13 Oct 2026
30 Years of Terrific Thai in LA - Ruen Pair Restaurant Review
Ruen Pair opened in 1996 and quickly became an LA institution. Thai restaurants are ubiquitous across Los Angeles, especially in Thai Town, off Hollywood Boulevard, but very few have celebrated a 30th anniversary, as Ruen Pair did this year. It’s a family-run establishment, well into the second generation of ownership. In 2020, the original owners of the family restaurant, Pensri and Somchai Jansaeng, gave the reins son Champ, who now runs it full time with his wife Chanita.
The combination of Isan (northeastern) and Teochew (central) influenced Thai cuisines is Ruen Pair’s greatest strength. Isan’s cuisine focuses on sour and heat, exemplified in Ruen Pair’s Papaya Salad with Raw Crab, with sticky rice and fermented fish rounding out this region’s staples. Teochew's heavy Chinese influence brings a salty-sweet depth with dark soy, preserved vegetables, and “the breath of the wok” with signatures like the Salted Turnip Fried Egg or the Stewed Pork Leg.
In 2023, Ruen Pair opened Kanomwaan Thai Gelato and Dessert Cafe right next door in their slow but steady expansion through the strip mall at Harvard and Hollywood. The menu features gelatos, milk teas, and shaved ice with unique and delicious Thai-inspired flavor combinations. If you do go to Ruen Pair, we recommend not skipping dessert.
ruenpairthai.com
@ruenpairla
0:00 – Intro
4:37 – Menu Breakdown
6:39 – Thai Iced Tea
8:42 – Ruen Pair Beer
10:54 – Papaya Salad with Raw Crab
13:07 – Thai Style BBQ Pork
16:07 – Fried Egg & Salty Turnip
20:00 – Stir Fried Crispy Catfish
22:19 – Tom Kha Gai
24:20 – Sauteed Morning Glory
26:55 – Stewed Pork Leg Over Rice
31:01 – Kanomwaan Thai Gelato & Dessert Cafe
38:25– Ambiance
40:20 – Service
45:58 – Verdict
https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-angeles/guides/best-ice-cream-los-angeles
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🍴 About Aftertaste LA: Join Chef Vlad and Nicole on their journey through the Los Angeles dining scene. Each episode focuses on a different restaurant, analyzing strengths and weaknesses from service to flavor, to creativity, and everything else Nicole and Chef Vlad are the friends you trust to give a thorough review of the many restaurants of the diverse and vast Los Angeles dining landscape.
They’ll break down the hits, the misses, and the avoid-at-all-costs so you can target your experiences to what fits you best. Whether you’re a local, just visiting, or dreaming of an LA vacation, they’re your source for tasty information about the restaurant experiences that make Los Angeles special.
⭐ Our Rating System (1–4 Tastebuds):
1️⃣ Tastebud = Skip it
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