My most appe-Thai-zing food find yet!

Hello all! My apologies for not posting any food finds or flashbacks this last week. I was studying like crazy for a midterm I had last Thursday. Today I found out in class that I aced it! Hard work does indeed pay off. Your results when you put forth your best effort are a true testament to that.

This past weekend I made a well-needed trip home to see my family.  It is always a treat when I visit my parents because we always go out to eat at different restaurants, both in and around my hometown. Like myself, my family is a fan of hidden gems. We have a list of our favorite eateries and love to try new ones together. Needless to say, when my mom called me the day before I left Santa Cruz to tell me she had already made reservations at Laguna Thai By-the-Sea, I was beyond ecstatic.

I am fortunate enough to have always been keen on trying new dishes. Which is how my love of Thai food stemmed from an early age. Being willing to try unique and flavorful cuisines is how you discover your favorite foods. You do not know what you don’t like unless you try it! Laguna Thai By-the-Sea is by far, my favorite Thai restaurant in Southern Orange County. I have been to various Thai eateries but this one takes the cake. My family and I have been dining here since we discovered this hidden gem back in 2005. It is a very small restaurant so I recommend to call ahead and make a reservation if you do plan on dining-in. The decor is simplistic but has touches of the Thai culture throughout the restaurant. Upon walking in, you are greeted with smiles from the friendly staff…who are as excited as you are to have you try their various dishes!

I have had my share of both dining-in and taking-out at Laguna Thai By-the-Sea but for my short trip home my family and I decided to dine-in. We began by ordering our favorite drink–the notorious Thai iced tea which you can see below. It is a mixture of dark Ceylon tea sweetened with sugar, then poured in is condensed milk, and ice is added to top it off. Pictured below is the Thai iced tea pre-mixed. Post-mix it attains an orangey hue. Laguna Thai By-the-Sea also offers a wide selection of wines and always in stock, is the classic Thai beer–Singh, which is what my father and brother opted for. They say Singh pairs well with every dish they have tried on the menu, which is how I feel about Thai iced tea!

The quality of the food served at this eatery is phenomenal and has not short-fallen over the years my family and I have been dining in. Many of the herbs and vegetables used in their dishes are grown in the backyard of the restaurant. In every bite you can taste such incredible flavor. A fact about Laguna Thai By-the-Sea is that all dishes are made-to-order. The restaurant advises its diners who eat-in that if you do not have time to wait, it is not the restaurant for you. Each item takes some time because the chef prides in each dish he prepares whilst making sure it is to the satisfaction of each individual customer. A word of advice if you are in a rush is: ordering take-out style. That assures you get the food at the hour you need, but just note that to call ahead of time and allot for a 30-45 minute window before picking up your order.

Pictured below are the dishes my family and I ordered and shared. Beginning with my favorite Thai dish (which we always order): Ga Rhee Gai–which is a wok-cooked tender chicken breast mixed with potatoes, white onion, and grape tomatoes in a yellow curry sauce. Underneath is the classic Pad Thai–consisting of rice noodles cooked with shrimp, tofu, egg, onions, sprouts, and ground peanuts. And last but not least we ordered the Drunken Noodles (on the spicier side)–made up of thick noodles with chicken, pork, shrimp, vegetables, eggs, mixed in a spicy basil sauce. 

Laguna Thai By-the-Sea located @

31715 Pacific Coast Highway

Laguna Beach, CA 92651