Michele StuevenWhile Ayara has had to suspend its outdoor monthly first Fridays and in-store dining, they fully plan to usher in 4/20 on Monday with their 48-hour CBD Thai Boat Noodle Soup for take-out.
In a video shot pre-pandemic, third-generation Ayara chef Vanda Asapahu from the popular Westchester Thai restaurant takes us into her home kitchen where she prepares the family recipe for a rich and elevated Thai Kancha Boat Noodle soup using Pure Beauty strain from The Flower Pot. Chef’s tip: Keep the pot at a gentle simmer, you don’t want to overcook your cannabis.
If you don’t have access to the exotic list of 30 ingredients like beef blood, a CBD version of the noodle soup as well as CBD blondies are available for 4/20: pre-order here.
Chef Vanda Asapahu (Courtesy Ayara)
Asapahu carries on her parents’ Andy and head chef Anna’s culinary traditions from Northern Thailand, having lived and worked there for four years reviving old family recipes while traveling through the nation’s different regions spending time cooking with relatives and eating her way through the streets and countryside.
The flavorful beef noodle soup has been traditionally sold from boats gliding along Bangkok’s canals as early as the 17th century. Suspected to contain marijuana (kancha, in Thai) as a flavor enhancer and meat tenderizer, the broth also includes pandan leaves, galangal, pickled lime, fermented tofu, and blood – stewed over 48hrs with a low dose of THC.
The Asapahu family opened the LAX-adjacent favorite in 2004 and is currently open for take-out only. Order by phone or online for pick-up, or on DoorDash and UberEats for delivery. For curbside pick-up, just phone when you’re out front and they’ll run out with your order.
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