Mesa Thai Cuisine

This Thai Town YouTube Series Is a Must-Watch for LA Food Lovers | Eater LA

"Set in a strip mall on Western Avenue a few spaces down from Churrasco Chapin, chef Phritwasuphon “Ple” Thanaporn’s Mesa focuses on northern street food and central Thai that she guarantees is authentic; her family ran a northern Thai street-food stand in Thailand, so street food is her passion. I found the deep-fried rice ball salad to be a crispy, sour, ultra-spicy mix brightened by lime and fresh herbs, and the tom pah—rice vermicelli with slivers of papaya, bamboo shoots, preserved cabbage, bean sprouts, and coriander—is “like being in Thailand” and recommended with squid tentacles, blue crab, or snail. Her signature marinated pork steak salad with crushed peanuts and a scorching lime sauce is standout, and on weekends the well-spiced boat noodles deliver the small-bowl punch you’d expect in Thailand; be sure to ask for “Thai-style” if you want it kicked up for Thai diners." - Bill Esparza