Isaan is one of Thailand’s four regions (the other three are the Northern, Southern, and Central regions), and each has its distinct cuisine. The region is nestled next to Laos and Cambodia and reflects their flavors. I recently visited Isaan Station, a restaurant that features food from this area of Thailand.
As I searched for Isaan Station, I noticed that it was directly across from HK Chicken in Koreatown. Fortunately, they share a lot with ample free parking. Due to COVID, their dining room remains closed, and they were open for take-out only.
Green papaya salad, known as som tam, is ubiquitous in Thailand. In Thai, “som” means “sour,” and “tum” refers to the pounding sound of the large pestle used to crush the ingredients. I selected this with Asian Blue Crab. The crab meat was both tender and had a mild sweet and sour flavor.
While Pad Thai is one of the most popular dishes to order in the US, I tried it anyway. The stir-fry includes thin rice noodles, chicken, egg, and dried shrimp. Fish sauce, oyster sauce, tamarind, and palm sugar give the sauce an umami taste. I learned that palm sugar is healthier than regular brown sugar due to its low glycemic index.
Knowing that this region features many types of char-grilled meat, I ordered Nahm Dtok Nua, a popular Thai beef salad. Nahm dtok means waterfall, and nua means beef, and it is commonly known as Waterfall Beef Salad. At medium spice, it was plenty to receive an endorphin rush. The grilled beef has a pleasant charcoal taste; the mint leaves, lime, and cilantro nicely rounded out the flavor.
Other popular dishes include:
- Crying Tiger beef tenderloin.
- Charcoal-grilled Pork Neck.
- Isaan deep-fried sausage made with fermented pork.
Pro Tip:
If you wish to use a credit card, you must place your order thru the app available on their website. If you order in person, they only accept cash. Isaan Station is closed Mondays.
Isaan Station Thai Street Food, 125 N Western Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90004; isaanstationthaila.com