I might be the first to declare the 818 to be the food capital of Los Angeles.  We have some of the best ethnic food in the city. Chefs trek to the valley just to eat at Sri Siam for their crispy rice salad. Jessica Koslow of Sqirl eats at Sri Siam and this dish probably inspired the rice bowls at Sqrl. Chef Shawn Pham recently ate at at Sri Siam. The Valley is the sushi capital of Los Angeles. There are more sushi restaurants on Ventura Boulevard than any other area of Los Angeles. With more competition is probably some the best sushi in Los Angeles. The California Roll was invented at Teru Sushi in Studio City which introduced and popularized sushi to the American palate. Visit Go's Mart for some exotic sushi selections. There are still so many hidden gems still waiting to be discovered and inspire our Los Angeles chefs. I've spent most of my life in the Valley and I still haven't uncovered all the best spots to eat.  

Afghan

Ariana - Try their mantu (dumplings). My co-worker used to make them and it's difficult to find. 

Angeleno Cuisine (chef driven "fusion" cuisine of Los Angeles inspired by our multicultural landscape)

The Bellwether (chef Ted Hopson) - Get the French fries (best ever), patty melt (best I've had), inventive R&D dishes, and a craft cocktail. Owners chef Ted and Ann-Marie Verdi used to work at Father's Office. Monday is hot chicken night.

Scratch Bar (chef Phillip Frankland Lee) - You have to go for the tasting menu.  Tell the chefs your preferences and dislikes. They probably can do vegan dishes from Gadarene Swine if you ask.

Argentinean

Mercado Buenos Aires (Van Nuys, Granada Hills, Northridge) - I haven't had a bad meal here. You can't go wrong with ordering beef or an Argentina-style empanada. Get the steak and eggs for breakfast.

Bakery

Breadologie - Surprisingly, excellent pastries -- with some influenced by the flavors of the Philippines. Someone called this the Tartine of Los Angeles.

Helena Wirth Cakes - Seriously good ube and pandan cake. The best I have tasted. I'm not just saying that because it's my dad's bakery. Our Filipino customers tell us all the time and our non-Filipino customers love it once they sample it. 

Sweet Lady Jane - Mixed berry cake for ready made cakes on the go. The rest of their cakes are dry.  :(

Barbecue

Boneyard Bistro - Excellent barbecue and excellent craft beer on tap and bottle list. Skip Barrel & Ashes and eat here.

Swinging Door - Persian owned, Texas inspired. Good barbecue and you can see exactly where they source their meat on the board.

Breakfast

Bebe's/Cici's - Thai-owned breakfast spots (Burbank and Tarzana, respectively) with a dizzying array of pancakes. 

Blu Jam Cafe - Cornflake french toast and goulash.

Dupar's - Best pancakes in Los Angeles open 24/7. When you easier parking than the location at the Grove/Original Farmers Market.

More than Waffles - Some of the best waffles in the city and a wide variety of omelets.

Sweetsalt - Good brunch and pastries

British

Robin Hood - Get the fish and chips. You will love it.

Chinese

A&W Seafood - Dim sum served daily when you don't want to drive to SGV. Great service. Tip: Call ahead and get a number so you don't wait.

Mandarin Deli - Chinese pancakes, sort of juicy dumplings, beef soup

Sam Woo - Chain catering to Chinese. Chinese assorted barbecue plate, spicy calamari, hot pot.

Szechuan Place - Szechuan cuisine... the real deal catering to homesick Chinese students at CSUN. Get the spicy fried chicken.

Colombian 

Sazón Colombia - I had an excellent Colombian breakfast there. Speaking Spanish would probably be helpful.

Diner

Horseless Carriage at Galpin Ford  - Fancy schmancy diner food. The personal chef of the Boeckmann family (owners of Galpin Ford)  put the menu together. $17 prime rib dinner including winning pie, clam chowder Fridays, lobster omelette for brunch.

The Hungry Fox - Thai-owned diner serving the best chicken and waffles (might be better than More than Waffles) in Los Angeles

Donuts

Earl's Donuts - Fresh donuts 24/7

Mama's Donuts - Better than your average donut

Filipino

Bamboo Bistro - Filipino buffet for breakfast and lunch.  My favorite is their optional evening kamayan dinners. Bring a large group and eat with your hands.

Barrio Fiesta - Probably the best crispy pata and kare-kare in the city.

D'New Aristocrat - Turon specialist. Addicting Filipino-style banana fritters.

Hopia Like It - hopia better than what you'll find in the Philippines (according to my relatives)

Isla Grill - Turo-turo style. Probably the best Filipino fast food in the Valley.

Jollibee - Taste of this fast food chain bigger than McDonald's in the Philippines. Get the fried chicken... better than Popeye's!  It comes with rice and gravy.  If you're feeling adventurous try the sweet Filipino-style spaghetti and halo-halo for dessert. My dad concocted their peach-mango pie. 


Lechon de Manila - cebuchon and housemade longanisa


Ninong's Pastries - Try the ube and pandan pancakes.

Oi Asian Fusion - Get the adobo or pork belly rice bowl. Service is iffy. There's a location now in Hollywood.

Empanada (Caribbean inspired)

Johnny Pacific - Probably best empanadas you will ever taste. I asked my cousin from food nerd cousin from NYC if she has tasted anything better... she said "no." Get the spinach and cheese or kahlua pork. Chef was a fine dining chef in the Caribbean and was inspired by the empanada vendors on the street.

Greek

Firehouse - I only eat the chicken gyro. The best gyro I've tasted. I could eat this sandwich every day.

Guatamalan

Amalia's Restaurante - I still need to work my way through the menu! The Guatamalan horchata is so good. Get the garnachas and churrasca plate. Speaking not a word of Spanish might be challenging. My server didn't speak English. :-/

Puchica - Very good, but pricier than Amalia's.

Historic/Retro 

Bill's Hamburger (1965) - Old school, classic burger even better than In-N-Out

The Munch Box (1956) - housemade rootbeer, chili burgers

Wendill's Chicken House (1929) - Frying chicken using the same recipe since 1929.

Hot Dogs

Dog Haus - Tasty hot dogs in a Hawaiian roll bun

Fab's Hot Dogs - Featured in Diner's, Drive-In's and Dives.

The Slaw Dogs - Inventive hot dogs 

Ice Cream

Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream

Magpies Soft Serve - Silver Lake in Tarzana. Don't forget the housemade toppings. I love the honeycomb.

McConnell's - High-quality ice cream (farm-to-table) from Santa Barbara.

Rita's - Frozen custard!

Salt & Straw - Valley location from this experimental chain from Portland, Oregon

Wanderlust Creamery - exotic flavors inspired by travel

Indian

Chennai Tiffins - Dosa specialist from Artesia (Little India). They have so many dosas to choose from!

India's Sweets and Spices - my Indian friend says that this is the best in the Valley. I love their dosas and their imported chocolate bars... they have Lion!

Israeli - Israeli food for the Valley Israeli community

Manna - Try the vegetarian sabich (pronouced sabeek) sandwich. All you can drink apple juice. Super friendly service.

Tel Aviv Grill - I love their chicken schwarma, especially their fried eggplant and falafel. Try "opening the table" with a large group.

Italian

786 Degrees - Award-winning neopolitan pizza from a chef trained in Naples.

Danielle’s Wood Fired Pizza - Good pizza by the slice spot.

Dino's- Pizza from a couple of food nerds "who know good food."

Lido's - Handmade pasta. I like their spaghetti and meatballs.

Monte Carlo Deli & Pinocchio’s Restaurant - Lasagna, gelato, and the best Italian market I have visited so far.

Mulberry Street Pizzeria - They get the water for their dough from New York City tap.

Japanese

Asanebo - Michelin-rated sushi

Go's Mart - Unusual and exotic sushi. It's total hole-in-the-wall and expensive. Get the "holy cow" and more unusual fish selection.

Katsuya Studio City (also Little Izakaya, Encino, Northridge location) - Where I go for good fusion sushi. Still good after all these years. A great introduction to people who have never had sushi before.

Ramen Jinya - Tonkotsu ramen "flavor bomb" in the Valley.

Ramen Nippon - A wide variety of Tokyo-style ramen. Sorry, not tonkotsu ramen here.

Sushi Ike - Decadent sushi including caviar and foie gras garnished with orchids. Chef Eddie will entertain you and tell you how many feet in the ocean his fish was caught. The least expensive omakase is $100, but I heard the $250 omakase is best to get the full experience.

Sushi Spot - Simple, no frills sushi for those in the know. Get the chef's choice menu or the $75 omakase. Chef Craig Thornton (Sharksteeth/Wolvesmouth) drove to the Valley from Downtown LA (when he lived there) for sushi here.

Korean

AYCE Gogi - Flavorful meats to grill on the table and all you can eat banchan/sides. Get the kimchee fried rice. They have craft beer! Service can be hit or miss... place gets busy. I like it more than Fresh Korean Barbecue... I do enjoy the purple rice at Fresh.

BCD Tofu House - Tofu chain from Korea with friendly service. The lovely ladies at BCD treat me well every time I visit and refill my banchan until I tell them to stop. Efficient service with a smile.

Duri Snack - I really like this Korean fast food spot located inside the Greenland Market. I visit this place often.

Lebanese

Alcazar - The best shish tawook I've tasted so far.

Zankou - Roasted chicken plate with hummus and muttabal (roasted eggplant). 

Mexican

Birreira Apatzingan - Some of the best birreira and regional Mexican cuisine from Apatzingan.

Carnitas Loya - I prefer the carnitas here over Carnitas El Momo.

Carrillo's Tortilleria - Go for the Mexican breakfast and their handmade corn and flour tortillas. I love their posole and tamales de mole.

Guisados - Some of the best tacos in LA has a location in the Burbank.

La Michoacana (San Fernando) - Get their paletas (you'll probably want to bring a cooler to take home) and taste their Mexican-style ice cream. The best I've had so far!

Leo's Taco Truck - Al pastor tacos from this chain serving some of the best tacos in the city. Get the champurrado.

Mariscocos Culichi - Get the mariscocos and tostilocos.

Metro Balderas - Pork specialist from Mexico City. I like their carnitas tacos on the weekends on a handmade tortilla. They also have huitlacoche (corn smut)!

Mi Ranchito Veracruz - Veracruzan regional Mexican cuisine. Some of the best Mexican food in Los Angeles.  Get the Veracruzan-style tamales (wrapped in banana leaf), chilaquiles, cochinita pibil, chicken mole tacos, churros. Everything is very good.

Rosarito Fish Market - I go whenever I'm in the neighborhood for seafood tostadas. Always crowded.

Rosie’s Tamales - The best tamales I've tasted in the Valley and probably the best champurrado in the city. They often sell out so get there early.

Morrocan (Modern)

Mizlala - Most of items I've tried are very good. My favorite are the brussels sprouts. Best I've ever had.

Persian

Sadaf Restaurant - I was told  that this was the best in the Valley.

Peruvian

Chios - Chef went to culinary school and you can taste this in their food. The best lomo saltado I've tasted so far. Good luck finding a seat.

El Incomparable Peruvian Cuisine - The chefs take their Peruvian food seriously... take a look a their chef hats and uniforms. Get the tiradito.

Pollo el Listo - My favorite rotisserie chicken in LA second to Pollo a la Brasa in Gardena.  I'm a regular and their chicken is much better than the more often mentioned Bonano's Chicken (praised by LA Times Jonathan Gold and Eater LA blog).

Portuguese

Natas Patries - Natas (Portuguese egg tarts) and Portuguese cuisine.

Sandwiches - the best sandwiches in LA are in the Valley

Cavaretta's - I usually get the same thing every time. Cold corned beef sandwich with extra dressing, cannoli or a lasagna to-go.

Cricca's - Owner used to work at Cavaretta's. The difference is that crunch bread.

Domingo's - More artisan feel to this Italian deli. Better bread compared to Cavaretta's and Cricca's.

Hy Mart Sandwiches - Not an Italian deli, but their sandwiches are really good.

San Carlo Italian Deli - Good sandwiches and pasta. They are some of the few places that have panzerotti.

South African 

Springbok - A taste of South Africa. Dive bar feel and good place to watch some futbol.

Spanish

Gasolina Cafe - a quaint breakfast and lunch spot featuring Spanish cuisine.

Sri Lankan

Apey Kade - Trying the string hoppers and chai is a must. They have a lunch buffet.

Syrian

Esso Mediterranean - I love the donut-shaped falafels. They also make mantee dumplings.

Kobee Factory - Get the kobee. That's what they are known for.

Taiwanese

Weinie Bakery - I love the fresh pineapple cakes.

Thai

Bua Siam - Order the crispy catfish with papaya salad, dynamite wings. They know my face here.  :-/

Chiangmai - Formerly called Inthanon Thai with a popular location in Hollywood which they closed down serving Northern style Thai cuisine. Get the khao soi. That's the only thing I eat here. The crispy rice salad is not so good and neither is the mango and sticky rice.

Khaosan Thai Street Food - Get the khao soi. Get the wings. I have not had a bad dish here.

Kim Thai Food - Laotian papaya salad

Kinnara Thai - Pumpkin curry. So good. 

Krua Thai - Jonathan Gold says this is the best pad Thai in Los Angeles. I love their General's Noodles, pad see ew, and fresh fruit smoothies. They are open until 3:30 am. My go-to when I'm craving Thai after a night of drinking.

Pai, mango and sticky rice specialist - summertime only, inside Pa Order Zapp-Ver (she'll be back in 2018)

Sri Siam - Famous crispy rice salad, sour spicy pork ribs. Chefs trek to the Valley to eat Thai food here. 

Wat Thai - weekends only Thai street food fest

Turkish

Sako's - Try the iskender kebab

Uzbek

EuroAsia - I've tried their traditional Uzbek soup. Need to back. 

Vegan

VeStation - Thai vegan

Vinh Loi Tofu - Ask owner Kevin to make you anything you are in the mood for or something off menu. Trust him. 

Venezuelan

Coffee for Breakfast - My favorite arepas in the city. 

Vietnamese

Song Phat - spring rolls similar to Brodard, unique regional dishes you find in Garden Grove (Little Saigon)


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Allow me to be bold in saying that the San Fernando Valley is probably the food capital of Los Angeles. Almost anything you can think of you can find in the Valley. It's true. You just have to ask around or take a risk and discover your new favorite restaurant. In the Valley, there are so many hidden gems waiting to be discovered. The Valley is the kind of place where chefs eat to be inspired.

Chai Thung is one of those places. It's not related to the Chai Thung in Hollywood that LA Times food critic Jonathan Gold reviewed many years ago. Chai Thung opened 10 years ago in Sun Valley and has been flying under the radar. It's a regional Thai restaurant serving E-San/Isaan (Northeastern Thai) cuisine. They also have Chinese food, but they told me it's different and a Thai-style of cooking. 

When is it an appropriate time to get a feel for a restaurant?  For some places I visit, I get the feel on my first visit. I was one of the first customers at Here's Looking At New and knew instantly it was going to be hit during my first visit. Now with Chai Thung, it has taken me three visits to get to know it better. My first visit, I had a server who barely spoke any English. She recommended I get the (Americanized) pad Thai. Mind you, they have two versions I found out later. She underestimated my taste in food.

My second visit, I visited on a Tuesday for lunch when I found out that there are a couple of servers that speak English really well that revealed to me that there is a secret menu reserved for Thai people. They presented it to me and I could not read a thing. It was all written in Thai. That second visit, I decided to try their crispy fried catfish with apple salad which is on their regular menu. A dish I've tried before at Bua Siam in North Hollywood. They also revealed to me that there are specials that are not on any of the menus such as a quail dish and frog legs.  I was determined to dive into these dishes during my next visit.

My last visit, I brought 8 people with me to explore the more exotic items on the menu. I wanted it to be worthwhile for the group to drive out to Sun Valley. There's plenty of places all over Los Angeles that serve Thai barbecue chicken and pad Thai. We even brought someone who is Thai to guide us through the secret menu.  We ordered some dishes on the secret menu -- the whole trout and the soured pork ribs, a dish I've had before at Sri Siam. We also ordered the pork jerky off the and a squid dish from the regular menu. Our Thai dining companion ordered those dishes. We also got to try the more authentic spicy pad Thai without any food coloring. 

All the dishes were prepared really well exemplifying the owner's talent in the kitchen rather than front-of-house. Each dish that Gina made was outstanding, including the dips and sauces. Someone who was not so adventurous ordered the barbecue chicken. Even thought that wasn't a dish I would order here, it was delicious. The bird was flavorful and moist. I loved the dipping sauce.  I most recently had this dish at Sapp Coffee Shop and this version topped that their barbecue chicken which was flavorless.

With the discovery of Chai Thung, I'm very sure there are more hidden gems waiting for me to discover in the Valley. I just recently tried a Guatamalan resto and was impressed with the dish I tried. I can't wait to try even more dishes. As I mentioned, I don't know of any region of LA where there are so many heavy hitting restaurants. We have an outstanding representation food from different countries... and the some of the best sushi in Los Angeles.  The San Fernando Valley is not a bad place to live for those of us that are willing to search past the Eater blog listicles that tend to ignore the rich culinary scene in of the San Fernando Valley.

Recommended dishes: Sour pork ribs, pork jerky, crispy catfish with papaya salad, whole trout, authentic spicy pad Thai.

Chai Thung
8430 Sunland Blvd
Sun Valley, CA 91352
(818) 768-1976