ANAJAK THAI in Sherman Oaks is named Los Angles Times Restaurant Of The Year




Opened in 1981, this family owned Thai restaurant has transformed itself over the last several years thanks to the 2nd-generation owner and son, 30-something chef Justin Pichetrungs, who left his job as a concept artist at Disney years ago to take over his father’s restaurant.


During the early months of the pandemic the restaurant focused on take-out to stay afloat. One night, Chef Justin wanted to try something different for his staff meal and since most of his staff are from Oaxaca or Mexico City, he tried his hand at tacos.


ABOVE: Fresh albacore is prepared with spicy nam jim and lime—call it Thai aguachile. And topped with boon sauce, essentially salsa macha, and avocado slices.

One of Anajak’s regulars — an Instagram-famous nail artist — stopped in at the right moment and was able to sample the tacos, which blew her away… and Taco Tuesday was born.

The night I went to Taco Tuesday last year, the tables were in an alley next to the restaurant and a DJ was spinning house-ish music. There was a bit of a party vibe. My friend and I ordered from the taco and regular menu. The food was sublime. They also have a uniquely curated wine list, that has become famous in its own right.

Alongside Anajak’s classic Thai specialties — fried chicken, crispy larb meatballs, pad siew — is a weekly rotating list of tacos, which the chef puts together with his sous chef Eugenio Gasca, a former Otium line cook and Mexico City transplant.



Garrett Snyder’s LA Times article in 2020 has a great quote from chef Pichetrungsi: “The food isn’t straight up Thai-Mexican fusion necessarily; it’s more about using flavors and ingredients that we love and working with people we love and want to support… It’s very L.A. in that way.”





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Paul Revere Williams shaped much of the LA landscape I love

Image
Following up on my previous Paul Revere Williams posts with more exteriors of some of his stunning houses. Williams designed homes for the likes of Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, Barbara Stanwyck, William Holden, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz -- mastering a wide range of styles to accommodate his customers, including: Spanish Revival, Modern, Tudor, Colonial, and French Chateau and Normandy, all of which helped shape much of the LA landscape I love. At the outset of his career, a teacher tried to convince Williams not to pursue a career in architecture because the white patrons of Southern California wouldn’t hire him and the Black community wouldn’t be able to provide enough work for him. Williams overcame innumerous obstacles to become one of the most prolific architects in America and pave the way for other architects of color. Photo Breakdown: 1. William Banning Residence, Hancock Park, 1929 (photo: Alex Elliot) 2. Bachman Residence, S. Hudson St., Hancock Park, 1927 (photo: ?) 3. Alfred...
Read more

Harry Gesner, Surf-Loving Adventurer & Modernist Master

Image
Harry Gesner — the surf-loving adventurer and modernist architect who designed some of the most idiosyncratic houses in LA died in his home in Malibu this June (2022) at 97.  If you’re interested in LA architecture, the obits in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times are really worth reading.  ABOVE:  Kimball House, built 1957 Tarzana Photo: Juergen Nogai Gesner sketched his most famous house while bobbing on his long board in front of the secluded cove that would be its site in Malibu.  Set on the secluded beach, the “Wave House” resembles a cresting wave, sea birds, and ship bows, somehow simultaneously. The copper shingles on its vaulted roof are reminiscent of fish scales. Many say the design inspired the Sydney Opera House. BELOW:  Wave House built 1957, Malibu Photo: Steven Lippman, Juergen Nogai LA Times writer Carolina A. Miranda says of Gesner’s soaring designs that they, “...seem to draw their shape from the swells of the Pacific Ocean and the wooded...
Read more

Christmas Tamales / Courtesy of The Los Angeles Times: https://www.latimes.com/recipe/early-christmas-tamales

Image
  Early Christmas Tamales Adapted from a recipe by chef Wes Avila. Courtesy of The Los Angeles Times : https://www.latimes.com/recipe/early-christmas-tamales Ingredients: About 20 corn husks 1 (2- to 4-pound) butternut squash 1 tablespoon oil 1 pound tomatillo milperos, peeled and washed well 1⁄2 pound Roma tomatoes, halved 2 guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed 1 pasilla chile, stems and seeds removed 4 chiles de arbol, stems and seeds removed 1 bay leaf 1⁄2 head garlic 1⁄2 cup sesame seeds 1 tablespoon sh...
Read more