Luv2eat Thai Bistro

This funky East Hollywood restaurant run by two Thai American immigrant women serves classics and dishes made from the recipes of a nonagenarian Thai grandmother. Enough said. If that hasn’t already convinced you, here’s a little more info: Though the setting is no-frills, we think it’s just all the better to set the stage for some serious Southern Thai heat. The Phuket-style crab curry Kanomjean is the move here, with whole claws and legs shooting up from a thick, spice-sludgy mix to be enjoyed with rice noodles and plenty of herbaceous accoutrements. For people with a lower tolerance for capsaicin, try their elegant jade noodles topped with fish balls, roast duck and red barbecue pork. Beyond all things crab, order the moo-ping (grilled pork skewers) and pad kapi (stir-fried protein in a shrimp paste-rich sauce)—both of these dishes deliver complex Southeast Asian flavors in deceptively simple-looking packages.