Thai food at this Encino restaurant will more than satisfy your cravings

A few weeks ago, an acquaintance, visiting from the East Coast, called and asked me if I wanted dinner that night. “Sure,” said I. “Where would you like to go?”

He told me he’s heard good things about Anajak, a Thai restaurant in Sherman Oaks. Which gave me a good laugh because, in a city of many tough reservations, Anajak is one of the toughest. Even if you try weeks in advance, you’ll still find just a single table open at 4 in the afternoon. Getting into Anajak takes a good case of OCD — you’ve got to keep trying and trying and trying.

Instead, I suggested a modest Siamese café a short distance west — one that actually earns a higher rating on the sundry restaurant websites. Which is open for lunch and dinner every day. Which has reasonable prices. Which lacks the high-end wine list. But also which doesn’t have the new wave flash and filigree of Anajak.

It’s called Thai on Ventura. Its interior is as generic as its name. Indeed, it’s just a long, narrow room with a finite number of tables. There are few dishes on the menu you haven’t seen before. But these versions of longtime favorites are done just right. I took my acquaintance there. He had no complaints. And neither did I — even down to the convenient parking lot in the rear of the bunker-like restaurant.

Thai on Ventura is a reminder that, especially in a city where modernism and innovation are revered, it’s a treat to celebrate the verities — well-worn classics that remind us why we fell in love with Thai cooking in the first place. That first taste of perfectly prepared chicken satay — with a spicy peanut sauce I’d gladly spread on my morning toast — sealed the deal.

There are more than 80 dishes on the menu at Thai on Ventura. And the night I was there, the solitary waiter was running nearly every one of them out to the handful of tables, all of which were covered from end to end with oversized plates of the many salads, the sundry fried rice dishes, the multitude of noodles, and the array of curries.

The server was cranking … and so was the kitchen — not just feeding in-house diners, but also creating shopping bag after shopping bag of takeout orders. And it was a Monday night. Come the weekend, there’s a crowd out front, waiting for a table. As at Anajak, be prepared for a wait.

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If you’re a fan of the cooking of Thailand, you’ve likely puzzled over why this cuisine involves so many salads. Salads are far less common in the cooking of China, Vietnam, Korea and even Japan. But the 12 salads at Thai on Ventura are each a main dish — and then some.

It’s notable that these are generally not salads like those found on American menus. They tend to be far more protein-centric. They’re big on a mix of sweetness and acid, usually with some chili heat. These are far from generic side salads. (Though there’s a single green salad on the menu here. But it’s flavored with peanut dressing. Which is far from generic.)

The green papaya salad may be the best one in SoCal — blessedly, not a soggy mess — with the option of grilled shrimp, pickled fish and salted crab. Watch out for the Thai chilies, which you’ll taste for hours after. But which add much joy to the grilled beef, grilled chicken, silver noodles and mixed seafood that make the salads a fine match for textbook pad Thai — stir-fried noodles with peanuts, sprouts scallions and egg. It’s a dish that sounds like something you could toss together out of leftovers, but it will never taste this good.

If you need more protein, consider the barbecue pork ribs, which you’ll be flossing out of your teeth for long after — and happily so. The steamed mussels are chunky and all open, flavored with basil and lemongrass. And, of course, more spice. The naked clams are far from naked — thanks to lots of chili paste and basil. And the Thai barbecue half chicken is a dish you’ll want to find in a leftover box the next day in your fridge. It tastes as good cold as it does hot.

Thai on Ventura isn’t as famed as Anajak, I guess simply because the menu is more classic while Anajak explores flavors and combinations little known hereabouts.

Modernism certainly has its place; it gives critics something new to rave about. But every now and then — and even more often than that — it’s spicy eggplant and tom yum soup that you crave. And Thai on Ventura fills those cravings in a big way, in a small space.

Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Email mreats@aol.com. 

Thai on Ventura

• Rating: 3 stars
• Address: 14544 Ventura Blvd., Encino
• Information: 818-783-8424; www.thaionventura.com
• Cuisine: Thai
• When: Lunch and dinner, every day
• Details: Beer and wine; reservations essential
• Prices: About $20 per person
• On the menu: 16 Appetizers ($7.95-$12.95), 12 Salads ($4.95-$19.95), 7 Soups ($8.95-$19.95), 12 Main Dishes ($12.95-$14.95), 8 Curries ($13.95-$19.95), 7 Fried Rice Dishes ($12.95-$19.95), 7 Noodle Dishes ($12.95), 4 Grilled Dishes ($12.95-$18.95), 10 Chef’s Recommended Dishes ($12.95-$28), 3 Desserts ($3.95-$9.95), 12 Lunch Specials ($11.95)
• Credit cards: MC, V
• What the stars mean: 4 (World class! Worth a trip from anywhere!), 3 (Most excellent, even exceptional. Worth a trip from anywhere in Southern California.), 2 (A good place to go for a meal. Worth a trip from anywhere in the neighborhood.) 1 (If you’re hungry, and it’s nearby, but don’t get stuck in traffic going.) 0 (Honestly, not worth writing about.)