Pa Ord Noodle
Thai restaurant · East Hollywood
5301 W Sunset Blvd #8, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Highlights
Flavorful boat noodles, crispy pork, and authentic Thai dishes
Flavorful boat noodles, crispy pork, and authentic Thai dishes
"This is my LA. You could easily walk right by and not know what you are missing. You could also walk in, look around, then leave because you don't understand how delicious this experience could be. This is my go to when I need some noodles and we all need noodles in our lives. What sets this place apart from the myriad other options in Thai town is the broth- it's not your typical wimpy watery beef broth, it's bold and packed with flavor. Finally the price point seals the deal: a #2 Boat Noodle, Spicy, Beef, with #2 noodles will set you back only $6.50." - Cris Cimatu
"A longtime, childhood favorite located in a Sunset Boulevard strip mall, this rendition leans toward a slightly more watery soup that emphasizes abundant fresh vegetables—Chinese broccoli, water spinach, and bean sprouts—that brighten and counterbalance the richness of a pig’s-blood–fortified broth. Tripe and liver are included (the writer’s "favorite organ meat"), adding a bouncy, broth-soaking texture alongside thinly sliced beef and squeaky meatballs. Diners can doctor the bowl at a condiment caddy stocked with pickled jalapeños, Thai chiles in fish sauce, sugar, and dried chiles; the bowl delivers punchy heat and, for the writer, transports them "back to old-school Thai Town." Chef and owner Lawan Bhanduram is noted for making an intensely flavorful kway tiao ruea (Thai boat noodle soup): the pig’s blood–fortified broth is described as "dark and delicious," and diners can choose from five kinds of noodles (including wide, flat ones resembling pappardelle or thin vermicelli). Every bowl is topped with fresh herbs, thinly sliced beef, springy meatballs, and tender tripe; spicing can be adjusted, though the local calibration means ordering "mild" here can be closer to medium elsewhere. The shop’s crispy pork (khao kanah mu grob)—slicked in a sweet marinade and served with Chinese broccoli, steamed rice, and a lacy fried egg—is also recommended. —Cathy Chaplin, senior editor" - Kat Thompson
"Pa Ord has opened and closed various branches around Hollywood over the years, but the original location at Sunset and Hobart still holds a place in our hearts, because that’s where you’ll find their legendary soup menu in its full glory. This is the best tom yum in town, brimming with both BBQ'd and ground pork, pork ball, liver, dried shrimp, and your choice of noodles. We like the small rice noodle, so as not to overpower the light, citrusy broth. If you aren’t in the mood for a hot bowl of soup today though, don’t worry. There’s an extensive menu filled with excellent curries, salads, and stir-fries." - brant cox, arden shore, garrett snyder, sylvio martins
"The magical, murky boat noodles at Sapp are the stuff of LA mythology, on par with the safe sex billboards and Carmeggedon 2011. The funky-fragrant broth—rich with spices and thickened with blood—wafts through your nasal cavities like Pepé Le Pew as you gnash through bits of beef and offal, occasionally interrupted by bites of stretchy rice noodles. It’s the kind of soup you have to eat alone, if only because you’re too locked in to carry a conversation." - garrett snyder, brant cox, cathy park, sylvio martins, jess basser sanders
"“This place is really exciting because on the wall you see these blown up photos of this woman on a boat serving the same soup that you’re eating at your table. And then you see her in the flesh—she’s like a celebrity. And those tom yum noodles are insane. The Thai sausage…you eat it with raw garlic, ginger, peanut, and lettuce. It’s a very exciting little bite.”" - brant cox
