Is it a restaurant? A massage parlor? It’s hard to tell at first glance.
Having just moved two blocks away, though, I figured I should set the record straight and explain that ‘yes’ Thai Vegan is indeed a restaurant and ‘yes’ it’s also a massage parlor.
And ‘yes’… it probably used to sell teak furniture.
Bizarreness aside, the food is truly so good that every night there is a cluster of people ordering, waiting, or eating on the stump-benches next to the store front or inside on stools.
And just how good, you might ask?
Well, to start, it’s certainly good enough to survive and thrive given the weird massage element.
Food? It successfully surpassed my skepticism that usually gets stuck at anything related to vegan or vegetarian.
So more on the dishes. They are super tasty, and instead of feeling sort of gross as I usually do after tucking in to beef pad thai or curry or fried-shrimp dumplings, Thai Vegan will feed you and leave you feeling quite pleased with yourself.
Every item on the menu contains a hefty serving of veggies, and the sauces/seasonings are spot-on thai.
Miss the meat? You’ll be tempted to order the “fake chicken/beef/shrimp” for an extra $2 – but don’t do it!
It’s kind of soggy and unnecessary and tastes like spongy tofu. So just don’t.
The Do’s:
1. Order pad thai, curry, dumplings, and the spicy thai wrap.
2. Dip everything in the peanut and teriyaki sauce.
3. Order in advance for pick-up, as the kitchen is slow and the place is popular.
4. Revel in the fact that the curry costs $5 and the pad thai costs $7.
Did I forget to rave about the price?
Seriously, everything is $3-$7 which means you can feast for two for under $20.
And for Thai? In Santa Monica? That’s healthy, delicious, and for me, right next door? Yes, I’ll probably be turning Thai very very soon as I stop in like once every-other day.
The Dont’s:
1. Order the fake meat.
2. Forget to check your order – it’s occasionally misheard.
For big portions and to fuel big appetites from vegan to everything-a-terian, go to Thai Vegan – and if you do take one for the team and opt-in to the massage menu in the back of the house, do drop me a line and let me know how it is.
Thai Vegan
2400 Main Street
Type: Restaurant
Category: Lunch, Dinner, Late-Night
Cost: $3-$7/dish
Hours: Mon-Thurs, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Fri-Sun: 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
310.581.4255
