On the western end of the Sunset Strip sits Night + Market, an annex to the longstanding Thai restaurant Talésai, where owner and chef Kris Yembamroong brings the street cuisine of Thailand to hungry Angelenos. We had shared a table with Chef Kris and his crew at Taste of the Nation and, after sampling some of dishes at the event, decided it was in the best interest of our taste buds to make our way to Night + Market and get the full experience. Night + Market features a core menu of fried, fermented, skewered, spicy, fish sauce ladened, fatty, banana leaf wrapped goodness along with a smaller “Sharpie” menu full of rotating seasonal dishes and whatever else Chef Kris decides to serve up. Vegetarians and vegans be forewarned, you can have the papaya salad, sweet sticky rice and get drunk (off Singha, of course), that’s about it, your loss. The rest of you will ride the savory flavor train of fried pig tails, kar moo parlow (whole braised pork hock), hor ab (catfish baked in a banana leaf w/ chili and herbs), pork toro, sai krok isaan (grilled fermented pork sausage), kao kluk gapi (shrimp paste-seasoned rice), pork satay skewers (bathed in condensed milk and charcoal grilled) and hot pot tom yum shrimp soup straight to gastronome nirvana. Out back, past the kitchen, behind the restaurant is a patio space where they grow some herbs and banana leaves used across the menu and will soon use as an event space. There’s a reason why Jonathan Gold featured Night + Market in his LA Weekly’s 99 Essential Restaurants list, we’re pretty sure it’s because of the enlightenment you receive while the food coma sets in.
[EDIT: Chef Kris also made Refinery 29‘s 30 Under 30 LA list this week. Well deserved!]
Night + Market is located at 9041 West Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA, 90069
Cheers,
Mr. Singha