Jitlada

May 6, 2014 by mightyappetity 2 Comments

Staci

What, do I live under a rock?  Clearly….because Jitlada Thai Restaurant has been the talk of Thai Town for years and I have been absolutely clueless all this time.  Until now.  It’s easy to miss, tucked into a corner of a divey strip mall across from the 99-Cent Only store on Sunset.  Oh my, Southern Thai!

The ENORMOUS menu will make those with a leaning towards the ADD a little frantic, so it’s good to troll the good ole interwebs for selection suggestions before you get there.  We started with the Crispy Catfish Salad, a delicious blend of sweetness and tang.  Thin matchstick slices of mango, red onion, cilantro and peanuts topped with an unusual light, lacy nest of deep-fried catfish (they flake the fish with a fork, then drown it in extremely hot oil, which causes the flakes to move together and form a strange, crispy tapestry of yum).  It comes swimming in a pool of Thai fish sauce and kaffir lime juice that I would have gladly gulped from a glass.

Next up was the watercress with lemongrass, a simple, pleasant side dish that gave me permission to eat an entire small pizza later for dinner because I figured I got in my greens.  Please don’t bust my fantasy by telling me it had less nutritional value than I attributed to it.  I won’t survive it.

Last to arrive was a whole, deep-fried seabass in a sweet sauce with basil and chili peppers.  Lovely.

This post wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the decor in the ladies room:

Yes.  They did indeed decorate with knock-off barbie dolls, coffee mugs, banks, and a number of other weird knick-knacks (not one, but TWO stones declaring “Welcome to my garden!”)

Jitlada was a great choice for lunch and I’ll definitely go back and bring my mom, the ultimate Thai master.  It’s a little pricier than many of the Thai spots in Thai Town, but their dishes are unique and clearly made with great care.  And if you’re looking for spicy, I hear their dynamite sauce is a killer.  Literally.  Good luck with that, yo.

Elkeer

When I was first introduced to this restaurant by my friend Jay, we had a wonderful feast!  I have been back quite a few times. The menu is extensive and can be overwhelming, however you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. It’s definitely a place worth returning to over and over again. Asian food is a great cuisine for eating “family style.”  What a treat to order a few dishes and share the delectable dishes! Staci did her research before going to Jitlada.  The Crispy Catfish salad was phenomenal!

I could have had an extra serving, it was that good. All our choices worked so well together, like a medley.  In addition to our choices, I recommend the the deep fried sea bass with mango and basil.  It is amazing!

There are a ton of Thai restaurants in Los Angeles, especially in Thai Town, but Jitlada is a MUST!  I hear Ryan Gosling (http://laist.com/2012/07/19/ryan_gosling_loves_jitlada_and_jitl.php) is a patron and if you are an RG fan, that in and of itself is worth the trip for a possible sighting!