Midtown Lunch

Back in March The Find discovered that Krua Siri, a completely non-descript Thai food restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard, had a secret Thai food menu available only for the most probing of customers (who could also read Thai.) Of course the L.A. Times article- which naturally is now proudly framed on the wall- changed all that, and I’m happy to report that the “secret” Thai menu has now been integrated into their regular menu, in English, under a “recommended dishes” section. Strangely enough, though, the coverage in the Times wasn’t enough to convince them to get rid of the ridiculous non-Thai dishes (like orange chicken!?) and they seem to have even upped the ante with a lunchtime all you can eat shabu shabu deal for $9.99.

But don’t let that discourage you…

Like most restaurants in Thai Town I fully expected to pull up to Krua Siri and think “oh… this place!  I’ve driven by this place a million times.”  (Eating at Ganda still makes me tear up a bit over all those missed opportunities.)  But despite its location right on Hollywood Boulevard, nothing about it looked familiar (or enticing.)

And as tempting as the $10 all you can eat shabu shabu to the fatso in me, the part of me that loves the powerful flavors of real Thai food won out.

The catfish larb was a must order, and we quickly saw why Thai people from “all over the neighborhood” come for it.  The ground up, dried catfish had such an interesting texture and distinct flavor, which was balanced out perfectly by the lime juice and chilies (which they didn’t not hold back on.)  We asked for a 7 out of 10 on their spice scale and wound up dodging shards of dried chilies like a Thai minefield.  It was compltely futile; the seeds were impossible to eat around.

We ordered the papaya salad with raw shrimp as a cold counterbalance to the warm larb, but it offered no respite. If you like your papaya salad on the high end of the sour scale, this is the version for you.  On the plus side, the strong sourness was well balanced with sweetness and spiciness, and I also really liked the Thai long beans, even though they increased the chances of eating a whole green chili without realizing it.  The raw shrimp, though, didn’t seem much different than what you buy frozen in the grocery store, so I’d go with one of the other versions the next time.

The one wild card we went with was the pork leg, which also didn’t hold back on the flavor (or the fat.)  It was moister and packed much more of a punch than the version at Ruen Pair, but it was also fattier and a bit more rustic so it really comes down to personal preference.

All in all a great lunch that made me want to go back for more.  The sausage and the chicken larb that The Find also recommended are high on my list, and there is still a part of me (spoiler: the fat part) that wants to try that all you can eat shabu shabu (I can’t help myself!) The waitress also mentioned a chicken skin prik king (!?) that she said wasn’t on the menu, so it appears as if they’ve still managed to hold a few of their secrets back.

Krua Siri, 5103 Hollywood Blvd., 323-660-6196