Ubon Thai Kitchen is at Torrance Crossroads near Home Goods; it is tucked in between IHOP International House of Pancakes and Ko Ryu Ramen which is next to Jersey Mike's. It does not have public restrooms and a lot of people seem to love ordering Take Out to go, for pick up. The ambiance? Well, the colors are really warm. Their online info says reservations are required but I called a day ahead after seeing their hours and requirements and they said it was fine to just drop in with my party of four. My mom insisted she wanted basil for her crab fried rice which they didn't have when it came but I was strangely fine with this as it really wasn't part of their family recipe and it still tasted great. My uncle ordered a larger portion entree instead of a smaller portion with rice but they gave him a smaller portion with rice. We were mostly or actually the only ones dining in, but there were as I said people coming in to order To Go and Take Out orders on a shelf waiting for pick up. I had a non-alcoholic Thai Sunset with soda and lime and I really liked it. I really loved my boat noodles! They were soo spicy!! But perfectly proportioned: a lot of rice noodles, which was my choice because I asked our server what Thai boat noodles I should pick, and it had big beef balls, the tenderest beef, the spicy braised broth was so warming and fulfilling, the sprouts green onions cilantro were crisp and fresh, there is a Thai vegetable that is leafy that had a unique taste. I don't know what it's called but it's the first time I have tried that leafy vegetable and it tastes really good! I couldn't finish my broth or my noodles! And it also came with pork cracklings! Comparable to Filipino chicharon, I dunked those in the soup and had a good time. We each had a good choice and shared pork jerky as an appetizer, and it's basically like Thai tocino, to compare it to Filipino food: sweet, succulent, a little charred from caramelization. I tried some of the pork jerky with a tiniest spoonful of the Thai fish sauce although I left those chilis alone- it tasted great! Thai fish sauce seems a bit more refined than Filipino fish sauce. Filipino fish sauce is a bit more rough and tumble, wild. I would never put Filipino fish sauce with Filipino tocino but Thai pork jerky and Thai fish sauce blends really well! Eating the rice noodles with the pork jerky, where all the herbs and spices just soaked through and knitted together a dripping way instead of a dried rice kernels fried way made the experience so thoroughly opulent to my senses including my mouth and tongue with the fragrance. Though it wasn't the smoothest time, I could tell the staff does their best and the food did stand out as authentic and very delicious. My Thai boat noodles removed the pre-flu tickle in my throat (which could have been caused by my recent COVID vax and this season's flu shot) and thoroughly cleared my sinuses. I'm glad I can handle Thai medium spicy! Also the food was ready to eat, to me, almost as soon as we ordered it. Like, in the blink of an eye, as though it was magically appearing from a genie. Ubon is a region of Thailand, so I figure the family of the restaurant hails from there. Another good early dinner for this year's round of birthday celebrations. I would wholeheartedly recommend you try Ubon Thai Kitchen for their delicious food. Food so good they get a five!
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