Luv2Eat checks off all the important boxes that qualify for legit Thai establishment in LA. It’s in a an unassuming strip mall, has a questionable name, displays prints from press coverage, and carries a cult-like status among LA foodies. To prove my point, the last time I went (with my mom), we sat next to two guys live Instagramming their meal, giving 10 second reviews of each dish they ordered. And they ordered many many dishes (for one of them, it was his first time there and his enthusiasm level is one I aspire to reach in literally anything in life). Needless to say, my suburban mother was equally intrigued and horrified by the encounter. 

To the untrained eye, Luv2Eat seems like any other mom-and-pop Thai restaurant. “Practically” furnished, a crowded “Chef’s Specials” page stuffed into a plastic-covered menu, a haphazard selection of decor, including a giant fork and spoon mounted on the wall. And of course, a refrigerator full of fresh durian that they sell by the box. 

But you’re not here for the atmosphere, you’re here for the Southern Thai food. If your idea of beautiful plating is 3 kinds of meat (crispy roast pork, bbq pork and roasted duck) artfully arranged on top of jade green noodles, then you’re in the right place. But really, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, especially the “Chef’s Special” section full of Phuket specialities. Just make sure you order everything a notch down from your typical spice level. They aren’t kidding when they warn you about the “Thai spicy.”