This Hollywood Thai Night Market Brings the Vibe and Food of Bangkok to Los Angeles

Anything can happen in Hollywood, including a bustling Thai night market straight out of Bangkok and set up in the middle of Cahuenga Boulevard. The smell of grilled pork skewers and wok-fried chili peppers permeates the air, while string lights reminiscent of the lanterns that dot the Chao Phraya River hang overhead. The familiar sounds of a band covering the Bee Gees with a light Thai melody pulse through the crowd. Called In SiamThe weekend food gathering located in the heart of Hollywood offers Angelenos everything a true Thai night market should have: engaging entertainment, plenty of seating, and nearly 30 vendors specializing in different dishes from the Thai culinary canon.

Pongphaka Pongsamart, a former Thai government official turned street food vendor, launched At Siam in October 2023. Before creating the night market, she sold her pad thai at an informal gathering of Thai food vendors in East Hollywood . When I first [moved to Los Angeles in 2022], I didn't know the rules or laws regarding street vending, says Pongsamart. Without any permits, she set up her wok on Sunset Boulevard and stir-fried piles of noodles, attracting both members of the Thai community and fans of pad thai.

After cooking its noodles on the street for a month, the informal night market was shut down by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health following anonymous complaints about sanitation and parking. The livelihoods of around 20 sellers were immediately affected. I asked the people around me: who wants to do this properly? said Pongsamart.

Motivated by a desire to support the Thai food vendor community and a sincere desire to follow the rules, Pongsamart began looking for a permanent location for a night market with appropriate permits, tax structures and protections for its vendors . Pongsamart, who has lived in the United States for almost two years, still experiences some discomfort speaking English, making it difficult to navigate the bureaucracy involved in obtaining legal licenses to sell.

But thanks to legal and government connections provided by the Thai Community Development Center (TCDC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the betterment and protection of Thai Angelenos, Pongsamart was able to navigate the permitting process and find a new home for At Siam. We know people already love Thai food, so we really wanted to raise the bar and also be safe, says Adul Doheng, business advisor at TCDC, who helped Pongsamart establish the night market. Doheng is often spotted during events, ensuring vendors have easy setup and teardown and answering any questions market attendees have.

The food vendors initially discovered At Siam through a Facebook group aimed at the Thai community. To sell at the night market, potential vendors were put through a rigorous taste-testing process to ensure the quality of their food met Pongsamart's high standards, as well as those of an informal tasting committee that 'she brought together. I taste-tested each vendor with a team of people because I wanted everything to be delicious and up to code, she says. I wanted it to taste really Thai.

Pongsamart sticks to the same section. Find his stand, Pong Pad Thai, on the Cahuenga side of the market. She serves pad thai, Thailand's national dish, but diners won't get a plate of gloopy neon orange noodles. Pongsamarts' rendition emphasizes texture and a sweet-salty tamarind flavor with crushed peanuts, stuffed shrimp, Thai chili powder, and a slice of lime to tie all the flavors together.

It's only been four months since At Siam opened its doors and Pongsamart is excited about what the future holds, especially as the warmer months approach. The relief she feels now that she and her fellow vendors no longer have to worry that city officials will close their food stalls is palpable. Pongsamart's unwavering commitment to supporting Thai food vendors earned her the nickname PPong or Sister Pong within the close-knit community she fostered. It's not just about giving Thai people jobs, but also about giving our Thai community a sense of home and happiness. This is the future I want.

With each passing week, the number of Thai food enthusiasts flocking to At Siam continues to increase. New providers are also added regularly; Pongsamart accepts applications from suppliers on a rolling basis. There's something unique to find at each of the more than two dozen vendor booths, from soulful bowls filled with khao soi noodles to plump buns topped with silky custard. Here are five must-try dishes at At Siam.

Giant Octopus is impossible to miss due to its consistently long queue and bold signage depicting a towering red octopus wearing a gold chain. There's only one thing to get: fried octopus covered in Thai seafood sauce, briny with fish sauce, electrifying with lime, tangy with garlic and tingling of tongue from Thai chili peppers. The octopus comes in two sizes, baby and giant, priced at $15 and $20, respectively. It's tender, meaty, spicy, sour and it's a great appetizer to share while wandering around At Siam, looking for the next bite.

Larb Sticky Rice Burger Bangkok bread

Sticky rice burgers are commonly found at 7-Eleven convenience stores in Thailand, an effective and easy way to relieve a hangover with a 20 baht bill. Bangkok Bun takes the beloved burger and amps up its flavor with three different variations: a spicy, nutty larb burger sprinkled with toasted rice powder, a lightly sweet shrimp cake burger, and a pad kra-inspired truffled Thai basil burger pao. The larb is the best-seller and offers plenty of heat in its ground pork patty, as well as a bite of fragrant allium from thinly sliced ​​raw shallots. There is an option to replace the brioche buns with deliciously soft sticky rice rounds. The larb burger costs $15 while the shrimp patty costs $17.

Spicy pork belly with basil and rice Delicious crispy pork

True to its name, Yummy Crispy Pork serves crispy pork belly in three different ways. There's a simple option with a spicy dipping sauce that lets the pork belly's blistered skin shine; a rendition of larb with fresh herbs and toasted rice powder; and the best-selling method, a pork belly kra pao or basil-spiced pork belly. The latter tosses crispy pork belly into a fiery wok filled with chilies, garlic and handfuls of herbaceous Thai basil. The chili-charred pork belly isn't bothered by its heat, but a bed of rice acts as a balm to tone down some of the spice.

Sao Ha Café channels the energy of Yaowarat (Bangkok's Chinatown) into its food. There's fish maw soup, pork porridge with pork meatballs, patongo (Chinese crullers) served with pandan cream for dipping, and hot soy milk with black sesame. The star of the stand is the khao soi. Protein options include chicken, tofu or beef, layered on a bed of egg noodles in a creamy coconut curry broth. Dry-roasted chili oil adds heat while pickled mustard greens and raw red onions add bite to the dish. The fried noodle crown, a must for khao soi, adds a great crunch.

Sweet Potato and Creme Brulee Rolls Pang Aeng

The two sisters behind Pang Aeng, Manita Raksaphakdee and Kittichai Toomboot, wanted to sell desserts that went beyond Thailand's well-known mango sticky rice. A shared passion for bread led them to serve toasted rolls filled with custard; the buttery smell of flame-licked bread is as inviting as a hug. On the menu, five flavors of custard, including young coconut, pandan, chocolate, Thai tea and taro. Three rolls, the size of a dinner roll, cost $12. Pandan is a crowd favorite with its floral and vanilla notes and alluring green hue. Sweet potato creme brulee, not a traditional Thai treat but a new addition to Pang Aengs' menu, is undeniably delicious with its cracked sugar filling, silky cream filling and potato center soft.

At Siam is located at 1711 N. Cahuenga Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028, and is open Friday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.