Situated between Serrano and Hobart on Sunset (look for the 99 Cent Store) and sandwiched between the south of Thai Town and north of East Hollywood is the bustling, and somewhat unofficial, Thai Night Market. The vendors and their wares are very on-point for authentic Thai street, with a variety of selections that do not clash - from entrees, bites, sweets and drinks. The ambience may be a bit rough for some, but keep in mind that this is East Los Angeles / East Hollywood - you'll want to be aware of your surroundings, either when driving or definitely when walking. (See video below the break.)
The market runs right on the edge of the street, along a relatively thin sidewalk for about half-a-block. And, expect it to be tight. There is little relief - you don't want to stand too long in the throng - and there are only pockets of standing-room only spots. It is not very equipped for a street market - parking is non-existent, there are no benches or chairs, and trash cans are a bit hard to find. It is about as pure an experience as you are going to get - purists may enjoy it for that very reason. This is a stripped down, no artiface, kind of jam.
Sweep through the gallery for what was offered the night we went (Monday 8/22/22), some highlights include:
- Thai Sausages with Cabbage and Ginger - these rounded balls of sausage make for a vinegary bite that is evened out by the cabbage, but then more kick with the raw ginger
- Hand Poured Popsicles - its the "how" of these small but flavorful popsicles that are worth the buy - the man who makes this is the epitome of animated - he loves to chat and is very proud of his concotions, made with various sodas or other sweet extracts
- Pork Skewers - simple but delicious, we could tell that the meat is prepared a day in an advance and cooked to soft perfection - even the day after, the meat is tender and flavorful
- Warm Buns with Filling - like the Philippines, these are a staple for Thailand too - steamed small soft buns are filled with various fillings, mostly sweet, but a few savory. What caught my tastebuds attention was the dried pork filling - I expected only that overly salted flavor, when I was greeted with a sweet oily mayonnaise. If I had known, I would have bought more than one!
- Crepes - not traditionally Thai, but, having traditional Thai ingredients punctuate these crispy crepes had a savory mix of proteins, ketchup and mayo - by the time you get to the end you are in heaven. ! - Keep in mind these take over 30m to get, so order it right away, or call them ahead...
- Grilled Meat - the longest line by far was a non-descript stand that had two grills going at the same time - its long table overheaped with grilled seafood and pork. This line starts deep into the parking lot - so keep your eyes open.
Overall great surprises and not-a-regret to be had - while there, even tried a small Armenian bakery for some apricot gata and a sweet coconut cream pastry. But it was the value of the food that I overheard more than a few times - in a time when value is key for everyone, it was interesting having that takeaway.
Load up on cash (and change at that) - only a few vendors were Zelle-enabled. Feels like you got to carry a variety of options for the harder-core markets ;D.
Hope to catch you on a Monday or Tuesday on Sunset!
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Detail:
East Hollywood Thai Night Market
34.09806902688524, -118.3044155318355
5270 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Mondays and Tuesdays, every week (or until they are shut down) 6:30p - 10:00p
Parking is East Los Angeles rules - there is no valet, there is barely any parking in the lot (shared with a variety of other stores), and parking around the corner is difficult. We head down several streets and find something line of sight of Sunset, and with street lights overhead. Lock that car and put valuables away.
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