Jitlada Thai Restaurant

LA Chefs & Surprise Celebrity Honor Jitlada’s Chef Tui at Thai Gala

Comments Off on LA Chefs & Surprise Celebrity Honor Jitlada’s Chef Tui at Thai Gala
Head Line Hotel

Head Line Hotel valet Mehari instantly removed road fatigue

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Chef Jazz Singsanong (Jitlada) joined a star line-up of celebrity chefs with special Jitlada-inspired dishes to honor her beloved late Chef Tui Sungkamee.   The best of such fundraisers turn into chatty social evenings. This one, infused with such heartfelt feelings, turned into a gala that still felt like a family reunion.

Legendary Matt Groening was an approachable, guest.  He told the funniest story about how his first doodles on a restaurant receipt grew into doing portraits for all the staff that they later hung on the walls of the restaurant.

Surprise! Matt Groening honors Chef Tui with a special portrait and a story

Jazz, in chef coat, still remained the regal hostess throughout.  We were made to feel as welcome as the long-time passionate, Jittlada customers.

Sereechai Thai Newspaper President & CEO, Boon Chroenkitkan, (below) introduced us to the siblings at a Chang Beer event.  Jazz turned our table into a  lifetime-memory Thai party at once.    Chang was a sponsor of this Cancer Research fundraiser.  DJ Chris Holmes and DJ Zo provided the entertainment.

Newspaper publisher Boon charoenkitkan

Jittlada Restaurant served mango and sticky rice – as fast as they could

Jittlada’s bright, refreshing StickyRice/Mango

The evening was filled uper-stars Chef Jet Tila (International Thai Culinary Ambassador) and Roy Choi, who offered the best of his Line Hotel restaurant dishes.

Barbara Hansen photographs  her “bite of the evening” by Chef Jet Tila

Roy Choi’s restaurant in the Line Hotel served our “best bite” of fried chicken.

Neighbors, Langer’s and Cassell’s Hamburgers served dishes combining Jitlada Thai ingredients into their own signature dishes.

Kris Yenbamroong (Night + Market Song), Andy Ricker (Pok Pok) and Louis Tikaram (E.P. & L.P.) served as special honorary dishes.  Chef Kris and Andy share a laugh (below).

Kris Yenbamroong (Night + Market Song), Andy Ricker (Pok Pok)

“Extra spicy cuisine” helped the brother and sister duo to fame, but it is the total package that makes this restaurant a star. Hospitality, so characteristic of the Thai people – who have never been conquered as a country because they simply opened the doors to newcomers and learned from them- is at its highest here.  The party held the same feeling.

The Line Hotel ballroom has a spacious feeling to it because it opens onto an outdoor patio. The crowd spilled out into the patio, complete with fire pit, outside in the spring air.   A bar and two desserts were served.

Thai-style fashion made the party more festive

The firepit encouraged conversations with new friends

 

Thai-inspired high fashion

Cloudlike Budino and gelato (below) to finish the meal

Jitlada, 5233 1/2 West Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90027, (323) 667-9809. Hours are Tues-Sun: Lunch 11 am – 3 pm Dinner 5 pm – 10:30 pm. For details on the restaurant and more of the menu that includes images, please see: //jitladala.wordpress.com

 

LA Times Food Bowl Honors Chef Tui Sungkamee

Comments Off on LA Times Food Bowl Honors Chef Tui Sungkamee

Chef Tui Sungkamee

Chef Jazz Singsanong (Jitlada) is joined by a star line up of celebrity chefs at the tribute night to celebrate the life of her beloved late Chef Tui Sungkamee (Jitlada). The evening at the Line Hotel, May 8 will feature tastings, food stations and live entertainment by DJ Chris Holmes and DJ Zo.

Chef Tui Sungkamee's wife

Jazz will be joined by super-stars Chef Jet Tila (International Thai Culinary Ambassador) and Roy Choi.

chefs Roy Choi

Community-spirited top chefs Roy Choi & Chef Cecelia de Castro

Jet Tila

Jet Tila flanked by his mom, Mary (left) and LA TIMES food writer, Barbara Hansen who discovered him.

Neighbors, Langer’s and Cassell’s Hamburgers are on the list of popular food stations. Kris Yenbamroong (Night + Market Song), Andy Ricker (Pok Pok) and Louis Tikaram (E.P. & L.P.) will join them at the event.

tribute to Chef Tui

Langers will join in to the tribute to Chef Tui

Langars

“Extra spicy cuisine” helped the brother and sister duo to fame, including Jonathan Gold’s “Top 101 List” in the LA TIMES and in his film, “City of Gold.” But it is the total package that makes this restaurant a star. Hospitality, so characteristic of the Thai people – who have never been conquered as a country because they simply opened the doors to newcomers and learned from them- is at its highest here.

Brother and sister chef-owners, Tui and Jazz Singsalong, alone are as much of a draw. Even the first time you meet them, they make you feel like family. They made it feel as though it was their party and you made them the happiest people on earth that you were also there.

fun time

Kathy, the Jitlada accountant, started working there as a server long ago, “Fun fun fun and full – topped with Gerry (me), Barbara (Hansen, food writer), her son, Spike and his girlfriend, Annie (above), and Mona (Day, writer). Jazz takes time with Annie and Mona, above.

Crispy Morning Glory Salad – Deep fried morning glory topped with fresh shrimp and Jitlada’s spicy house dressing (above) became Jitlada’s signature dish long ago.

Crispy Morning Glory Salad

Crying Tiger Beef (pork as an option) was featured on Food Network’s “Best Thing I Ever Ate: Hot & Spicy” episode.

Crying Tiger Beef

Another sign of no-reservation policy Jittlada’s popularity is the long snaking line evenings to get into the double storefront space that is truly tucked into the corner of a strip mall on a non-descriptive Hollywood Boulevard in East Hollywood.

 

In 2017 East Hollywood Certified Farmers’ Market honored Popular Chef Tui as part of a celebration of their expanded days this spring, 2017, where the chef shared his expertise in a demo.

Jitlada, 5233 1/2 West Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90027, (323) 667-9809. Hours are Tues-Sun: Lunch 11 am – 3 pm Dinner 5 pm – 10:30 pm. For details on the restaurant and more of the menu that includes images, please see: //jitladala.wordpress.com

Cuisines

Authors