It’s Worth Fighting For a Reservation at Award-Winning Valley Thai Restaurant Anajak | Eater LA

"For more than four decades, this vital San Fernando Valley dining destination has drawn even the most quick-to-snub-the-Valley Angelenos with refined takes on classic Thai dishes and an impressive wine slate. In 2019, chef Justin Pichetrungsi took over from his parents, revitalizing the menu and space while keeping the quirky, weathered interior adorned with artwork, and installing one of the best wine lists on the West Coast; he added top-quality seafood like hamachi, local farm-raised shrimp, and dry-aged fish fillets dressed with nam jim, and kept popular dishes such as pad kee mao, fried chicken, and Dungeness crab fried rice. Mercilessly tender Massaman braised beef falls apart in a pool of masterfully spiced, silky curry with hunks of Japanese sweet potato, the glossy, chewy pad see ew lingers in memory for its kick of white pepper (you may want two orders for a table of four), and pork ribs painted with a rich, smoky pineapple glaze will have you gnawing every morsel off the bone. On Tuesdays, Thai Taco Night transforms the restaurant and is so popular it’s practically a block party as people queue up on Ventura Boulevard; lines can extend to the dozens, and limited reservations are now available. The vibe is unpretentious but glowing—its neon sign bathes the sidewalk in red light—with a pleasantly noisy dining room of clinking glasses and friends sharing dishes, and a vast outdoor patio that wraps around into the adjacent alley, with white tablecloths and space for more subdued conversation. Expect a diverse crowd fit for a third date or a family night, from thick-spectacled pêt-nat nerds to young families, where parents can enjoy fried chicken and chardonnay while others order orange wine and kampachi crudo; book a table early and purposefully because reservations are competitive." - Hilary Pollack