There's about to be a new contributer to this here blog, so I better write one more post before he gets a chance to show me up with his actual writing skills. And, for a change, this won't be about a Mexican restaurant.
I haven't been able to surmise (actually, I just haven't spent that much time looking) if the Chan Dara on Pico Blvd. is related to any of the other Chan Dara(e)s around the city, such as the House of Chan Dara on Larchmont or the Chan Darae on Cahuenga (I can tell you that it is better than the one on Cahuenga, though; that one was quite disappointing). This post is already so full of words Blogger isn't accepting as real--a sign of a good post, I'd say.
First, the decor of this place is a little overwhelming. There are more than enough colors and textures and shapes and sizes, et cetera. My dining companion hated these hanging orbs, but they were the only thing I thought to be at least slightly innovative. They do have a pleasant assortment of vegetation on the left side, if you are facing away from the street, although you can only see it through glass. Perhaps someone familiar with Thai culture could tell me if that neon squiggle means anything or if it is just a particular Thai affinity towards them--I have seen several other Thai restaurants with similar, if not exactly the same, squiggles.
I ordered the Ginger and Black Mushrooms Stir Fry with Scallops, but you can order it with chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, or tofu, as well. Surprisingly, a good number of scallops come with the dish and they were perfectly cooked. Additionally, the vegetables were crisp for a great textural contrast to the plump scallops. The dish comes with one egg roll and either white or brown rice. I got the brown rice, once again for the texture contrast. The sauce that comes with it is sweet and is most likely for the egg roll but also works well with the gingery scallops. As all Thai food seems to be in LA, the prices are a little expensive--this was $12.50.
The menu just says Black Mushroom, so I don't know if that's what it is called or if that is just what it is, 'cause it's true--that mushroom is pretty black. It is also terrifyingly weird looking. And, yet, it is delicious--once you get over the decidedly awkward texture.
They call the Vegetarian Pad Thai "Poor Man Noodles." This dish was fabulously colorful, as you can see by the above picture, and also a great combination of textures. There could have been more of the noodles and less of the carrots, however.
None food details: the waitresses (and they are all waitresses) seem to be required to wear really tall heels and awkwardly almost revealing clothing. The food comes pretty quickly, but they are slow to refill your water!
Chan Dara
11940 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
310 | 479 4461
Do you see how many pictures there are? A ton. That's because I would go to this place even if the food was disgusting. But, thankfully, it is not. It's pretty great. And CHEAP. Just remember, cash only.
However, the chips are pretty good. Make sure to get some of the tomatillo salsa (it's free; just ask for it) and mix it with the regular salsa for a fantastic and delicious flavor combination. Even though I had to ask four times to get it on this last visit, it is worth the hassle!
I always order the same thing - crispy chicken tacos. They usually (I hate that I have to include 'usually' in all my claims about this restaurant ) have a superb mixture of textures. The crunchy outer shell perfectly envelopes the soft chicken, fresh lettuce, and slightly spicy pico de gallo. On this visit, there was also some cheese. This is unusual and didn't add anything to the taste. The accompanying rice is also usually quite delicious, although they rotate through different kinds. On this trip, the rice had some vegetables in it, such as corn. A couples others I regularly encountered were mint rice and one that seemed garlic-infused. 
My friend ordered the sopes and enjoyed them. 
All right, so it's high time that I write up this baby. I was invited by our esteemed web hostess to write a review of local Pico favorite Lares. We were at a party. There was an awkward exchange. She divulged her secret hobby of chronicling the culinary delights of Pico Blvd. Oh, that's fun, I remarked, Lares and all that. No, she said, what's Lares? I found myself inches from her face. WHAT? You haven't covered LARES?!?! She had found herself a contributor.
This post was started June 24th; I am an appalling blogger. La Talpa has a pretty great sign and a nice motif of the sleepy-man-in-sombrero-against-(undoubtedly) painful-cactus which appears not only in the signage but also in the swell stained glass. There is also nothing like a neon arrow to announce greatness. I have no idea what Talpa means; do you?
There is very little lighting both outside and inside, and I hate using flash, so these pictures are going to be dark. The neighborhood is also kinda whatever. We went in the evening of my friend's 21st birthday, which turned out to be a silly decision since they don't have a liquor license. But she had a classy Corona with some lime and all was good. Plus, the service was excellent and the waitress ( a very grandmotherly woman) was very nice. They tell you it is good food and they don't lie.
But it's not great food. It's pretty solid basic food at reasonable prices. The quesadilla was tasty.
This mural that you can't really see is a nice landscape, but not nearly as pretty as the murals previously shown at Tacos La Flama or the murals at El Serape, which will be reviewed as soon as I am able to take some pictures.
You expect some pretty good hole-in-the-wall authenticity, and I kinda love the neon window painting, but inside the decor is like the inside of your grandmother's very pastoral home with a few token Indian motifs thrown in. Plus, it is way too dark.
They automatically serve you this chip-like bread before your meal. I don't like them at all. They are so crispy that they quickly disintigrate into crumbs and don't have much taste. They are a bit spicy but don't have any real flavor.
See how those two bowls of chicken curries look exactly the same? Well, they are according to the menu two different dishes. They do taste the same though, except the Chicken Makhni, which is the one in the upper right corner, tastes a little buttery. At the risk of being too repetitive, the sauces don't have enough flavor and the naan is too greasy. I do have to hand it to them, though. Those little bowls manage to disguise a very good amount of chicken.