Rad Na Silom

🇹🇭 THAILAND / HISTORICAL: If a stand could create an empire from vibes alone, Rad Na Silom is probably the one that will do it.

The original stand, which has since been upgraded.

🇹🇭 THAILAND
📍 5321 Hollywood Blvd.,
Thai Town, East Hollywood
🅿️ Street parking
🥤 No Alcohol

EDITOR'S NOTE: The rad na and pad see ew stand talked about most in this article has taken the name "Rad Na Silom" and the article title has been adjusted accordingly. Stick BBQ has moved to other locations.

📸 All photos by Jared Cohee
for Eat the World Los Angeles

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📆 Original Article 13 November 2020

When Stick BBQ was first featured in Los Angeles's Thai language newspaper, it was already growing among the community and gathering popularity like a large, wet snowball barrelling down the mountainside. What the stand decided to do next probably has us all in danger of that oncoming snowball, and the section of Hollywood Blvd. in front of Silom Supermarket and Thailand Plaza is destined to be a double-parked drive-thru window for the bulk of most evenings.

In addition to the stand grilling chicken, beef, and pork sticks and sending plumes of smoke up into the night air of Thai Town, recently a new stand has been opened at the other end of the market (after it closes each evening) offering nighttime noodle favorites rad na and pad see ew.

Stick BBQ originally opened in May as a one-man operation on Avenue 26, later expanding to some nights in Thai Town and eventually to where it is located now. At some point in October the new stand was added, and more and more tables and stools have had to be spread out between them as enthusiasm grows.

It is unclear what the relationship is, but everyone calls the chef at the rad nah and pad see ew stand "Mom" and pays her great respect.

“Mom” in action.

Both of these dishes are filling and comforting, not really the type that are revelatory. Thais crave them after (or during) a night of drinking, and spots to have them quickly made dot most cities of any size.

This is the magic of the new stand, it oozes an evening in Thailand. As orders and instructions are shouted back and forth between staff and the scratching of cooking tools on the wok create a background soundtrack, it could be easy to feel far from Los Angeles.

Both dishes are a fair amount of food and priced at $10, the only part of the evening that reminds you that you are still here. Both original versions are shown, but you can alter the pad see ew to have smaller noodles or the rad na to use fried noodles on top.

If it is not brought to your table automatically, ask for the condiment caddy to add in spicy vinegar, dried chili flakes, or sugar as desired. Someone might be waiting to sit down after you, but if not, enjoy the scene after eating and eventually walk around the corner to get some dessert.

UPDATE 02 SEP 2022: As word circulated in Thai Town about this new purveyor of night market style noodles, business has also allowed them to expand. For several months they have been offering pad thai (below), served with tiny crispy shrimp.

The amount of food is not overwhelming, much like the other dishes, but the quality is excellent. It is probably the best of the three options now available, the way the dish is traditionally served in Thailand.

The Stick BBQ stand that has since moved on.

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