Thong Lo

After getting a whiff of one of Chinatown's live fowl markets, you may need to force sweeter sensations into your mind. Adjacent to the restaurant supply megastore, LAX-C, you'll find Thong Lo, where a matronly soul named Mae Ting is hand-making Thai coconut custard tarts, taking her time over a circular griddle pocked with rounded curves like a cast-iron moonscape. Inhale deeply as she forges rice flour into the tiny treats known as khanom krok ($3 for a small bag)—rich and ethereal contenders for the best dessert in the 90012.