Best Thai/Southeast Asian food: Phuket Thai
Phuket is a town in Southern Thailand that is famous for a great beach and hospitality to match, assets the South Bay also proudly claims. Phuket restaurant doesn’t have a beach view but makes up for it with excellent service – the people here are happy to assist diners who have questions, whether they are relatively new to Thai cuisine or are fans who want to explore the more daring items on the menu. It’s a great atmosphere in which to experiment – as much as you like that yum yai salad and satay, try the green papaya with dry shrimp, long beans, and spicy lime dressing, and perhaps follow it with a red duck curry. Phuket Thai has everything from mild to wild, the cuisines of many regions of Thailand, and it’s is a great place to learn a little more about one of the world’s great and distinctive cuisines.
901 PCH RB (310)374-9598, www.phuketthairedondo.com
Runner-up: Thai Dishes, 1015 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach, (310) 546-4147, thaidishesmb.com, 707 S. PcH, Redondo Beach,(310) 316-6326, thaidishesrb.com