A Song of Thai & Spice
Ever drive down the Silverlake stretch of Sunset Blvd and notice a crowd of people standing outside a pink building? Those are the hungry diners waiting for their table at Kris Yenbamroong's Night + Market Song, a Thai eatery specializing in Thai street food.
Walking into Night + Market Song is like getting transported to a restaurant in Bangkok. The restaurant is filled with bright colors, neon lights, foldable chairs, vinyl tablecloths, holographic posters of American celebrities and servers wearing the same type of aprons you see Thai street vendors wearing.
We stopped in for a late lunch and tried the pork toro, Thai boxing chicken, khao soi, the famous fried chicken sandwich, and pad see ew.
We started with pork toro, a popular drinking snack. The pork toro at Night + Market consists of grilled pieces of pork marinated in a delectable sauce and served with jaew, a roasted chili dipping sauce. This was a delicious way to start off our meal. Please don’t make the same mistake we did of not enjoying this with a nice cold bottle of Chang beer.
Boxing chicken gets its name from being a popular bbq chicken meal served by street vendors outside one of Bangkok’s most well known boxing stadiums. It’s an extremely flavorful and well-balanced all-in-one meal. It’s served bento-style with everything you need all on one compartmentalized plate: chicken, sticky rice, papaya salad and sauces. The chicken is savory with a little bit of sweet richness from the coconut milk it’s marinated in and also has a nice smokey crunch from the grilled char. The chicken is served with sweet and sour sauce and jaew. Everything about this meal is well balanced and the chicken is cooked to tender perfection. This is a lunch-only item that is an absolute must try!
Next up was probably our least favorite dish we ordered: the khao soi. There are three different types of khao soi they serve and we went for the khao soi gai served with chicken wings. This dish is regional to Chiang Mai. The flavor was good, but we felt that there was just too much going on in the bowl. Compared to some of the bowls of khaoi soi we’ve had in Chiang Mai, this had a lot of ingredients piled into the bowl and it was a challenge to try and enjoy the curry flavor and noodles. While all the ingredients on top (red onion, pickled mustard greens, bean sprouts) were delicious and necessary, we would have preferred to enjoy them on the side to add as we ate or just less of everything overall in the bowl.
The pad see ew was excellent. Tasted just like what you’d get from a street vendor in Bangkok. Very flavorful with noodles and vegetables perfectly cooked. Served with a white vinegar and jalapeno sauce that perfectly balances the deliciously greasy and flavorful noods.
Last but not least is the fried chicken sandwich, a unique staple at Night + Market. This is also a lunch-only item, so make sure you come in during their lunch window if you want to try it! This is a classic, southern dish served with a Thai twist: Chiang Rai style fried chicken, papaya slaw, and cilantro. In addition to these Thai ingredients, the sandwich is also served with jalapeno and ranch. Super yummy and unlike anything we’ve ever had before! We definitely recommend this if you’re in the mood for more of a fusion dish or are just craving some fried chicken.
Night + Market Song is special and unique. The majority of the menu consists of traditional Thai dishes that are authentically prepared and served. The menu is also sprinkled with a couple modern, fusion type of dishes such as uni garlic fried rice or a fried chicken sandwich. The dining experience in Night + Market Song is authentic, fun and playful. While the price point may be a bit higher than what you’ll pay in Thai Town, it’s to be expected based on the location. What Night + Market achieves that we feel many restaurants struggle and fail to do, is making their restaurant and food cool, hip and approachable while still retaining a strong sense of authenticity.
P.S. We are in no way endorsed or paid to do this, but if you love your experience at Night + Market, do yourself a favor and purchase Kris Yenbamroong's cookbook. It is SO GOOD and covers everything from essential Thai dishes to the modern, fusion dishes served at Night + Market.
Night + Market Song
3322 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
