[category]
[title]
Bad reviews are easy. We can all quickly identify what doesn’t work or tastes bad. Rave reviews are a little harder because they have to convey what worked without slipping into hyperbole (ideally). But reviews of great but unremarkable destinations are nearly impossible. How do you make “It was fine!” into compelling reading?
RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles
In other words, I’m vamping before reviewing new restaurant BOBO Thai in Silver Lake because it was good! It was! The portions are large and well-seasoned, and at least one dish is destination-worthy. But nothing about serving really good Thai food is overtly compelling or revolutionary.
Then again, in an L.A. food scene driven by obsessive foodies who salivate over an impossible-to-get reservation more than the meal, maybe really good is a lost art. After all, BOBO offers no less than a dozen takes on pad Thai, from the vegetarian Garden Party to a five-pepper blaze Hot Stuff. For pad thai lovers, BOBO offers almost two weeks of consistent dinners without repetition.
My dining companion and I started by sharing the papaya salad at a “one pepper” spice level to get a baseline sense of the heat on tap. It gave the papaya a nice tingle but nothing that would make one break out into a sweat. We also tried the BOBO shrimp toast (an absolute banger), green curry chicken wings and green curry eggplant fries. Both the green curry options came so covered in shredded, browned coconut that they were indistinguishable. If you order them, be prepared to accidentally inhale some of that coconut. And note: The chef has specifically designed the fries to be enjoyed without dipping sauce. Whether you do or not is an entirely personal matter.
For the pad thai, we tried three of the 12: No. 4, the Easy Lover (green curry and chicken); No. 11, the Comfort Zone rice bowl (an ideal Uber Eats delivery for a hangover); and No. 5, the Hot Stuff, with smoked sausages, at its maximum level of spiciness: five peppers.
As my friend filmed me hesitantly take a bite, I pictured myself living that Hot Ones meme life until I finally called cut. My mouth felt some warmth but more like a toaster than a roaring fire. I was definitely not begging for milk or asking, “What do you mean?” So if you’re squeamish about heat, never fear! This place has got you. (I boxed it up and ate the whole thing for lunch the next day.)
Several add-ons are available for the pad thai; we tried the Enoki mushroom, advertised as boasting an “irresistible crunch.” But we’d already had so much of that toasted coconut that we were frankly crunched out and underwhelmed.
Then there is the mango sticky rice. Even full as we were, we made room for that dessert, and then found ourselves unable to stop spooning it up until we’d scraped the plate clean. If you’re looking for a quick stop before or after your night out in Silver Lake, BOBO Thai is a solid recommendation. If you’re looking for the kind of meal that makes you linger and rhapsodize, well, L.A. has plenty of those, too.
BOBO Thai is located at 3705 Sunset Blvd. and is open Wednesday and Thursday, from 5pm to 10pm; Friday and Saturday, 5pm to 11pm; Sunand days from 5pm to 9pm. For more information and to make a reservation, click here.