Jitlada

What would a top LA Thai list be without the beloved Jitlada? With endless celebrity photos and numerous "Best of" lists on the walls, chef Jazz Singsanong’s Thai town restaurant is one of the city’s cult favorites. Crispy Morning Glory Salad ($14.95) is an obligatory dish—a flavorful mix of crunchy, deep-fried Chinese watercress, plump shrimp, red onions, cilantro, red cabbage and bell peppers marinated in the spicy house dressing. If perusing the lengthy menu leaves you feeling dazed and confused, the green mussel curry ($16.95)—succulent New Zealand mussels piled high and bathed in an aromatic Southern curry flavored with lemongrass, sweet pineapples and chiles—is a good place to start on the extensive list of fiery Northern and Southern Thai specialties.