Amphai Northern Thai Food Club

Tucked away in a Thai Town strip mall on Sunset Boulevard, Northern Thai Food Club is the kind of place you could walk past a hundred times without noticing. The only indication you’ve found it is a simple vinyl banner above the door. Inside, you’ll discover a compact, all-green room with a small communal table and some stools by the window. It’s cramped, it’s chaotic, and it’s absolutely worth every bit of the effort to find it.

The food here is exceptional Northern Thai cooking that rewards the adventurous eater. The sai oua, a spicy pork sausage loaded with aromatics, is the crown jewel of the menu and essential ordering. The khao soi rivals any version you’ll find in the neighborhood, featuring a luscious coconut curry broth cradling impossibly tender chicken. Don’t overlook the steam bar in the back, where daily specials like pork larb and sour pork-and-egg sausage wrapped in banana leaves rotate through.

This is a restaurant built for solo dining. The tight quarters and limited seating mean you’re likely eating alone, pressed against a window, balancing on a stool. But that’s part of the charm. Without companions to share plates, you get to hoard every bite of that jackfruit salad or those vermicelli noodles in tomato curry for yourself. Over-ordering is inevitable, and the leftovers are just as satisfying the next day.

Northern Thai Food Club won’t work for everyone. If you need spacious seating, a polished atmosphere, or room for a large group, look elsewhere. But for those who prioritize incredible food above all else and don’t mind a little adventure in finding it, this family-run spot delivers some of the most memorable Thai cooking in Los Angeles.