Eat Drink Style Hoy Kha Thai Noodles, Monterey Park - Thai Soup Noodles in SGV

Little China, or as most people know it, San Gabriel Valley, welcomes a new restaurant to an otherwise homogenous land of Chinese restaurants ranging from Hong Kong/Cantonese, the mainland including Yunnan, Hunan, Sichuan and Chiu Chow. Instead of being greeted by someone saying "ni hao" or "how meh-nee peepo!" on an old Aiwa stereo-turned-PA-system, you'll hear "so waat dii", which is Thai for "hello". Thai restaurants are not a new thing in San Gabriel Valley but from many experiences, most seem to offer the usual suspects during lunch special and sport purple tablecloths and Buddha paintings. Over the last two decades, Thai has become the new "Chinese" and offer the same old pad thai, tom yum soup and papaya salad – not many of them feature soup noodles. Although this place is nearly hidden in an ugly grey shopping center, this place actually sticks out like a sore thumb.

You may know of Hoy Kha Thai Noodles, formerly as Ord on Hollywood Blvd. It was at Ord that Lawan Bhanduram established her noodle empire and then branched off to Panorama City to launch Ord 2. She sold Ord on Hollywood to a nice, hardworking family led by Bell Morawong. The food didn't taste exactly the same but it was still a favorite amongst noodle whores of all shapes and sizes. But much to their surprise, Bhanduram made an unexpected return to Thai Town a few months later. As much as I love Bhanduram's Pa Ord, it was a bit too close to the original Ord if you ask me. Now Morawong has expanded her business down into a new territory and I'm hoping they get some decent attention for some otherwise "different" soup noodles in Little China.

If you've been to Dean Sin World, which I believe just changed its name to something else weird, for their dumplings, then you've seen this ugly shopping center. For years I've wondered when exactly tumbleweeds would roll through there. But with the addition of Dean Sin World and Hoy Kha Thai Noodles, this shopping center seems to be slowly regaining a pulse. Since they've only been opened for 2 weeks, they don't have a sign, so look for the homemade sign with Thai writing on it. It looks squigglier than Chinese and drawn with Crayola markers.

I took a seat and one look at the interior, knew that this was a Chinese restaurant in the previous life. Well I got a hint, the booth seats actually had Chinese embroidery. My dad, Noodle Whore Senior, told me about this place and we weren't sure if this was in fact Morawong's new project or a newcomer also offering the favored Hoy Kha Tom Yum soup noodles. I recognized the condiments and containers used here... especially the tin box containing the chopsticks and metal spoon and knew this was place was opened up by one of the Ord owners. Hoy kha means 'dangling feet noodles'. Don't worry, the cooks weren't soaking their feet in your broth, it's a reference to the bench seating at this particular noodle shop along the rivers in Thailand. The seating along the edges of this outdoor restaurant don't have any flooring so you have to sit on the floor and drop your legs through, and eat off the table that's built into the side railing. Next time you're at Hoy Kha Thai Noodles in Hollywood, look at the photos of the dangling feet and you'll understand.

With the Thai soup noodle places, it's important to know that you can choose between many types of noodles, five to be exact. You can also order this sans soup. In Chinese/Chiu Chow places, you'll also have the option of wide, egg noodles. Like Italian pasta, some shapes hold better than others.

(A) Big, flat rice noodles
(B) Rice noodles used in pho or pad thai
(C) Thin, egg noodles
(D) Vermicelli (common in the pink-colored Yen Ta Fo)
(E) Glass noodles (bean threads)
(F) Square rice noodles/rolled cylinders (used only for Kuay Jup soup noodles)

Hoy Kha Tom Yum Noodles
I tried the namesake noodle dish first. This is based off a Chinese/Chiu Chow soup noodle dish which is basically a soupy version of chop suey and noodles. Like most peasant food and for people on the go, this was a mix of either leftovers or unwanted animal parts plus your choice of noodles. In this Thai version, you have Chinese BBQ pork (cha shu), ground chicken, pork balls, pork liver, fishcake and dried shrimp. The soup tasted exactly as I remembered from the first location. The soup is light, slightly sweet and just tart enough. It was good. But my only problem with this dish and most of the places that offer the mini/large bowl soup noodles is that they throw in too many raw ingredients like bean sprouts and lettuce, which bring down the soup temperature. Booooooo. So try asking for steamed bean sprouts as some people do with Vietnamese pho.

Kuay Tiao Luh Thai Boat Noodles
I fell in love with Thai Boat noodles at a place you wouldn't expect. It was sometime in the early 90s, when Noodle Planet/World was the "hot spot" for SGV denizens. A brilliant idea run by a young man of Thai and Caucasian decent, this was a place where you could order soup noodles from "around the globe". And they happened to offer Thai Boat Noodles. One look at my dad, who was sweating bullets while finishing the last spoonful of soup, I could tell this was a good bowl of soup noodles. But like Chinese beef noodle soup, there are so many interpretations. People love Sapp Coffee Shop, which we used to frequent back in the 90s, for their daring, more vulgar broth that gave off salty, bloody, spiceful and sour tones. My recent favorite is Pa Ord's, which has a nice thickness to the soup that isn't as rich as Sapp's, yet has a balance that I prefer. But here at Hoy Kha's, it's a good thing they didn't name the place after this dish because it's definitely not the main event. The soup had the five-spice action, but there was no punch. I added vinegar from the green chili relish to make it work.

Another thing was there was only braised beef shank, which tastes good, but I was really craving some pork blood cubes and rare beef. I was hoping for more out of this but I'll definitely try it again next time I come. Why not, it's only $3.50.

Crispy Pork & Holy Basil Rice with Fried Egg
Yes, I know, I always order this with my diminutive noodle bowls, but this dish is for me a way to gauge a Thai restaurant. A pho restaurant that can't do a decent bowl of pho... a taco truck that can't do a carne asada taco right? I never eat pad thai, even if it's offered in gigantic dumpster trays at office meetings... I just have no interest. But this dish, this is what you'll most likely see the employees of a Thai restaurant eating on their lunch break. Crispy pork that is wok-fried again before service, crunchy long beans, basil and a sloppy fried egg. Man.

Damn.

Look at that. Magic happens once you crack that egg. Make sure you ask for it over-easy, runny yolk. It's as beautiful as cracking a beautifully poached egg into your bowl of tonkotsu ramen. Pa Ord's is still my favorite, but I have to say that this tasted better than the original location.

For those that can't venture into Thai Town for Pa Ord or Ord, this serves as a great option for your Thai soup noodle needs. Also, it's a nice break from Little China. I recommend the Hoy Kha soup noodles with mild spice and Crispy pork rice with basil (not Chinese broccoli) and runny over-easy egg. The Thai sausages from what I remember are a good appetizer as well. Thanks for reading.

Hoy Kha Thai Noodles
230 N. Garfield Avenue
Monterey Park, CA 91754
(626) 927-9629
Everyday 10 am - 9 pm

Eat Drink Style Ord Noodles and Thaitown Noodles, Hollywood - Mini Bowls of Joy

Just kidding... they aren't THAT small.  Just wanted to bring to light, some of my favorite soup noodles from the Thai Town area in Hollywood.  When I was writing the Noodle Whore blog, I started out researching the Thai Town area – places like Yai, Sanamluang, Sapp Coffee Shop and Rodded were definitely popular.  In a matter of 5 years, my dad (Noodle Whore Sr.) and I have seen Thai Town change quite a bit.  A few changes in ownership and new chefs really kept it dynamic.  So it's not a wonder that I, maybe you as well, jump around the restaurants a lot in Thai Town.  In my opinion, one thing remains true though.  Besides the spicy curries, hand-mixed food, soups and stir-fries, the Thais are outstanding at producing tasty soup noodles.  And it's why I continue to eat here at least twice a month.  

It was only a few years ago that Thai Town introduced their version of a Jack-in-the-Box/Burger King slider, or as they call it Mini Sirloin and Burger Shots.  My Dad said that I was being too much of a fat, greedy, over-consuming American because this is how they do it in Asia – smaller bowls.  Face it, we all like miniature things.  As much as I hold myself back in using the C-word, miniature things are CUTE.  And I think the same thing can be said about these smaller bowls of soup noodles – or as I call them, Diet Soup Noodles.  It's not that they are healthier in any way, it's just that you get a smaller serving.  For anyone that enjoys soup noodles, this is great because you can try more than one type of noodle each time you visit. Or you can be a Debbie-downer-pessimist and see that you're actually spending more money for two miniature bowls than a regular sized bowl.  Whatever the case, your stomach will thank you.

Ode to Ord

This place has always been solid.  The crowd here is typically younger and the clientele primarily speak Thai.  At any time of the day, you can find yourself bobbing your head to Thai R&B slow jams busting out from the mini stereo system here.  Ord has also started closing daily at midnight – oh joy.  

They have 4-5 different types of noodles you can pick from in the mini $3 bowl category.   Not everything is offered in a midget form, just a few.  Most people come here for the Crispy Pork & Basil Rice and Thai Boat noodles, but Ord prides itself most on these noodles called hoy khaa. Literally, it means 'dangling feet noodles'.  Don't worry, the cooks weren't soaking their feet in your broth, it's a reference to the makeshift-seating at this particular noodle shop along the rivers in Thailand.  I believe Ord is the name of the city this family is from. When you go in, look at the photos of the dangling feet and you'll know what they mean.  $3.50 for diet bowl, $5 for regular bowl.

Ground Pork, Pork Ball, Dried Shrimp & Pork Liver Soup Noodles (#1 Hoy Kha)

This is a true pork-heavy treat.  Nice chunks of ground pork, a toothsome pork ball, slightly-bloody pork liver with your choice of noodles - served dry or with soup.  I almost always go with the soup and thin rice noodles.  The soup has a nice pork bone base with a sharp sweetness and a bit of tartness to it.  There are so many delicious things to pick at and excavate from the bowl. Thinly sliced green beans and fresh bean sprouts are added for texture.  

Note: medium spicy is pretty SPICY.  I'd go with mild and add your own chili flakes.  Also, for some reason, if you order hoy kha with glass noodles, you can't get a small bowl – only a large bowl.  Also #2, I sometimes find the regular-sized bowl isn't filling enough, simply add $1 more for noodles.  

Recommendation: Thin or thick rice noodles with soup.  Egg noodles just don't seem to work well with this.  

Thai Boat Noodles (Kuay Tiao Luh)

This is the most common bowl of soup noodles in Thai Town, much like Chinese beef noodle soup in San Gabriel Valley.  The soup is made with Thai soy sauce, fish sauce, herbs, spices and of course, beef blood for the rich flavor.  I really enjoy their soup, as it has a nice beefiness and vinegar kick to it.  Compared to Sapp Coffee Shop's bold kick-in-the-face TBN, this is more on the delicate, sour side.  I used to eat at Sapp a lot, but lately, it has become a bit salty for my taste.  But they do a great TBN.  

Recommendation: Thick rice noodles with soup.  Choose from Beef or Pork, both are good.  

On the other side of the street and just a few blocks east is another strip mall gem that doesn't get as much attention. We've been coming here for years to this noodle shop run by a mother and daughter.  In January '09, the mother retired and sold the business to another woman.  My Dad and I still call it "Mama's Noodle shop" though because it's so homey.  The space is no bigger than your average dining room/kitchen, seats approximately 20 pigs and really feels like you're eating at someone's house.  The chef is pretty much within arm's reach.  And they barely have any room to contain their restaurant products.  I remember one time having to use the restroom.  The place was so small, the cook AND the waitress had to stop cooking and move out of the way just so that I could walk through haha.  

On the outside of the restaurant is a giant hint as to what you should order.  I want one of these to hang over my fireplace but I think you-know-who would be upset. Nam tok can be translated as 'beef blood' noodle soup.  But it doesn't matter, just saying these two words will get you to a happy place.  $3 for a diet bowl, $5 for a regular bowl.

You are looking at one quarter of the restaurant.  

Here's another soup noodle worth trying.  Think TBN with tendon and minus the blood.  

Here's the chef in the second quadrant of the restaurant. 

Preparing the nam tok noodle soup.

Nam Tok Beef Noodle Soup (Kuay Tiao Nam Tok)

I'm sad that the previous owner is no longer here because she truly made a great bowl of nam tok noodles.  Although these are a bit different, I still think it is decent if you don't want to wait at Ord, which can sometimes be crowded.  The major difference between this version and Mama's is that they add a lot of fried garlic, fried pork skins (chicharrones) and have a clearer soup.  Mama's was way more rich in beef blood, while this is stronger on the five-spice powder flavor.  Still, both are good.  Meat is cooked perfectly as I love my liver pieces to be more on the bloody side. 

Tom Yum Pork Noodle Soup (Kuay Tiao Tom Yum)

I usually order a small bowl of this along with my nam tok noodles.  It's nice to have two different flavors going on.  Tom Yum, as you're probably familiar with, describes a distinct sour taste in food – almost limey and spicy.  The soup noodles here don't employ the same broth, but something way more delicate than its counterpart, tom yum goong.  This is served with similar ingredients as Ord's hoi kha, and also includes fish cake, fish ball, fried garlic and fried pork skin.  Try this out sometime.

Thanks for reading.  Both places are cash only.  

Ord Noodles

5401 Hollywood Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA  90027

(323) 468-9302

Monday - Sunday  10am - Midnight

Thaitown Noodles

5136 Hollywood Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA  90027

(323) 667-0934

Monday - Sunday  8am - 8pm

Eat Drink Style The Lazy Ox Canteen, Little Tokyo Los Angeles - Josef Centeno: Our Neighborhood Chef

I'm going on my 5th year with this blog and in retrospect, I can't believe how writing about food has changed my life in numerous ways. The most important being the way I viewed other cultures, valued family and friendships and even finding love. I first started writing about places I grew up on and eventually made some dramatic turns. For me, knowing about music, food and art are great cultural values. So I made a point to approach everything with an open-mind and try anything and everything – like Bourdain, who I highly respect. When J and I met, we were eating a lot of street food and affordable ethnic food. Naturally, the more you enjoy food, the more likely you will move from low end to high end meals. We didn't really have our "nice" dinner experience together until we ate at A.O.C. We must have looked like beasts with hooves and fangs at the restaurant, but it was definitely different and out of our zone. From there, we just went on an haute cuisine binge. We followed chefs and were lured in by anyone with exquisite plating and Michelin ratings. It was good, but expensive. But after a while, we just got really tired of the richness and stuffiness that these restaurants are sometimes known for. And we found ourselves instead turning the culinary notch down to find something that was more in our league. After all, we are just normal people that live beyond their means ha.

Haute cuisine is by far a male-dominated arena. For me, there's a clear contrast in male and female chefs. Male chefs like Grant Achatz of Alinea, Ferran Adria of El Bulli and Thomas Keller of the French Laundry are a few examples of culinary mavens. A common style of the aforementioned chefs are small, yet intricate portions of food that create great negative space on $30-100 dinnerware. Some of these dishes, as small as a tablespoon, may contain as much as 25-30 different ingredients. Male chefs can be more aggressive with experimentation and it's clear that detail and aesthetics are what they shoot for. James Beard Award winner or not, the food started to feel more like art than edible substance.

On the other hand, female chefs can take on a more, well, feminine approach. Chefs like Suzanne Goin, Judy Rodgers and Alice Waters are famous for their usage of farm-fresh, local ingredients, but also the heart they put into their food. There's also Susan Feniger of Border Grill, Suzanne Tracht of Jar and Naomi Pomeroy of Beast in Portland to add to the list of notable female chefs. There's warmth and soul behind their dishes, rather than presentation - the main ingredient in our mother's cooking. Mom made you feel good when you were sick with the simplest of foods. And she always had your favorite dish ready when you came back on weekends during college. The detail is there but masked in sometimes larger portions of food that usually create joy in the stomach rather than tease the tongue.

From that distinction, Jeni and I found ourselves cooking a lot of food from the Zuni Cafe and Sunday Suppers cookbooks. Of the nearly 40 cookbooks we own, the pages on those books are the most dog-eared and tattered with food stains. The food is simple, but a sure win. I believed that female chefs cooked the most soulful food and we were convinced that this would be a consistent trend in the differentiation of male and female chefs.

It wasn't until we discovered the food of four chefs in Los Angeles that begun to think otherwise. I simply love the food by Palate's Octavio Becerra, Animal's John Shook and Vinny Dotolo and Josef Centeno of Opus, Lot 1 Cafe, Bar Celona and now, the Lazy Ox Canteen. These chefs have changed my view on how a male chef approaches food and have really made offals THE main event on a menu, even for people that shudder at the sight of tripe. I feel they have really turned the dial up on warmth and soul, and turned down the dial on aesthetics/minimalism. Some have received classic French training, some just surfaced through an honest passion for cooking. If you haven't met these chefs before, it's important to note that they are a bit guerrilla in their own ways and the main reason I respect them so much. It's not that I don't enjoy the conventional, usually anal and uptight, French-trained chef, it's just these guys seem more interesting to me for their bad-boy, across-the-grain and down-to-earth qualities. They are the kinda guys I can have a beer with. "Thomas Keller, you're up for the keg stand. Go man." Don't think so.

A little about these chefs...

Octavio Becerra studied photography at an art school and fell into cooking. He first started washing dishes and in no time, was discovered by Patina's Joachim Splichal - in fact, Becerra helped Splichal start the Patina Restaurant Group. If you saw Becerra about 20 years ago somewhere in a seedier area, you might expect a punch in the face from him or him to be rolling with a motorcycle crew. While most chefs wear the traditional white long-sleeve coat, neatly buttoned, Becerra is touting a short sleeve version of looks like prison pajamas. At someone his age, I find it amusing talking to him about electronic and indie music. Sometimes on Sundays, you may find him spinning on some tables with DJ Shadow or Cut Chemist. "Daniel Boulud on the wheels of steels." Ugh, no.

John Shook and Vinny Dotolo before the opening of their successful restaurant, Animal, were known as 2 Dudes Catering on the Food Network. I worked with a catering company for a bit and serviced a few gigs on my own before, and let me tell you, it is TOUGH to make sure that every bit of food goes out tasting the way you want it to. You are more worried about food going out in time while still hot. But these guys, completely impressed me. Their food was solid and not even showy. I walked by the kitchen one time and saw John wearing a band shirt, cut-off Dickies, skater shoes and a typical apron from a greasy short-order restaurant. If it weren't for the apron, these guys looked like your typical concert-attending, Miller High-Life drinking bud-smokers. Which is like awesome. "Jean Georges Vongerichten, your turn to take a bong rip." Vut?

And finally, there's Josef Centeno who first introduced his creativity and talent to Los Angeles at Opus with nicely-priced tasting menus. We started following him when he worked at Lot 1 Cafe in Echo Park and even heard that he would skate to work. His time at Lot 1 Cafe was short-lived and on his last day, we were one of six other couples that went to shake the good man's hand and bid farewell. One look at Centeno, you would have no idea he was classically-trained at CIA, worked under world-class chefs and probably the most down-to-earth, humble guys.

When word that Josef Centeno had resurfaced in Los Angeles again, J and I were stoked. He is now the executive chef of the Little Tokyo-based gastropub, Lazy Ox Canteen. And how awesome that this was another addition to the sprawling downtown area. I came here on a weekend and returned two days later with some friends for beer. On the first visit, we were surprised that Centeno recognized us. According to Jeni, he indeed had a following.

Lazy Ox Canteen is decorated with beautiful, horizontally-placed wood and handsome lighting. It is good enough to hold large groups of 6-8 without having to listen to loud, obnoxious chatter in places like Bottega Louie. And upon entry, the beer bar draws you in almost instantly. With a nice selection of craft beers on tap and in bottles, it's hard not to order some liquid before even seeing the menu. The trend now seems to be the importing of lesser-known Japanese beers like at Umami Burger. It used to be difficult to get Hitachino ale, but it's only a matter of time before Trader Joe's starts carrying it.

In addition to a standard list of items on a menu, Centeno offers at least 25+ more dishes as well as daily specials. I had a sore neck after switching between the menu and chalkboard for five minutes straight. Here's what we had.

I'm a huge fan of Belgian beer. Try the La Chouffe out for its rich, wholesome, floral taste.

Cod Brandade Fritters with Aioli
I had my first brandade experience at Chicago's Avec in 2008, and since then tried to find a comparable version. Brandade is served in a casserole dish typically, but Centeno's version makes it easier for you to eat it and continue to guzzling tasty beer. Funny thing is, I saw a Yelper complain that these were too fishy, when in fact, it was not. If anything, a little more wouldn't hurt. Another thing I forgot to mention was Centeno's skill in fried dishes - he is a master of batter. And in this recipe, some club soda is the added touch. Loved these.

Yellowtail with Avocado, Hash Browns and Creme Fraiche
A simple yet tasty mixture of things I usually enjoy separately. This dish takes me to Japan, Mexico, the Midwest and France all at the same time minus the jetlag. With my fork, I cut into all the ingredients and made sort of a miniature "open-faced" sandwich. This was great with a light lager beer.

Boccarones - Fried Sardines
A very tasty Sardine dish that does not taste like Sardines. Usually quite a salty fish, Centeno's batter makes it enjoyable. It was a bit oily though and needed a lot of beer to bring it down.

Ham & Eggs
A miniature version of the classic American breakfast with pork belly and quail egg instead. This was really fun to eat but I wish the quail egg was runnier and the pork belly more fork-tender.

Crispy Pig Ears with Lime & Radish
And I finally find one of my top three dishes of LOC. Pig ears are not a new thing to the Chinese. But in America, it's a highly sought-after dish at any fine-dining institution. I have finally found the perfect match for a nice, cold beer. Crispy, well-battered pig ears served with lime and thinly-sliced radish. Interesting enough, all my fave chefs have offered great pig ear dishes, including Octavio Becerra's pig ear tacos - yum. I've put Centeno's 'ear rings' at the first rank, followed shortly by Church & State's hot, gooey pig ears and Animal's version served with a runny egg. My friends and I should have ordered our own because we looked like lions feasting on a tiny baby zebra.

Khlii Moroccan-Style Beef Jerky with Fried Egg
I'm a firm believer that if you put a fried egg on anything, life is better. Even stacking a fried egg on top of another fried egg is nice. So with this dish, I ended up placing it in my top three. The combination of a smoky, crunchy jerky, runny egg, salsa verde and grilled bread is a unanimous winner. Again, my friends and I pretended to be unselfish and kept offering the final bite to each other. We were purely bullshitting each other.

Charred-Octopus with Lime Beans and Smoked Paprika
I learned in Hawaii that I'm an octopus's predator only on land. I rarely turn down any octopus dish now and Centeno's version was enjoyable. The subtle char of the grilled octopus, starchy beans, savory veggies and smoked paprika are having a great time in the hot tub. Smoked paprika is my favorite spice.

Grilled Tuna Collar
If you look at a fat man, two parts stick out the most - the double or triple chin and the belly. On most animals or fish, these are the best parts. Places like Hunan Restaurant in Rosemead offer a killer fish head and collar dish that will make you look at the head differently. I highly recommend trying the collar of any fish, it's great. Centeno's comes simply grilled but the addition of lentils and lima beans makes this one very homey meal. We turned this thing into a fossil.

I think this is the first time I enjoyed a gastropub in a while. At the Lazy Ox Canteen, I think Centeno is really showing his creativity and talents, the way he intended to. He is a classically trained chef, but to me, I see a normal, chill guy that cooks food that is homey, approachable and interesting. The prices here are a bit high and I walked out both times feeling super guilty about the bill, but I expect that out of most restaurants that are opening up in the Downtown Los Angeles culinary/cocktail movement. Or maybe it's simply my fault that I have a very, very, very hard time sticking to three dishes and one beer at this particular gastropub. Thanks for reading.

***Note
On Mondays, wine bottles are half price – call for the times. And from 5-7 pm everyday, there are five dishes nicely priced at $5. Enjoy.

Lazy Ox Canteen
241 San Pedro Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 626-5299
www.lazyoxcanteen.com