Esan Restaurant — Restaurant in Anaheim

Without Yelp and word of mouth, how many people would have walked into this building in Anaheim without an English sign and expected to find the best Thai and Lao food in town? Definitely not me.

This place is somewhat of a hole in the wall. When approaching this restaurant, look for bright green squigly Thai characters on the window. There are two options when you step in, pick from the steam table with over a dozen options, or sit down and select made-to-order Thai rice, salad, or noodle dishes from the menu.

I noticed that Rod-Sap has numerous specialties on the board, such as homemade Lao sausage, Isaan pork jerky, papaya salad Lao-style with crab and fermented fish sauce, nam khao tod, and kao piek. There are more specials on the weekends. I really wanted to try items from the special menu but since I was in a hurry, I chose three items from the express table.

Gaeng Kiaw Wan - This was one of the most bold green curries I've ever had. It came loaded with boneless chicken, tender eggplants, and bamboo shoots in a thin sauce. The curry had more of a soupy consistency compared to the thick nature of curries, so it was easy to soak into rice. Rod-Sap's green curry contains some Thai chili for subtle heat and a generous amount of galangal and lemongrass for sour notes. Whoever prepared it did not have a heavy hand with the application of coconut milk, so there was a very delicate balance between sour, sweet, and spicy flavors.

Pla Duk Sod Pad Ped - I am a seafood fan so I ordered a serving of catfish cooked in red curry paste. Although the fish was complemented with almost the same ingredients as the green curry, the red curry paste was much more mild compared to the green curry. This catfish dish yielded a large collection of bones and was a little too dry in my opinion, I thought that it could use more sauce to enhance flavor.

Gaeng Naw Mai - When a grandma brings out a fresh pot of homemade Laotian soup, makes eye contact, and winks, I knew I had to try it, despite warnings from the server about how exotic the soup would be. I've had sour Thai soup before from Isaan Station and LaCha Somtum, but turns out none were as explosively pungent as the preserved bamboo shoot soup from E-San. The soup itself was significantly more briny and fishy than spicy, and I could taste some flavors of pepper (enough to make you cough) and fermented fish sauce (enough to make your lips pucker). The bamboo shoots were a little bitter, but the baby corn and black mushroom toppings were manageable for my Chinese palate. This soup is definitely an acquired taste for people not familiar with Laotian cuisine, and not for the faint of heart.

Rod-Sap is definitely a hidden gem in Anaheim for authentic Thai and Lao food. Customers can order as basic as Tom Yum Goong and Pad Thai, or for the more open-minded eaters, go for the authentic Lao house specialties listed on the chalkboard. The prices are very reasonable, most items cost $7 and under and a 3 item combo from the steam table is only $6.50. I can't wait to try the Isaan and Laotian dishes cooked by a grandma the next...

THAILAND 🇹🇭 / LAOS 🇱🇦 Excerpt from Eat the World Los Angeles: The restaurant connected to the Thai Laos Market in Anaheim is the type of place that will be circulated as hidden or some sort of secret, but the name is right there in the front window. The only people it hides from are the folks that do not read Thai language. That being said, the old script on the old strip mall facade of the market itself is more than enough for the curious passerby to wander in and check out what is happening inside.

While there are many delicious options for both Thai and Lao dishes available à la carte, it is that steam table that should take your focus on a weekday lunch. The "lunch/dinner combo express" is available all day and includes jasmine rice and either two options for $6.50 or three for $7.50. Extra items on top of this are only $2.

This way of eating, or type of establishment is often referred to as khao rad kang, literally meaning "curry over rice" but signifying here that you get rice as well as some other choices. Some plate combinations here would never be found in Thailand because they include dishes from Laos and southern Thailand that would not be cooked by the same folks. But they do it all here, and so far to pretty...

Just go here. But bring your cash. Real authentic Thai/Laotian cuisine. A good way to tell if a place is authentic is to see who else eats there. This place was busy with local families and older couples when I went for a late lunch on Saturday, so I knew it was going to be good. This restaurant is in a tiny strip plaza attached to it's storefront, so if you can't find any parking in the front, head behind the building and you will find plenty of parking. This is essentially a hole in the wall place, so scrub out all you want while you nurse your hangover. If this is your situation, I recommend any of their noodle dishes. The most popular one is their Boat Noodles. Hearty beef broth, rice noodles, and beef meatballs. The Duck Noodle Soup is also hearty and delicious, with the broth having a little more tanginess. If you're a spice thrill-seeker, try their Tom Yum Soup. Made fresh to order and full of shrimp and vegetables, you'll be sweating out last night's shenanigans no problem. Into steak? Order their Crying Tiger Steak. Super tender, chargrilled, and plated with a smokey chili oil dipping sauce. The chef/s are amazing here, so you really can't lose with anything on the menu. Oh, and don't forget...