Salaya Plant-Based Kitchen — Restaurant in Los Angeles

I think they have a thoroughly impressive vegan menu that prominently features Thai food. Meals come with a protein in the form of plant-based beef or chicken, or tofu, and even vegan fish options. I noticed some American food like burgers and some Japanese food like ramen and sushi on the menu, too. There's tables and booths in a pretty spacious interior with a high ceiling. It's a bright and welcoming space and the service is quick.

I asked a loaded question - which eggplant dish is better? - and although that's pretty subjective language to impose on waitstaff, they humored me. I was not led astray and was recommended the Eggplant Pad Phrink. That dish is battered eggplant in spicy red curry sauce, bell peppers, young pepper corn and basil. Since I love gobbling down eggplants, next time I'll have the Spicy Eggplant (stir-fried eggplant in sauce with peppers). Their Eggplant Pad Phrink really is perfectly dense and delicious!

Everything was fresh-tasting and hot (temperature) and great. In regard to other hotness, we were asked what spice level we wanted, and they appropriately toned it down to mild for us. My friend and I devoured the empanadas and corn cakes as appetizers. Those are both MUST HAVES, and I will be ordering them again. I tried my friend's Salaya Pumpkin that they ordered with a beef protein, and it was also tasty.

I can't wait...

This was some of the worst food I've ever eaten. I'm no stranger to plant-based food but this was dreadful.

We had some shared starters - the only good one was the prawn balls (but the sweet chilli sauce with it was too weak), the chicken satay tasted like a banana crepe and was tough, with tasteless satay sauce, out of all the amazing options they had to fill the dumplings - they managed to find something what was utterly tasteless.

The mains were worst. Perhaps there were better options, but the bang ban chicken was mostly steamed broccoli (very good) with some fried tofu based chicken, which had no taste and was covered in what looked like mayo. My guest had chicken noodles which was perplexing as she asked him how spicy he wanted, and he said hot. The noodles came with the chicken on top, and some bok choy. No sauce. No spice at all. Just a dry bowl without flavor, and on the side a clear soup he said just tasted like salt walter.

We should have stepped into one of the many Thai restaurants around here who can knock up a Jai meal, or vegan without much effort, and give actual taste.

Utterly...

Just had a fantastic Thai meal at this awesome restaurant. Being that I grew up in Thailand, and ate at plenty of outstanding Thai restaurants in Los Angeles, this place is legit. It is absolutely fantastic in many ways. Intense flavor, staying true to the Thai taste palette, using very fresh ingredients. The cooking is fresh and you don't get the "weighted-down" feeling after eating a lot of food in one sitting. That is a testament to the plant-based cooking, along with exquisite chefs in the back that has a background at many prominent Thai restaurants around town, and now are part of the team here at Salaya (I learned this from talking to the owner Annie, a very sweet lady). I highly recommend the Kua Gling Beef (get that in medium spice first try to test your might) and the Beef Larb Salad, both of which combined really well during our first dining experience. We will definitely be frequenting this place in the future. Well done...