On August 30th, Third Street saw the soft-opening of the second branch of San Diego’s Rama, a Thai restaurant under chef Pannuwat Soukjai, a former instructor at Thailand’s Royal Culinary Institute and chef at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. As the location dictates, Rama is no hole-in-the-wall, balancing a central seated Buddha with corner Buddha busts within a modern dining room with an outdoor patio. And what’s on the menu?
Rama is now grand-open for “classics” like pad Thai, salads, and curry, but a rep tells us to also look for five-spiced braised pork belly with star anise and boiled egg, and bird’s nest soup with shrimp when seeking something rarer among the massive menu of Thai plates that often use French technique.
Beer and wine are also served, and the restaurant considers its garlic and pepper-crusted proteins a specialty. Soukjai promises all dishes are made from scratch and use local farm-raised product where possible in what the company calls “the largest” Thai restaurant in Los Angeles on a website. See the full dinner menu below while we measure the square footage of Palms Thai.
Rama, 7910 West 3rd St. West Hollywood. 323-592-3035.
Rama Dinner Menu
APPETIZERS
Satay 9
Traditional Marinated served with Peanut Sauce and Cucumber
Salad. Choice of Chicken | Beef | Pork | Mixed
Rolls
Fresh 8 | 8 | 10
Veg/Tofu | chicken | shrimp
Spring 8
Veg/Tofu | chicken
Summer 8
Veg/Tofu
Triangles (two ways) 9
Cheddar Cheese | cream cheese | crab meat
Coconut Lemon-Grass Grilled Shrimp 10
Coconut-Milk | lemon-grass | palm sugar
Kratong Tong 9
Chicken | potatoes | carrots | green peas | curry | pastry cups
Tofu and Vegetable Tempura 9
Stuffed Chicken Wings 10
Chicken | shitake mushrooms | vegetables | vermicelli
Golden Shrimp 10
Fried Calamari 10
Tod Mun Pla (fish cakes) 10
Sea Bass | green beans | spices
Pot Stickers 9
Pork | vegetables
SOUPS
Tofu 4 cup | 10 pot
Wonton 4 cup | 10 pot
Tom Yum
Lemon-grass | mushroom | tomatoes
Tom Khar
Lemon-grass | mushroom | tomatoes | coconut milk
Vegetables and Tofu 4 cup | 10 pot
Chicken 4 cup | 10 pot
Shrimp or Seafood 6 cup | 12 pot
SALADS
Yum (traditional Thai salad) 10 | 12 | 14
Lime juice | chili | mint | basil | cherry tomatoes | onions
Tofu | steak | shrimp or seafood
Larb (traditional Northeastern Thai Salad)10 | 10 | 14
Tofu | minced chicken or beef | roast duck
Papaya Salad* 10
Green papaya | green beans | cherry tomatoes | dried shrimp |peanuts
Nam Sod 10
Minced Pork | garlic | ginger | chili | onions | coriander |peanuts
Crispy Duck Salad 14
Roast Duck | seasonal greens | cherry tomatoes | onions |
thai chili | cashews
RICE
Chicken, Beef, Pork, vegetables and tofu, 14
or mock duck
Shrimp or Sea Bass 16
Seafood or Roast Duck 18
Traditional Thai Fried Rice
Thai jasmine rice | tomatoes | onion | garlic | egg
Rama Spicy Rice
Thai jasmine rice | Thai basil | tomatoes| onions | garlic |
fresh Thai chili | egg
Pineapple Fried Rice 18
Thai Jasmine Rice | tomatoes | onions | madras curry | shrimp| chicken | Chinese sausage | pineapple | cashews
Crab Fried Rice 18
Thai jasmine rice | Kingand Snow Crab | onions | tomatoes | Manchego cheese
NOODLES
Chicken, Beef, Pork, vegetables and tofu, 14
or mock duck
Shrimp 16
Seafood or Roast Duck 18
Drunken Noodles
Flat Rice Noodles | Thai Basil | tomatoes | garlic | kai lan |
thai chili
Pad Thai
Fresh Rice Stick Noodles | tamarind | bean sprouts | egg |
tofu
Pad See Ew
Flat Rice Noodles | kai lan | egg | sweet soy sauce
Lad Nar
Flat Rice Noodles | kai lan | sweet soy | thin soy
Pad Woonsen
Vermicelli pasta | seasonal vegetables
Spaghetti Kee Mao Beef 14
Minced Beef | Thai Basil | onions | bell peppers | thin rice noodle
Curried Noodles 14
Fresh Rice Noodles | Minced Pork | Seasonal Asian vegetables
Gai Qua 14
Flat Rice Noodles | cabbage | chicken | squid
CLASSICS
Chicken, Beef, Pork, vegetables and tofu, 14
or mock duck
Shrimp or Sea Bass 16
Seafood or Roast Duck 18
Garlic and Pepper (crusted)
Coriander | garlic | sweet reduction
Kra Pao
Thai Basil | onions | bell peppers | fresh thai chili
Cashew Nut
Cashews | roasted chili | onions
Pra Ram
Spinach | roasted peanuts | peanut sauce
Pad Prik Sod
Thai basil | onions | bell peppers l fresh thai chili
Eggplant
Thai basil | Japanese eggplant | garlic l bell peppers | onions
Chicken, Beef, Pork, vegetables and tofu, 14
or mock duck
Shrimp or Sea Bass 16
Seafood or Roast Duck 18
Vegetable Delight
Seasonal vegetables | garlic | sweet soy
Ginger
Fresh Ginger | mushrooms | garlic
Pad Prik King
Green Beans | lime leaves | curry paste
Spinach Fae Dang
Spinach | fresh chili | garlic
Yellow Curry
Carrots | tomatoes | onions | potatoes
Red Curry
Thai Basil | bell peppers | eggplant
Green Curry
Thai basil | bell peppers | green beans| eggplant
Masaman Curry
Roasted peanuts | carrots | potatoes
Panang Curry
Lime Leaves | carrots
Thai BBQ Chicken 16
Half young chicken | herbs and spices
Roast Duck 18
Maple Leaf Farms | spinach | pickled ginger
FRESH CATCH
Sea Bass 22
Fried, Steamed, or Grilled Whole or Fillet
Red Snapper 22
Fried, Steamed, or Grilled Fillet
Prepared the following ways:
Larb
Green mangoes | Onions | Scallions | mint | chili | lime-juice
Garlic and Pepper
Garlic | cilantro | cane-sugar
Sweet and Sour
Bell Peppers | Tomatoes | onions | Pineapples
Three Flavored Spicy
mushrooms | bell peppers | carrots | chili paste
Garlic Chili
Thai Basil | bamboo | bell peppers | onions
Lemon Ginger
Lemon | Ginger | Celery
SEAFOOD
Rama Crab 24
Split King Crab Legs | mushrooms | bamboo | curry
Pad Ped Talay 22
Shrimp | Squid | Scallops | New Zealand Green Mussels|
Thai basil | bell peppers | rice wine
Ho Mok * 22
Coconut Milk | Curry | Shrimp | Squid | Scallops | Sea Bass |
New Zealand Green mussels
SPECIALTIES
Duck Red Curry 18
Roast Duck | Pineapples | tomatoes | Thai Basil |Bell Peppers
Birds Nest 18
Shrimp | chicken | bamboo | green onions | seasonal vegetables | crispy egg noodle
Grilled Coconut Lemon Grass Chicken 18
Chicken Breast | lemon-grass | herbs & spices
Beef and Oriental Broccoli 18
Rib-eye Steak | kai-lan |garlic | soy
Asparagus 20
Shrimp | chicken | carrots | asparagus
Kanna Moo krob 18
Crispy Pork Belly | Kai Lan | garlic
Crying Tiger 22
Grilled Marinated Rib-Eye Steak
Beef Steak 18
Rib-Eye Steak | Garlic | Bell Peppers | Onions
Choo Chee
Coconut Milk | green peas | peanut butter | curry
Roast Duck 20
Sea bass, Shrimp, or Scallops 22
Five-Spiced braised Pork Belly 18
Pork Belly | Boiled Egg | Star Anise
DESSERTS-AFTER DINNER
Fresh Mango with Coconut Sticky Rice 7
Fresh Mango | Coconut Cream
Banana Fritters with Coconut Ice Cream 7
Fresh Bananas gently fried | honey | coconut ice cream
Mango Pudding 5
Mango | Lychee
Tapioca 5
Coconut Milk | Tapioca Pearls | jack fruit | melon
French Press Coffee 3
Daily Selection | Decaf available
Loose Leaf Hot Teas 3
Assorted please consult server