As strip malls on the eastside continue to morph into culinary destinations (see: Baroo, Trois Familia), another unassuming stretch is getting an upgrade tomorrow with the arrival of Same Same, a wine bar and Thai eatery. Formerly Rambutan Thai, the owners—Katy Noochlaor and Annie Daniel—have stayed on for the new project, but they've partnered up with Last Word Hospitality (Holly Zack, Adam Weisblatt and Angus McShane) to pair their Thai snacks and small plates with some really fantastic wine.
Situated near the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Silver Lake Boulevard, Same Same is small, with a smattering of tables, a neon sign that reads "but different," a collection of framed photos from artist Davin Sanchez and two bars accented by rows of wine bottles. Zack has curated a unique wine list with an emphasis on small production wineries; most glasses will be priced at around $8-$13. At a recent preview dinner, we tried a sweet riesling to offset a fiery minced chicken larb, and a more dry riesling spatlese to compliment a sweeter mussel pancake. There's also a fun Antxiola Txakolina, a white blend that's poured from four feet above to keep things interesting (well, and also to keep the wine aerated).
Just because Same Same highlights the bar aspect of this space doesn't mean that the food has suffered. Noochlaor's menu is filled with traditional options that are both comforting and downright delicious. Kuaytiaw Mu Daeng is a dish made with jade noodles and BBQ pork—a definite crowd-pleaser. The aforementioned mussel pancake is sweeter than you might think, but well balanced with scallions and a mild house Sriracha sauce, while the Panang is another hit—and surprisingly light despite the pool of coconut cream that surrounds chunks of beef and veggies. Be sure to stick around for dessert, a delightful sticky rice and mango medley that had us scraping the plate clean.
Same Same opens on Thursday, April 14, from 5pm until closing. The wine bar and eatery is located at 2835 W Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake.