Darabar Thai Cafe

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

"Tucked into the back of a busy strip mall along with fellow Check-In star Shrimp Lover (Episode 11), Prakopsup “Kevin” Seesod’s low-lit Darabar Thai Cuisine opened in 2011 as a “spa-style” restaurant, according to its owner. Before the pandemic, Seesod’s focus was on bar foods like grilled squid, glass noodles salad, fried chicken skin, and Thai sour sausage paired with Chang beer, bottles of Johnnie Walker, lemon drops, and sake. “Before [the pandemic] our sales were 90 percent alcohol, 10 percent food; now it’s 90 percent food, 10 percent alcohol,” says Seesod. Seesod recommends his northeastern Thai street foods, like a deeply flavored pork meatloaf salad, and the papaya salad platter, which comes with a medley of snacks: fried chicken wings, pork jerky, fried chicken skin, hard-boiled eggs, and more. His favorite dish is a grilled squid served with a seafood dipping sauce. In the episode, he takes time to reflect on how the pandemic has been an impetus for him to improve service and make things better for customers returning from quarantine." - Bill Esparza