Although I’m from the San Gabriel Valley and love living here, I used to begrudge it due to its lackluster Thai food. Thankfully, times have changed — and the addition of Kwan Kitchen two years ago is partially responsible. This casual strip mall joint from a brother-and-sister team is lit with bamboo lanterns and adorned with vintage Thai motifs like ceramic rice cookers and old-school glasses that house condiments of fish sauce, chile vinegar, and dry chile flakes. Beyond the decor, the food successfully competes with the stretch of iconic Thai restaurants in East Hollywood with food that tastes like classic Thai cooking you would find in Bangkok.
What to order
- The Mama hot pot is a riff on Bangkok’s famed late-night joint Jeh O Chula’s iconic dishfeaturing Thailand’s most popular instant noodles and a creamy tom yum broth. Like Jeh O’s version, Kwan includes a generous amount of toppings such as plump shrimp, squid, and crispy pork belly assembled over tangles of instant noodles.
- Sticking to the Bangkok theme, pork satay skewers taste like the ones you can purchase on the street in Thailand’s capital — tender and well-marinated — complete with a creamy peanut dipping sauce.
- Zaap wings, an ongoing special, read like larb translated into wing form: acidic and bright with the flavor of lime while punchy with chiles.
- The kao moo dang reminds me of Thailand dorm food in the most complimentary way. A liberal portion of barbecue pork, fried Chinese sausage, and crispy pork belly sits atop a bed of rice before being drowned in a sweet and savory sauce.
What to drink
Yes, you can get Thai tea here — but I love that they also have longan juice, a tropical and refreshing
drink with whole longan that’s similar in flavor to lychee and rambutan.
Insider tip
Scan the walls of Kwan for new specials that are taped up. The menu constantly shifts with new additions, like the zaap wings and a whole tom yum fish, to try, keeping each visit exciting.
