Jitlada primarily does southern Thai, resulting in delicious sweet-spicy combination in just about every dish. The rice salad, with dried shrimp and fried coconut, … arrives as a perfect starter, though the Thai toast gives it a run for its money. The curries, fiery enough to drain your sinuses on contact, make milder main course choices like deep-fried catfish in garlic sauce all the more appealing. The prices are pretty reasonable, and there's even (theoretically) parking. [link]

Sapp, possibly the most depressing of all our choices, is the hangout for noodle junkies. The soup, largely composed of cow's blood, tastes rich, slightly spicy, and … flavorful. The Thai boat noodles are particularly famous/infamous; add a $1 Thai iced tea and some coconut ice cream, and you get the perfect dinner. [link]

The offerings at Yai are a bit richer and heartier than the usual delicate noodles and other healthy (or at least healthy-seeming) fare served at its counterparts. Fried … beef, fried catfish, and crispy pork all count as favorites among devotees, and though the atmosphere definitely leaves something to be desired, the Thai families occupying all the tables should be the only visual clue one needs to know that Yai is the real deal. [link]

Bright and cheery, Hi Thai is a popular hangout for those grand arbiters of taste, college kids, largely because the menu keeps it simple (check) and it's open all night … (double-check). Oh, and it's cheap -- dinner for two costs around $12. For a date spot, look no further. [link]

Sanamluang is famous for its noodle dishes, which we would refer to as innumerable except that they are numbered, and that's the easiest way to order them (for everyone). … Classics like pad thai are packed with flavor compared to the versions sold in fancier restaurants, and entrees are usually around $6 for a heaping portion. They only take cash, so be sure to bring some unless you're in the mood for a money-searching jaunt around a less-than-ideal neighborhood. [link]

Entering Vim is a bit like descending into neon hell, though anything beats the flyspecked fluorescent lighting preferred by many of its Hollywood Boulevard peers. The … seafood soup's the real star of the show, heavy with lemongrass and deliciously spicy. Vim can be hit or miss with the meat, so stick with convention on this one. Cash only and huge portions. [link]

Kruang Tedd has impressive incidentals; with live music and notoriously sexy waitresses, no wonder it's the place where all the Thai kids go to party. Skeptics might … think it looks too clean to be good. Rest assured, however, the service is attentive and the food delicious, especially the various fish and crab dishes. [link]

The papaya salad at Ruen Pair is the stuff of legend, but there's more to the menu than health food. Other standouts include fried morning glory stems -- getting to write … lines like that makes me glad to live in LA -- and black egg with chili and basil. There's no alcohol on the menu, but corkage is gratis, so feel free to bring your own. [link]