Pa-Ord Noodle
One of the best Thai places in all of Los Angeles.
My visit to one of the 99 Essential restaurants in Los Angeles was…pretty much an accident.
First, did you know that Sapp Coffee House was closed on Wednesdays?
I should have known Sapp Coffee House was closed on Wednesdays! I write a food blog, in case you haven’t noticed! (I really have got to get around to reading it one of these days.)
So, it was during a hankering for some Boat Noodles that I drove down to Sapp’s, found easy parking, and…oh, yeah. Wednesday.
The fact that this wound up happening to me twice shouldn’t concern you. It should concern me, but…not you.
Thus, I turn to Pa-Ord Noodle, just a mile away.
Walking in, you see a family restaurant. You see all ages, all shapes and sizes kicking back having a bite. Pa-Ord Noodle is about as low key as Sapp’s is, but the atmosphere…a bit nicer that Sapp’s, but not like there’s white tablecloths and candlelight or anything. If anything, the place reminds me of Sinbala, over in Arcadia.
Like Sinbala, it’s a restaurant to be sure, but it’s also got a bit of Convenience store DNA in that there’s a place inside the restaurant where you can get some dessert-ish to-go items. In fact, Pa-Ord Noodle takes it a step further as there is a lady walking the floor, offering some handcrafted dessert items of her own. I didn’t find out if she was a part of the restaurant or not, or how often (and when) she’s there.
I figure I’ll be back for my crispy pork. I can find out later.
WHAT SHOULD I GET?: It turns out, I could have gotten my boat noodles here at Pa-Ord Noodle, but I wasn’t in the mood for Tripe that day, so I decided to see what else they have offering.
Pa-Ord Noodle has been called one of the best places to get Crispy Pork in Los Angeles, and sees there’s a plate with Chinese Broccoli. How can I say no? Heavenly. Heavenly. Two bites in, and it’s rivaling Sapp’s Boat Noodles for my favorite Thai dish.
Still, I’ve got to say, the spice level on this sucker is testing even my skills. Since my original visit, I have ordered this dish twice now, and when they ask how spicy, I always say “medium”, which may be a bit of a mistake because…man they don’t play games here at Pa-Ord Noodle. Halfway through the meal, I was holding on for dear life. Knocking back water every chance I got.
But you know what? I’d order it again in a second. I might even do medium again.
IMPORTANT SAFETY TIP, PEOPLE: Just bear in mind what I wrote above. Assume whatever they serve you the spice level is one notch above whatever it is in your head. If you order Mild, you’ll feel Medium. If you order Medium…you get the idea.
PARKING: Easy, but crowded. Pa-Ord Noodle, at least this location, is part of a small mini mall. I have yet to go there, and not find at least a space, and one pretty close to the restaurant. But that doesn’t mean that my luck will hold out. Forever.
Long story short. The turnover is high enough that you should find a space, but don’t be surprised if it’s all filled up when you get there.
So failing that, you can try N. Hobart, which is just off Sunset. It’s a residential block, so there may be spaces, but it also may be permit restricted. Be careful.
MAP DIRECTIONS:
Pa-Ord Noodle
5301 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Tel: (323) 461–3945
Hours:
Daily: 11:00 am — 11:30 pm
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Originally published at www.isitanygood.biz.
