Pa Ord was my destination on one of those work from home days. It’s a somewhat new Thai noodle restaurant in Thai town, but its owner is definitely not a novice to the area, having previously run Ord a few blocks away before selling it to someone else.

If you haven’t tried Thai sausage before and you’re a fan of meat in tube form, order a plate of these for an appetizer. They’re slightly spicy, slightly tangy, and full-on tasty. I like having a slice of this and then a slice of the included cabbage for a refreshing palate cleanser. If you’re worried about having major garlic-breath after this, chew on the included slices of ginger.

I couldn’t come here without ordering Thai boat noodles with everything on it. Yes, give me all that organ meat goodness. Pa Ord luckily has a small and normal serving of the noodles, which meant I could order a small bowl of this and still have stomach space for something different. They also ask you what type of noodles you’d like, so if you’re a fan of the flat rice noodles, you can have those in the broth instead of the usual.

The waitress warned that I should get the mild broth instead of the medium spicy broth but I assured her that I was man enough for the medium. I have to say, the medium is quite a spicy medium. I’d consider it a ‘spicy’ at most western restaurants. The broth tasted a bit sweet, tangy, salty, and had that distinct rich flavor that boat noodle broth is known to have. The noodles were also nicely separated and not one giant clump, which meant that they didn’t sit around for too long. The various meats were all nicely tender, flavorful, and clean tasting.

I did miss the fried pork rind that usually tops the noodles. Pa Ord’s version just has fried wonton strips. Some patrons at the table next to me cleverly brought their own bag of pork rinds to crumble and put into their soup, which is something I’ll have to keep in mind for next time.

I also ordered a small bowl of the Tom Yum noodles just to have some variety. The broth was sour and spicy, and the slices of barbecue pork were reminiscent of Chinese char-siu. While this bowl of noodles was decent and had nothing wrong with it, I have to say that my favorite is still the Thai Boat noodles. There’s just something addictive about the spicy, bloody broth.

Pa Ord manages to look clean and hip while still looking like a Thai restaurant I’d want to eat at. Most of the patrons I saw while having lunch there were Thai and they all seemed very happy about their meal — always a good sign. It’s a few blocks further than my usual go-to spot for Thai boat noodles, Sapp, but the quality of meat was much better compared to the last time I was at Sapp, so maybe this will have to be my new go-to spot.

Pa Ord
5301 Sunset Blvd. #8
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 461-3945