I don’t know that I would be happy to pay $14 for pad Thai at Jitlada but I’m very happy to pay $16.95 for their southern mussels curry. I’m not eating the price, I’m eating the food. As long as the price is not higher than I’m willing to pay for comparable quality (of food) at other restaurants I like to eat at, it doesn’t really bother me. I have not eaten at Night + Market but in my opinion Jitlada’s food (and I’m referring to the southern menu in particular) is superior to all the other Thai places I’ve eaten at in LA, including Luv2Eat where I had one very good meal and one just okay meal–and where the service was also not very good (being given the wrong dish, food not coming out at the requested level of heat). And I’m willing to pay a premium (up to a point–which I have not crossed yet) for dishes I cannot get anywhere else.
I’ve eaten at Jitlada a number of times since 2008. We’ve had some meals where the service was very slow/disappearing but never encountered anything I’d describe as “fuck you”. In fact, at our last dinner they were very friendly despite the fact that they were utterly slammed. I guess we’ve gotten very lucky. To be clear, I’m not insinuating that you didn’t experience what you’ve experienced. But I do wonder if the indifferent service is also amplified by the price. I’m still not sure, however, what is so terrible about the ambience; I find it charming enough.
I really like Pailin too but they’re a tiny place, never very busy and have a very compact menu. As much as I like eating there, it’s not very long before you’re eating the same things over and over again. Jitlada’s southern menu, on the other hand, is a gift that keeps giving.
By comparison, Bestia charges you $18 for mussels and clams. And they give you service and ambiance with your excellent food.
at the end of the day, tastes differ and different strokes and all that. But I will talk about the $14 pad thai @ Jitlada until I die, so that other people don’t suffer the same fate as my poor coworker (and my foodie rep).
That’s what the extra $1.05 is for…
(Also, don’t know about Bestia’s dish, but Jitlada’s southern mussels curry can feed 2-3 people.)
edit: looking at Bestia’s site, that dish is an appetizer and costs $19. The southern mussels curry is a ginormous main dish.
$36 for branzino (the Sam Worthington of fish)? And $28 for lamb neck (yesterday’s throwaway cut)? I don’t know that I’d make a case for Bestia offering better value for money. I would hope that at their prices, which would come out to twice the per head cost at Jitlada, they’d offer better service and ambience.
I’ve had both and I know which one has the better QPR
This thread got weird
I’m just saying, man, that you’re bringing up a comparison with a far more expensive restaurant in a completely different genre and comparing the price of an appetizer to the price of a main.
Yes. And isn’t it appalling that I find Bestia to be the better value in that scenario?
I wish Jitlada has the balls to be a Khao Gaeng (Rice Curry) joint only. No bullshit.
Here’s a plate of rice. Pick 1-3 different Southern curries. Heck rotate some for a different day of the week. Maybe a few what Thai’s call “bland” dishes or veggies for balance. Fair prices. Make a killer Thai Tea like Sapp’s to cool your mouth.
Maybe it’s appalling. Or maybe you just like it better.
Maybe it’s maybelline.
Genuine question since I know so little about Thai food: are the chefs from Night + Market and Jitlada cooking dishes from the same region of Thailand? I haven’t eaten at either extensively, but I didn’t sense a huge overlap. I will also say that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my 2 visits at Night + Market but did feel that, when I had good dishes at Jitlada, they exceeded what I had at Night + Market.
@MyAnnoyingOpinions: I do think Night + Market is certainly worth a try, but I wouldn’t not expect that you would enjoy it more than you do Jitlada. Also, if you go to N+M, bring some earplugs and make a reservation (I was able to make a same-day reservation for Sat night for around 7:15PM). It is ridiculously loud in there, IMHO.
Night and Market is Northern Thai and Isaan with a few Bangkok noodle dishes.
Jitlada is Southern Thai.
You will find Isaan food in all regions of Thailand due to migration
I wasn’t suggesting that Jitlada and NIght + Market serve the same food only that the latter also seems to be in the running for best Thai restaurant in L.A.
Also Lum Ka Naad in Reseda does both Northern and Southern under the same roof. As the Mom is from the South and Pop is from the North. Haven’t ate there yet but I like that I can get laab, sticky rice, papaya salad with spicy soupy curry and stink beans.
I notice that when people eat Jitlada some don’t eat the currys with lots of rice or order “bland” dishes for balance. Spicy dish after spicy dish after spicy dish.
If there is one thing I learn about eating Asian food all my life is it’s about balance in taste, texture, quantity, etc.
They make look at you funny when you order too much of one flavor profile or too much meat.
Certainly your experience will differ if you don’t understand this
Those YOLO foodie Jitlada meals with SinoSoul is not typical Thai
So spot on. For me texture is a big thing. Too much of one and I find that as problematic as many people complaining about a one note taste. I can deal better with several similar flavors but different textures rather than the other way around.
Finally went back after probably a decade. Had no clue what to order and no time to prepare. Crying tiger pork is great. Crispy morning glory is fun. Dry curry lamb and pumpkin was very good. But I was looking for mind blowing
Should’ve tried the pad thai