Kim Thai Food

The location is quite random but it’s a legit Northern Thai restaurant. I recommend steamed fish, grilled skewers, sausages, papaya salad, and the duck larb.

Kim Thai Food is an excellent spot for authentic Thai cuisine. The flavors are rich and bold, with dishes like pad thai and green curry cooked perfectly every time. The portions are generous, prices are fair, and the staff makes you feel welcome from the moment you walk in. The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere that makes dining here enjoyable whether it’s takeout or dine-in. Definitely a go-to for delicious Thai food.

This place is authentic down home cooking, the woman here are family like atmosphere.Get in my bellay. Thank goodness I work down the street. Come support them. A rating. Try duck salad with sticky rice medium spicy. So freaking good.

THAILAND 🇹🇭 Excerpt from Eat the World Los Angeles: Inside of La Fiesta Swap Meet, make your way past clothing, hat, and shoe vendors, past sleepy workers watching movies on their phones, walls full of veladoras, and the many barbers and salons in La Fiesta to sit down for a spicy feast. "Kan Tong" is the name of the original owner of the stall, who went by the nickname Kim. No matter what language you prefer, an exciting meal is on the way. This meal started with a delicious plate of naem khao tod ($10), which immediately went to the top of the power rankings with the one at Vientiane down in Garden Grove. In addition to the rice cooked with curry paste and sour sausage, they include peanuts and roasted chili peppers. Freshly chopped up ginger seemingly pervades each and every bite in such a good way.

Unlike other Thai food we have had. Felt more authentic and had unique dishes we had never seen before. Tiny little place at the end of a dingy swap meet but the excellent service and loved everything we got.

We found this small place on google maps trying to look for it and it was inside the Swap Meet market in the back where the food court was. Food was delicious! The closest thing to my moms cooking 😋 very authentic

I am so excited I discovered this place and am excited to try more dishes! I got the papaya salad and sticky rice for lunch the other day and it was super fresh and authentic. Spicy in all the right ways! The woman taking my order was super friendly and appreciative of my business I will definitely be returning!

Very authentic northeastern thai food! Hidden gem in LA!

Very nice owner, it is in the back of the flee market inside of the building like a swap meet, but everything was so good here. It was early like 11 AM, and we love Thai food. The pad see ew was so good!

Unexpectedly pricey for a food stall at the back of a swap meet however the staff was friendly and the food was OK

Food is delicious! Sevice could use a little more professionalism. Ambiance is good although noisy when busy.

The chicken and pork skewers are AMAZING. Food is made fresh to order so there's a little wait but it's worth it. We get the skewers with sticky rice and it's delicious and fairly priced. Is it a place you want to eat at? Probably not but get it to go and take home.

This is one of the more delicious Thai/Lao restaurants that I've been to. it is super hard to find the first time, but well worth the search. The person working the counter is super friendly, helpful and sweet. The ambiance is pure swap meet, but that's fine with me. Know that there is no sign outside. Go into the swap meet and go all the way to the back.

You'd have to believe that part of Kim Thai's charm would be in part to its (very Los Angeles) location, nestled in a nondescript indoor mall in the northern reaches of North Hollywood. Despite its unassuming setting, this small Thai restaurant boasts a passionately replete survey of Northern Thai dishes, likewise unassumingly prepared. AllStreetsGourmand stumbled upon Kim Thai due in part to a recommendation from Atlas Obscura. We've also seen it pop up several times when doing the standard maps.google 'search this area' when we're up this next of the woods. Eventually, curiosity won out and we were not disappointed. The restaurant is tucked away at the back of the La Fiesta Indoor Swap Meet. Like many in Los Angeles or Orange Counties, the building is an eclectic mix of vendors, including a Chinese herbalist, clothing, jewelry, and a top-tier Thai restaurant. With only a handful of tables, seating will be limited, especially during peak times. I guess this adds to the quirky, cozy intimacy. If the tables are occupied, consider taking your meal to-go and enjoying it elsewhere, we guess...although Thai food is best enjoyed fresh. Give yourself ample time to try and snag a table and eat there--the owner is so sweet and adds to the experience. Her warm hospitality and genuine interest in our thoughts add to the experience. And, cash only!!! Our intrepid guide knew right away that Kim Thai was a cuisine of the Northern variety, renowned for its bold and spicy flavors. Heeding the advice of our guide, I opted for medium-spice. I was absolutely delighted by the fiery kick of the dishes - our soup and protein entrees were deliciously flavorful, with a perfect burn. We had the Tom Sapp (medium heat), Esan sausage with a side of sticky rice, Yum No 1 (pork knuckle - medium heat), beef skewer, Thai tea, and Thai coffee. Tom Sapp is a delicious pork rib soup similar to Tom Yum. Many of the ingredients are tangy and citrusy, and chilies are added to achieve that nice burn. I must have esan sausage with sticky rice whenever I can--the sweet umami of the sausage perfectly combines. Yum No 1 is bits of pork knuckle, expertly mixed with aromatics and vegetables--the mint, garlic, and peppers awaken the mind. As was our experience, if you have questions, the owner is very willing to answer them--definitely try and get her take before ordering. We make this a practice and are hardly disappointed. We washed this down with a combination of Thai tea and coffee. It went down perfectly! Once the meal is over, there isn't much to do on-site besides browsing the nearby shops. But, the main event here is the food stand. [Of peripheral interest, the shop seemed to be under two names, but we used Kim Thai for searching - that seems to be most consistent.] Kim Thai offers a quirky, yet traditional, Thai dining experience in the periphery of Los Angeles. If you're in the area, it's definitely worth checking out. For more information, visit allstreetsgourmand.com. Please like and subscribe!

I found this place on Yelp and it was very highly rated. We were craving Thai food and don't quite have a favorite spot. Placed an order on the phone - the lady was very nice and said they were located in the swap meet. I got the Bamboo shoots soup (mild) with sticky rice, the duck larb but without the liver/hearts cause I'm pregnant, and the shrimp pad thai. It took me about 8 minutes to drive there and when I parked and found the place (back of swap meet), the lady was packing up my food. Overall everything was tasty - the soup, which was mild, still had a nice kick. The duck larb came with fried pork and cucumbers, but was a little dry - may be because of the liver? The shrimp pad thai was tasty, but did not have peanuts...instead it had, not one, not two but three short black hairs. After we found the third hair, we couldn't eat it. I like an authentic/hole in the wall place, but it needs to be clean! One hair maybe, but three (that we found)! Grosss

I was recommended this place by a coworker. He said it was delicious and a fun hunt because it is located in a very unsuspecting place (the swapmeet). A food vlogger came to this place and posted his video on Youtube. Being an adventurous foodie myself, I came for the ride. The lady taking my order was a little short tempered. I told her that I was going to take a lot of food home so I would likely need to go boxes. She asked if I wanted her to serve my food in the to go boxes. I said, no thank you because I would like to enjoy my food on a proper dishes and then take it home. I was really tired after work and a proper meal with dishes sounded very comforting. I almost had to laugh at her outright expression on annoyance. I don't think I've never experienced anyone taking my order roll their eyes so hard and give out a long irritated sigh, lol. I was like...oh! But I didn't mind so much and I wasn't really offended. I think we were both tired haha. I ordered the catfish wrapped in leaves. I had the larb and the papaya salad. Everything looked very tasty and looked authentic when it all came out. The papaya salad had the most delicious fish sauce dressing. Absolutely mouth watering and satisfying. The larb fell short, concerning flavor. The larb looked beautiful and seemed to have lots of spices but was extremely bland. I was very surprised by that and wondered if it wasn't made properly, or if that is the style for the region they're making their recipes form. The catfish blew my mind! WOW! It was fun to unwrap like a present. It was dripping with moisture and flavor. I loved all the fresh vegetables inside. I saw fresh dill, spring onion...and all sorts of other herbs I didn't recognize. It was sooo nice. I grabbed spoonful after spoonful. The bold herbs paired with the moist catfish was delightful. I did feel teleported to a home cooked meal, somewhere in Thailand. Once I was done, I asked for the to go containers, lol. By that time the lady serving me was very nice and hospitable. I think we shared a moment earlier that brought closer, haha. I saved the larb by mixing it with my leftover papaya salad and fish sauce. That was a good choice because the blend was delicious. I would like to return!

I love this places been here so many time but haven't wrote a review. Just know it's more Laos style than Thai. I'd been looking for a good Laos place in the valley. This stall is located inside of a Mexican Swap meet. Only got a few chairs set up. I will say I'd preferred almost everything in the menu and have not been disappointed. Their English is limited so be gentle and speak slow. They got a lot of pictures. Once order food comes at reasonable time. No this is not a restaurant but a togo food stalls and but they do have a few tables to sit. Portions are good and flavor are on point. Have no complaints except they only take cash, but it's worth it.

Haven't been here for while The Lao papaya salad portion got way smaller It's was very delicious but the portion was so so so small for 15$ it's like a ripe off Lao Bamboo soup was delicious 15$ Pork sticky good - 3$ each

Unexpected authentic and really good food in a food court swap meet location. This northern Thai and isaan food establishment is really good. A little overpriced but the delicious food gets you past that. Northern sausage is good as is the bamboo soup which is a feast for the senses. The nam tok pork salad is so good too and the som tum/papaya salad is the real deal! No frills but who needs them when the food does all the talking.

I miss Lao food so much that my Fiancé decided to try this place after his work. He told me that the old ladies were so surprised and happy that he knows Lao food bc I'm from Minnesota (Lao community is big here) and I'm also Lao lol. So of course I'm going to make him try Lao food !! What we ordered: * Chicken Skewers - Highly recommend. I don't usually eat chicken from other places, but these are some very tender, juicy and savory chicken. * Lao Papaya Salad - We got medium spice. Savory and some spicy kick. It's delicious. * Gaang Nor Mai - I was really shocked to see Gaang Nor Mai here, let alone anywhere. This is one of those rare gem food that everyone needs to try at least once. It's packing with so many flavor, but the spiciness does slowly creep up on you so I suggest eating with this sticky/steam rice. Also eat this with caution bc I choked on my first bite from the sneaky spice too lol. I seriously recommend trying this soup if you are thinking about. It will change your life !!

Wow! So glad we came in. The swap meet is pretty good but the THAI FOOD IS AMAZING. I'm going to be dreaming of that duck larb! The tom yum was good but the larb was outstanding. My new favorite thai dish. Looking forward to trying other dishes in the future.

Like no other Thai in L.A., the flavors are incredible, it's very herbaceous and different from most Thai because of the Laotian influence. The owners are very nice and helpful too. We get the fish wrapped in banana leaf, hard to find on most menus, and the crispy rice salad is the best version we've had. Everything we've had there is first rate. And the location is unique, it's in the back of a building marked "Swap Meet", with all kinds of crazy little stalls featuring everything from make up to clothing. Super fun walking thru there, you feel like you're in another country! Great people-watching while you eat. Cash only tho, so be sure to bring some actual money!

Various little stores fill this swap meet, but this little Laotian store cooks up a delicious menu of strong Southeastern taste. The spicy standard invites you to a mild level for a strong kick of herbs and chiles. Every dish draws you in, the main cashier lady always greets you with the warmest smile! I keep coming back for the Laotian style papaya salad Som Tum Lao Poo Dum (with blue crab). The group of cooks gathers the ingredients quickly from the tiny kitchen, and a strong lady pounds out the salad by hand in the giant mortar in front of you. The slices of green papaya mix with brined blue crabs for a distinct fresh flavor cut with genuine fermented fish paste pla raa. The more potent and raunchy flavor really focuses on the unique tastes from the Laotian style cuisine. So far everyone in the mom and pop kitchen are wearing facemasks, and in this day and age, finding comfort food Laotian still surviving in LA is a rarity!

Bought the Thai tea today while looking for soccer jersey, and something was not right with it. Literally threw all up after 30min.

I have only been once and I was totally blown away by how authentic delicious and wonderful the owner is, everything is made fresh so don't be fooled by the way it looks, this is no cafeteria or mall food, this is the kinda food you find when your Laotian friend takes you to their grandmas house. I actually ended up eating it there, because I'm not that fancy and I don't really care that I was in a swap meet. I was eager to eat the food in front of the owner so I could talk to her about it, and that we did!!! Since Thai food is my favorite, and this particular style is new to me, I really enjoyed the event of eating it there, and asking questions about what I was actually eating. She was so impressed on how spicy I could eat, they were all laughing at me because I was kind of dying by the end of it, this is definitely spicy food.. it's supposed to be served that way, so if you don't want it very spicy, tell them. Bamboo soup and papaya salad.. These dishes are supposed to come spicy. Pad Thai, sticky rice, beef, and noodles, pork dish, all that is not so spicy, so if you don't like spicy, maybe go for those ones cause they are also delicious! I wrote a review on here that somebody said not to order the pad Thai, but I completely disagree, I loved it against what I had ordered, I liked that it was on the soft side of flavors, and the noodle consistency was amazing. The menu is not huge, because the kitchen itself is not huge, but they do have specials, as I brought back with me something they had as a special and it was ONG CHILLI. They sell sausage and some things to go, that you can take home and eat with rice another day so I bought all of that as well and it was so delicious.

Best Thai Lao food in LA. The sausage is tasty. The Mok Pla is amazing and Lao style and you can't get this dish ANYWHERE. Their Thai iced teas are ridiculously huge for some reason. This is my spot. I kinda like it's in the middle of a working class swap meet type mall. I got a massage there once lol. And a hat. And my high school graduation photos. I'm 36.

We ordered, duck laab, beef laab, nam tok, banana leaf fish, beef noodle, sausage, papaya & skewers, they were all so delicious! We were so eager to eat, we didn't even take before photos. The lady taking our order was super nice as well.

I always order duck larb which is spicy cooked larb salad medium spicy which is suitable for me

The food here is phenomenal, to the point where it made me sleepy from how good it was! I ordered a Lao style papaya salad, which was so flavorful with the perfect amount of spice to complement the fried pork neck. The papaya was crunchy and with the perfect balance of all the sauces they used. The pork neck was perfectly charred, with the perfect crunchy/fat ratio and was not dry at all. The dipping sauce was a perfect spice level, and adding a side of sticky rice really tied it all together. I will definitely be coming back here to continue appreciating the Lao cuisine this restaurant has to offer!

Hole in the wall (though I guess more literally: back of the swap meet in a semi-empty food court); a true gem-in-the-sand of authentic thai food. Me and my parents LOVE thai food, so we like trying different places. This ranks pretty high. A lot of thai places like to dumb down their spice to cater to a wide audience, but when we mean spicy, we're looking for "my dad's sweating as if he took a shower, and we're gasping like no tomorrow." This place didn't mess around with that in their shrimp pad thai ($8) and we really enjoyed it. We also ordered the papaya salad which was refreshing and flavorful (though not as many ingredients as the ones we get from the weekend stand in front of Bangluck in Reseda). While we were here, we decided to try our luck with the Beef Soup (we're Vietnamese and the broth tasted like Pho with thicker pieces of meat and little to no rau/garnish). The broth was tasty, but overall alright. 32oz Thai Tea for $4 was decent (not too sweet) but as you might expect, a lot of ice. The worker, Tony, was awesome. He hooked it up with some chicharron lol. Will come back!

Pretty pricy for being in the food court of a swap meet. My bill came out to $54 for 5 items, though...I don't count sticky rice as an item...that shouldn't have cost more than $5 right? In fact, I don't think it should've been $5, maybe $3. -Pad Thai with chicken: Pretty good, not a lot of chicken pieces and portion was okay. -Tom Song Fung Khong: I wasn't sure what this was. I saw a papaya salad with raw shrimp and was really hoping it was this one. It wasn't. It was just regular papaya salad...? Not really sure what made this different from the regular one. It was good though. Medium was plenty spicy for me. -Larb Duck: This was okay, not really sure it's worth the upcost of having duck since it's all in crumbles. -Hor Mok Pla: I'm a fan! The fish was super flavorful and moist. -Sticky rice: Standard, went well with the hor mok pla.

Really good northern thai and lao food. Crispy rice is 100% on point. Don't order the pad thai here as they are not good with it here. Nothing against them as that is a central thai dish.

I order take-out from here pretty often, so much so, that when the taste and quality became inconsistent I immediately noticed the difference. I once said something to the gentleman (name: Willie) working behind the counter and he just kinda brush it off. In general Willie is actually kinda nice, but perhaps overwhelmed and forgetful at times. On many occasions when I place an order by phone with him, something is either missing or the spice level is off. On another note, I understand that this restaurant is under New Management now; therefore, perhaps that explains the compromise in taste. The previous owner and her daughter made the best food here at this stall. Sadly under new management, that is no longer the case in my experience.

Wow! The thai sausage! The coconut catfish! The fried rice n thai ice tea were outstanding!!

Papaya Salad is BOMB! I ordered the Lao style with noodle and had it made spicy. It's so flavorful. Don't be fool by the location. This place is definitely a hole in the wall. You can tell the food is made with love and truly authentic. Service is fast and servers are super friendly. I highly recommend this place!

Rarely do I give 5 stars to a hole in the wall, down home eatery, but this may be the most flavourful, chefly, well nuanced Southeast Asian eatery in all of Los Angeles. The prices are rock bottom to boot which is another added draw. Jitlada should not sit on its laurels since Kim Thai is coming up fast. My reading of Yelper Felix L.'s accurately descriptive review was so compelling, I had to try out this culinary diamond in the rough in the very back of the La Fiesta Swap Meet. Mok Pa is catfish transformed Into a soft pâté by the process of slow steaming. The catfsh seems slightly fermented in Nampla/fish sauce to give it a slightly funky, fish Umami while fresh, dark green dill added a touch of bitter, turpentine like herbalness & maybe a touch of cumin & coriander to counter the fermented tone. Even the aromatic juices exuded was so favourful that I used the bland texturally sticky yet al dente rice as a good complement to the complex medley of savory flavours. The Laotian style unripe Papaya Salad was the big bruiser sister to the more mild & wimpy Thai version. The shredded papaya is bruised in a mortar & pestle to break the fibres to soften the papaya to a Japanese daikon radish consistency and to allow Nampla, lime juice, dried, fermented funky shrimp paste much like Phillipino Bago'on, chiles, vinegar, sugar to marinate through faster. A few pieces of crab was also there to add more oceanic Umami. Vietnamese Banh Cuon/rice rolls was a more country cousin variation. The rice roll is thick & has more of a pastry quality. The ground pork is rough ground as well as the brown cloud ear mushrooms cut thicker. Nuoc Cham sweet fish sauce was the dipping sauce. Nice crisp Persian cucumber was the vegetal accompaniment unlike the standard Vietnamese addition of fresh mint, basil, rau ram. This Banh Cuon was good, but there are better in Little Saigon & San Gabriel Valley, but that is just too far away. Service is basic, but friendly. Since much of the food seems made from scratch, it may take up to half an hour to prepare, but totally worth the wait. Take out may be the best way to go since the surroundings are less than stellar. There was litte air conditioning in La Fiesta Swap Meet building especially in back so it can get hot & stuffy. Also at home it Is possible to pair this delectable food w/ cold Singha, Amarit, Ginga Ko-gen, Orion, Kawaba beers. Almost any kind of Japanese Sake (sah keh) on the Daiginjo level would pair excellently. This will be my go to place for Southeast Asian cuisine. All the food described above for $20 that would feed 3 comfortably. 5- Yelp stars for exquisite food for a pittance. PS Swap Meet closes early at 7pm so get there at least 30 minutes before closing for take out. Dining there may get iffy by that time.

The papaya salad is very spicy and the grilled pork is fragrant with lots of spices, very soft and delicious.

I am always in search of authentic Thai & Lao food. This place did not disappoint. I wanted to continue eating even after I was full. I had the Lao style papaya salad, curry fish custard and Lao bamboo soup. All were very well flavored and as I remember from my trip to Laos earlier this year. I will be returning in the future for other items on the menu! P.S. The location is odd for Thai/ Lao food, but I ain't mad. It was kind of fun to explore the different stores in the swap meet building.

Great food , service was excellent plenty of parking . Place was traditional clean and well maintained

The food here is EXCELLENT. Absolutely one of the best and more unique Thai meals you can have in Los Angeles. And the prices are quite affordable too. I would suggest: DUCK LAAB (Laab pet): Their specialty. It's $15 for one plate and completely and totally worth it. The Laab is flavored so strongly and with such skill - there's lemongrass, chili, galangal, and a whole bunch of other herbs and spices that I can't quite place. It's not your typical Bangkok-style Pork or Chicken Laab that you can find everywhere. This is Isaan-style Laab which is more complex and exciting. It tastes fucking amazing with sticky rice. FRIED PORK (muu daat diew) This is deep fried marinated pork. The pork is marinated in fish sauce so it's salty. Love the chili-lime dipping sauce that comes with it. THAI PAPAYA SALAD (som tum Thai): If you like unfiltered fermented fish sauce, you should order the papaya salad Laotian style. I'm not accustomed to it so I got the Thai papaya salad, which is adjusted for people from Bangkok who gravitate towards sweeter and more sour flavors. This was perfectly salty, sweet and sour. PORK RIB SOUP (Tom sapp kraduuk muu) This is a hot and sour soup with pork ribs. Again, perfectly seasoned. I loved everything I ordered. The only thing about this place is the location. It's in a strip mall that's dirty. The tables had sticky stains and they didn't provide any napkins to clean the place. That makes it a less comfortable environment to eat in. Bring your adventurous friends who care more about food than ambiance here and you'll be satisfied.

absolute gem - tucked in the back of a swap meet. definition of an awesome hole in the wall

I've been here several times after watching the video from Mark Weins. I've enjoyed everything I've ordered thus far. It's a real treasure that have this type of food available to us in Los Angeles.

Most of the food is not tasty Speak badly to customers The waiter was confused with the order. You should improve the service. Just do as ordered, don't argue.

Mark Weins recommendation on his Thai Food So Cal, this was Stop 3 for us. So far, his recommendations have been mehhh... As for this place, it's situated in a swap meet, which made it an unique experience in itself. We ordered the Duck Lab

This hole in the wall restaurant is a hidden gem. Ordered a variety of items last week and everything was good. Extra enjoyable is their Duck Larb.

I've been buying the to go foods from here for years and the price keeps going up, the quantity of food is less and less, frustrating of communication. I would say this is the last time for me of going there. It's not worth 40min drive anymore.

GET THE LAAB AND PAPAYA SALAD. With so many Thai restaurants in this area, Kim Thai has the best laab (I usually order beef or pork) and their papaya salad very flavorful and tangy. It's location is rather odd, but there's ample parking and service is friendly and fast!

My hairdresser told me about this place. I'm glad she told me that it's in the back of an indoor swapmeet and they don't have a huge menu. So one day I decided to drop in and the way I ordered was looking at the pictures on Yelp. The menu was written in Thai. The cashier was very nice and the stall was small but it was neat to see all the herbs and other stuff they were selling. I ordered the following: Bamboo Salad - Yum!!! If you love bamboo, this is the perfect dish. It was sour and spicy, the way I like it. 2 sausages and 1 chicken satay - I'm not a fan of these. Maybe I was suppose to get a sauce of something but they were very bland and tough to eat. Thai Iced Tea - It was good, nothing special. I don't know how much each item was since the menu was written in Thai but I spent less than $20 for everything. Next time I'm going to get the Bamboo Salad, Pad Thai and Papaya Salad and it will all be for me!!!

Easily the most unique Thai food I've had in the Valley, in particular because I'm not aware of any other restaurant specializing in Isan cuisine from the northeast of Thailand. Because Isan is bordered by Laos by the Mekong river, there is lots of Laotian culinary overlap happening in these dishes. Across my handful of trips here, I've tried: Lao papaya salad with anchovy sauce (tum make hoong): The special fermented fish sauce used in the Lao papaya salad is not your ordinary translucent, dark caramel colored fish sauce you love and know. This is a thicker, dare I say fishier fish sauce, in this case made from fermented anchovies. bamboo mushroom yanang soup (gaeng nor mai): Spicy, umami clear broth soup, with a hearty array of ingredients. bamboo shoot salad (soop naw mai): Really spicy! And so damn delicious. Quite like papaya salad, but of course with bamboo shoots, so the texture is a bit different: crunchy, but with a kind of tenderly soft springiness you don't get with green papaya. pork liver salad (tub wan): Pork liver salad was incredible! A pile of pork liver cooked to perfection, like bite-sized, creamy chunks of pâté. The spice, green onion, and coriander leaf help balance the umami out nicely. spicy raw ant eggs salad (koi khai mot dang): The ants add more of a crunch texture than anything else, a wonderful contrast to the absolutely creamy and savory ant eggs. The creamy goodness gushes out in your mouth as you crunch through the snappy membrane. The spice, herbs, and powdered toasted sticky rice all work really well to balance out and give depth to this very unique dish. Highly recommended for you adventurous eaters. The experience of eating ant eggs is not unlike eating salmon roe (ikura), so if you're into that, you'll like this. Isan sausage (sai krok Isan): Tasty but already cooked and under a heat lamp waiting for you, so not the freshest preparation. With all the incredible and unique offerings here, I'd skip this, unless you need to order something for your more basic dining mates. fish cake steamed in banana leaf (ha mok pla): Made with catfish here. Incredibly soft and tender, gentle fish taste, with coconut cream and red curry, giving this both subtle and bold textural and flavor elements. This comes out quick compared to everything else and makes for a great appetizer. Enjoy with jasmine rice. spicy hot and sour beef stew (tom saep): Pretty much as described. I remember it being mostly innards like tripe. So if you're not into beef organs, might want to skip. If you are into this kind of thing, good for you, as you will enjoy a very hearty soup, definitely spicy and definitely citrus sour from the lime, with nice depth of herbal flavor from the lemongrass, kaffir lime, and galangal. and durian crepe cake: Not overwhelmingly durian-flavored to put off those faint of heart, but definitely not subtle, and enough for a durian lover to enjoy. Light, soft, airy, a wonderful way to end your meal.

This is as authentic of Thai food that you can possibly get around here. Chicken skewers are a must!

Ever since I read about this authentic, hole in the wall Thai-Laotian spot, I had to find a way to get here. It's not normally the case that I'm hanging out in swap meets in the North Hollywood/Valley Glen area, but I was in Studio City getting my hair done, so I figured I could drive over. Definitely got lots of looks walking through the swap meet and standing in the short line at Kim Thai (just walk to the back), but I'm used to being one of the few (or only) white girls in some of the tasty spots! A lot of the menu is in Thai, but they have pictures. To be honest, if you're coming here, then you know what you want anyway, so it shouldn't matter that there isn't an English-friendly menu. The gentleman who took my order kept trying to convince me that I didn't want things spicy (I even told him in Thai pet mak, so he knew that I knew what I was talking about) and kept trying to steer me towards things that "foreigners like." I found that annoying. Anyhow, got some sai oua (Nothern Thai sausage), nam prik pla too (chili dip with fish in it), duck laab, and the famous tam mak hoong (the Laotian papaya salad). The laab and the nam prik were super spicy, which I enjoyed. I found most of the dishes ok, to be honest; I wasn't a huge fan of the fish elements (including what I think was a mussel and a tiny crab) in the papaya salad, and what tasted like a lack of freshness in the laab, which is supposed to be bright and fresh-tasting. I'm glad I tried it, but I'm not in a rush to go back. This place definitely is for some, but it's not on my list to head back.

Food is B-. Value is D-. I swear the food is nothing to write home about. You can get this type of restaurant anywhere, you don't need to drive this far. I think what makes people write about this place is the location. Somehow you're hip and "cultured" if you order from a below average thai restaurant situated in the back of the counterfeit market. Got charged $12 for a small cup of som tum when it should be sold for around $5-6 max. Two average sized sausages for $8. Bamboo soup devoid of any flavor. I think owners can have a seriously successful business without up selling their customers, and charging a fair value to attract traffic.

Khanh Thong Song Fung Kong is the hole in the wall type of place that I like visiting for the high fun-factor. It's a food hawker located in the back of the La Fiesta swap meet that is adjacent to an El Super market. This is a sticky table dining experience with specialty menu all in Thai characters and only one English word - "style". The owner is not shy about revealing her specialty, the papaya salad. She presents a collection of trophies awarded for "Best Papaya Salad" front and center above the steam table. You can easily recognize the owner from her face pasted onto a banner that is hung right next to the menu. We came for lunch and ordered the main attraction - Tum Mak Hoong or Lao style papaya salad. I'm sure quite a few foreigners like me have already made it here since they were able to prepare it mild without complaints. The mild version was not very aggressive but still flavorful with firm shredded papaya pounded in fish sauce, lime, and palm sugar. It included several pieces of sweet raw blue crab. Since we ordered mild, the spices were not as intense and satisfying as it could have been, and at times I felt it was somewhat too sweet to enjoy. Next time, I will need to order the native version for the real experience. Besides the papaya salad, we had the Isaan sausage, sai krok, which was garlicky with a not too aggressive fermented sourness. It had a slightly crispy skin and it tasted great with sticky rice. I was told by the owner that the proper way to eat everything is by tearing apart some sticky rice and eating it with the papaya salad and sausage with my hands. Isaan food is indeed a hands-on experience. The other appetizer that we ordered, Mok Pa, also paired well with sticky rice. It's a standard Laotian item, made with catfish filet, fermented fish paste, and dill steamed together in a banana leaf. The mok pa was umami and herbally, delicate, and buttery smooth to eat. Besides the papaya salad, this extraordinary item is a must-order here. Aside from Thai and Lao food, you can also find some Vietnamese dishes on the menu. I'm don't remember exactly why but probably just for fun, we tried the duck soup noodles. It was presented with thick rice noodles in a chicken broth that was fairly light and only semi-sweet, accompanied with all the Vietnamese style vegetables including the ngo gai. The duck breast meat was nothing memorable. It was a solid bowl for those who want a light meal, but nothing too interesting or worth saving room for. Song Fung Kong also sells Thai tea and bottled water. Beware though, if you order a Thai tea and don't specify a size, you will by default receive a jumbo 32oz cloying sweet version (1/2 tea, 1/2 half and half) that surely result in a diabetes diagnosis after consumption. Despite the food court dining environment, you get semi-table service, meaning food is brought to your table from the kitchen and you pay at the counter after you eat. Service was not very attentive though, and it took a bit of waiting to check out. For my next visit, I am going to dial up the adventure-level and graduate to the papaya salad with higher spice intensity, paired with the Yum #1 salad, either the tom zaap or gaeng nor mai, duck laab.

I was so glad to finally get to eat here. I ordered the bamboo shoot salad which was a little more intense than it is in other restaurants-- the fermented sauce was thicker, darker, and a lot spicier. But it was so good! I couldn't believe the size of the portion. There was enough for two meals. My friend had the beef soup which had a broth that tasted of star anise. It was good, too. I'm going to try the meatless Laotian mushroom and bamboo shoot soup next time. Some of the reviews complain about the location and make fun of the indoor swap meet. That is entirely unfair. The La Fiesta swap meet is clean, and there are plenty of things to buy, from traditional Asian and Latin American herbal medicines to trendy T-shirts, soccer memorabilia, and baby clothes. You can buy gold and silver jewelry, get a tattoo, have your nose pierced or get a gel manicure. There's even a curandera and a couple of botanicas that deal in votive candles and "spiritual cleaning." Maybe inside the botanical, those with bad attitudes about Van Nuys and the valley can be cured of their snobbery Come enjoy the Thai and Laotian food and top it all off with a smoothie or some ice cream.

If you like Laotian food, this place delivers. Only ask for spicy if you truly love spicy food. Love the spicy lao style papaya salad, sour bamboo salad, chicken larb, and sausages.

My aunt wanted to check this place out after we went to the Thai temple. As I'm a vegetarian for a month, I didn't get to eat many of the delicious looking dishes like noodles and larb. I had som tum (papaya salad) which is perhaps the best in the area as the owner has won many awards for that. My aunt also tried the beef noodle (Vietnamese pho) and I got to try the soup. It was delicious. Other dishes that I can see include spicy soups, grilled catfish, and esarn sausages. Though it's a food court style, their staffs are very friendly and helpful. The prices are very decent.

Kim is known for her papaya salad. Her funky Laotian-style papaya salad. She recommended that I get the Thai style first before trying her Laotian style papaya salad. I am sure I have tasted her salad many times before when she had a food stall at Wat Thai every weekend. It's been a while. My Thai friend told me a while back to look for the papaya salad in the swap meet to taste the best. This is probably the best papaya salad I've tasted along with Isaan Station's red egg papaya salad. Bua Siam makes a nice version as well. Kim's papaya salad has won awards and she has people drive far to eat her food. She mentioned that visiting Thai celebrities come to her to eat her food. She told me that people from Thailand have commented that her papaya salad is better than what they have tasted in Thailand. That makes this the best papaya salad in the world. I also tried her pork salad and that was very good as well. She has pho which I asked her about and she told me that she us half Vietnamese born in Thailand and knows how to make pho. Kim told me that if I ate her papaya salad every day, I would lose weight. If that's so I will gladly go on the papaya salad diet! If it makes me go as she gestured and cleanse lol. It's so good! Find her stall in the back of the swap meet in the food court. Cash only. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.