: 147 Third Ave / Corner of 15th St (New York)



Type of restaurant: Seafood/Thai



We stipulated: It was our first day in Manhattan, on a Sunday afternoon, and we were hunting for a lunch spot. Walking down Third, we figured we'd find something in the East Village. Passing by Catchdefish, we were taken by the sandwich board sign. Roped in -- guess those signs do work.



What we ordered: Wasabi crab cake burger with wasabi mayo, $9 (above); prix fixe special: Cream of carrot soup/chicken skewer/mesculin salad with spicy mayonnaise dressing/salmon steak with green curry sauce, asparagus, thai eggplant, sweet pepper and mushrooms, all for $14 (below).



High point: Maria liked the setup of the restaurant, and it boasted a great view of the street scene, as people walked by. We also liked that the restaurant wasn't crowded, at least that time of day. And the crab cake burger offered up a nice spice, while the green curry sauce made the salmon. Our biggest praise may have to go to the carrot soup, however.

Low point: Other than the carrot soup, we couldn't find much on the menu that was kid-friendly for the Blogger Preschooler.



Overall impression: Our Catchdefish experience is a reminder of why we enjoy the city: The whole experience was impromptu. We randomly walked by, it looked inviting, and we managed to make the right call. At $14, the prix fixe menu was a bargain; add to that the $9 crab cake burger, and it made for an economical but tasty lunch. And with the place all to ourselves. we didn't feel rushed, but instead could linger and enjoy the people watching from our street-level window.

Chance we'll go back: Perhaps if we lived in NYC we'd make a return trip, but with so many restaurants to try, it's not a place we'd probably return to in the coming future.

For a complete list of our nearly 185 restaurant reviews, check out our companion Rate-A-Restaurant site.

Rate-A-Restaurant #178: Osha Thai

Restaurant: Osha Thai

Location: 1149 2nd St. (San Francisco)

Type of restaurant: Thai



They stipulated: With parties of six or more, tip is calculated in. We almost didn't notice that they'd done so, apparently counting our 3 year old and the 1 year old with the couple we were out with as well.


Yellow sea.

We stipulated: Meeting pal Lisa, her hubby Max and their little one Matthew, they were kind enough to come our way. We mentioned Thai or Chinese as something we hadn't done on the trip yet, and they suggested Osha. It was walking distance from our hotel, so we were sold.


Yin-Yang sea bass.

What we ordered: Yellow sea: Prawns, scallops, calamari and crab claws stir-fried with yellow curry powder sauce, egg, green onion, red bell pepper and celery ($18); Yin-Yang sea bass: Steamed Sea Bass fillet and Napa cabbage over thick red curry and green curry sauce ($18); Spicy eggplant: Choice of sliced chicken, beef or pork stir-fried with eggplant, basil and red bell pepper ($13); Pad see you: Rice noodles pan fried with Chinese broccoli, egg, black soy bean sauce and choice of chicken, beef or pork ($11); Tom Yum soup: Hot & Sour soup with lemongrass, galangal, Kaffir lime leaf, mushrooms, and tomatoes ($10). Also, drinks included a lychee martini ($9) and a Thai tea tini ($9).


Pad see you.

High point: Considering the hip surroundings, Osha is surprisingly kid friendly. Evan was demanding to see cable cars, and put on a bit of a scene, but luckily wasn't really noticed. Other families at the restaurant also had kids in tow. Food wise, the spicy eggplant was nice.

Low point: Other than that automatic gratuity, there really wasn't one.


Spicy eggplant.

Overall impression: Osha is actually a mini-chain of five restaurants in the SF area. Yet this one felt like it was one of a kind. Sometimes the food can be too dumbed down and Americanized at places like this... but that Tom Yum soup definitely tasted authentic, and the rest of the choices were winners as well. Good choice by Lisa and Max, and just what we were looking to eat on night three of our journey.


Tom Yum soup.

For a complete list of our more than 175 restaurant reviews, check out our companion Rate-A-Restaurant site.