Summer Canteen

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BrinR

Joined 2 years ago

Best Thai in North Hollywood. From LAbroad.wordpress

Nestled at the corner of Busy-Street Blvd. and Strip-Mall Ave. (as all self-respecting LA restaurants are...) sits Summer Canteen a lovely new little Thai spot ripe for the picking.

Tauting all the classic American/Thai dishes we know and love (such as Pad Thai, Vegetable Tofu Stir Fry and Green Curry Tofu) at first glance, Summer Canteen seems to be just another mock-Thai establishment.

This would be the case if it wasn't for the FANTASTIC food.

Each dish is well flavored and beautifully made. The Green Curry was creamy and spicy (although a bit lacking in the veggie department) while the Pad Thai wasn't too sticky-sweet like you find at most run of the mill Thai places. Thankfully, the tofu in the Curry and Stir Fry wasn't fried which is a welcome respite from way other Americanized-Thai places tend to do it.

Although a biiiiit hipster-chic for its own good- think blasting a mix of should-be-in-an-indie-movie/Blink 182 songs- the minimalist and clean design of the restaurant and the fair pricing set Summer Canteen a cut above the other Thai options in Toluca Lake/North Hollywood that I've tried.

Pricing: $$ (although the lunch special is a STEAL)

for more LA restaurant reviews visit:

LAbroad.wordpress

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KatesPlate

Joined 3 years ago

Great Find. While the decor of the restaurant struck me as a bit industrial and what one might expect from a "strip mall" restaurant, the service and food will definitely be bringing me back. The menu offers a wide variety of cuisines and offers quality food at very reasonable prices.

I went with a friend of mine for a casual dinner. We had very prompt service and ordered the Curry noodle and Chicken & Broccoli Noodle (pad see u). Both dishes were beautifully prepared and arrived to the table quickly.

We had called the restaurant in advance as we wanted to bring a bottle of wine. There was no corkage fee, but the restaurant did ask us to bring a receipt.

I look forward to going back and trying more of their dishes.

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Martha Burr

Joined 10 years ago

Citysearch Editorial Review. This Toluca Lake strip mall gem offers a menu that combines Thai, Vietnamese and Burmese specialties in an arty atmosphere (think romantic Southeast Asian tropicalia blended with cool industrial accents--wood and vents, flowers and steel, and big art thrown in for good measure). There’s also a pretty patio. A mix of Valley locals and Warner Brothers/Universal workers is who you'll find here. As for what you'll find here: artfully plated dishes as pretty as any set dresser could make them. Among the menu’s star items are a Burmese tea leaf salad, mussels with lemongrass, lime leaves and basil, a spicy seafood curried mousse, crispy crab and shrimp in soy paper, and slowly braised Thai short ribs. Traditional dishes include pristine versions of pad Thai noodles, pho, tom kha gai, chicken satay and shrimp summer rolls. And don’t forget to check the chalkboard for specials like green papaya and shrimp salad. Drinks include fresh virgin mojitos and bracing Thai iced tea or coffee.