Night + Market
Pad Kee Mao – Drunken noodles with short ribs, chile, basil, garlic
Hor Ab – Catfish Tamale with pork baked in banana leaf with chile and herbs
Nuoc Mam Chicken Wings with Rooster Sauce
Pork Satay Skewers bathed in condensed milk
Cold Sliced Pork
Som Tum Papaya Salad
Sticky Rice with Mango
Admitting up front that I do occasionally misplan (or overplan) my eating agenda I think it should go without saying that Thai food at 9:00pm after a 5-course prix fixe at Hatfield’s is a recipe for a difficult night’s sleep…and yet with that said, I don’t regret a single thing (aside from the restaurant being sold out of the Duck Larb) about a late night visit to Kris Yenbamroong’s Night + Market to put the finishing touches on my 33rd birthday – a meal equal parts good friends, good food, and expectedly indifferent service.
Technically a restaurant within a restaurant (or, rather, to the side of a restaurant) that has been generating raves ever since its inception, Night + Market is a bit of an anomaly in Los Angeles ethnic cuisine; it’s menu well culled and subject to the chef’s whim as opposed to the bevy of everyday choices – a fact that pairs admirably with a super casual vibe, chic location on Sunset, and a strong focus on authenticity to make the experience quite unique.
Designed with drinking in mind, myself deferring while my friends enjoyed a duo of Thai beers, our total selection of items at Night + Market consisted of seven plates and bearing in mind Celiac disease for one of us and a respect for my modest heat tolerance each of the dishes that arrived at our table proved to be quite excellent – only the cold sliced pork truly testing my tongue – and focusing on balance and quality of preparation as opposed to face-melting heat it became apparent very quickly why the space has garnered such respect.
Particularly fond of both the Hor Ab and the Pad Kee Mao it is only a matter of time before I return to Night + Market – though next time I’m calling in advance to be sure the Larb is available and making sure I either make it my first dinner or bring some antacids.