Anajak Thai | Infatuation Score: 9.6 | SW Score: 8.1

No restaurant makes me feel quite as gas lit as Anajak Thai. I would wholeheartedly understand the fervor if we were in Dallas or Denver. We have literally the best Thai food available to mankind at our fingertips — every regional speciality imaginable — every soup, curry and salad you could possibly imagine, all executed at the highest level.

So why is it that this relatively recently rehabbed family Thai restaurant, featuring solid versions of some Thai classics and hip riffs on the rest is one of the hardest reservations to land and perennially topping best of lists? I'll spare the details of my personal opinion but I have to assume a good deal of it is people's general unwillingness to brave the unfamiliar in pursuit of a good meal. Anajak takes a lot of what makes Thai cuisine amazing (easy top three imho) and neatly packages in an upscale setting, with an extensive wine list on Ventura Blvd.

The list of better Thai restaurants in Los Angeles than Anajak is a long one, but that doesn't mean you won't have a tasty meal there.

Highlights:
I'm a sucker for a good cabbage and their grilled rendition is superb
Taco Tues & various collabs over the years are often eclipse core menu
Means little to me but I get why Thai + serious wine list is a novel thing
Very good mango sticky rice

Lowlights:
Lame papaya salad
Most popular mains are a less-than-thai steak and plate of fried chicken
Nothing is even remotely spicy enough
You can find a better version of 90% of the menu elsewhere