There's hardly anywhere in the country that could give you a better education in Southern Thai food than siblings Sarintip “Jazz” Singsanong and Suthiporn “Tui” Sungkamee's Jitlada, tucked into the corner of a Hollywood strip mall. When the pair took over the restaurant in 2007, the real-deal, spice-laden food could be found only on a Thai-language menu of 40 items in the back of the regular menu. That section now has grown to hundreds of dishes, and it's what almost everyone comes for: the turmeric-laced beef curry khua kling Phat Tha Lung that's notoriously nuclear on the tongue; khao yam, an aromatic rice salad; curry with fish kidneys, minced shrimp and pumpkin. This is still a Hollywood restaurant — you can hear people at the corner tables talking about their scripts, watch blind dates trying to impress one another with their most recent bit roles, or even spy on Matt Groening or Ryan Gosling, both of whom are regulars. But under the colorful, spangled decorations, everyone here is happily learning, and sweating happily over their intense, bright, mind-boggling food. 5233½ Sunset Blvd., Hlywd.; (323) 663-3104, jitladala.com. Tues.- Sun., 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 5-10:30 p.m. Entrees $9.95-$49.95. Beer and wine.

 

Besha Rodell's Introduction

Anne Fishbein's Photography

The Google Map

 

The 99 Essential Restaurants List:

A-Frame
Alma
Angelini Osteria
Animal
Attari Sandwich Shop
Bäco Mercat
Bar Amá
The Bazaar
Bestia
BierBeisl
Bludso's
Cacao Mexicatessen
Canelé
La Casita Mexicana
Cemitas Poblanas Elviritas
Chichen Itza
Chung King
Cole's
Coni'Seafood
Cube Cafe & Marketplace
Din Tai Fung
Eva
Father's Office
Fred 62
Gjelina
Golden Deli
Go's Mart
Il Grano
Guelaguetza
Guisados
Hatfield's
Ha Tien Quan
Hawkins House of Burgers
Hayat's Kitchen
El Huarache Azteca
Huckleberry
The Hungry Cat
ink.
Jar
Jitlada
JTYH Heavy Noodle II
Kang Ho Dong Baekjong
Kiriko
Kiyokawa
Kogi Truck
Krua Siri
L&E Oyster Bar
Langer's
Little Dom's
Lucques
Ludo Truck
Lukshon
Mariscos Jalisco
Matsuhisa
Meals by Genet
Mélisse
Milo and Olive
Mo-Chica
Musso & Frank
Nem Nuong Ninh Hoa
Nickel Diner
Night + Market
Oinkster
Osteria Mozza
Pann's
Pa-Ord Noodle
El Parian
Park's BBQ
Philippe the Original
Picca
Pink's
Pizzeria Mozza
Playa
Pollo a la Brasa
Providence
R&R Soul Food
Ración
Red Medicine
Ricky's Fish Tacos
Rivera
Rocio's Moles de los Dioses
Salt's Cure
Sapp Coffee Shop
Savoy Kitchen
Sea Harbour
Shanghai No. 1 Village Seafood
Soban
Son of a Gun
Sotto
Spago
The Spice Table
Superba Snack Bar
Tacos Leo
The Tasting Kitchen
Tavern
Tsujita LA
Vincenti Ristorante
Wurstküche
Zam Zam Market

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.