Galanga Thai Fusion
7440 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90046 (323) 851-4355
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: None
55 reviews
Neighborhood: West Hollywood
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47 Reviews for Galanga Thai Fusion
You never think of Thai as gourmet or special occasion food- @ least I don't. So for a quickie meal, as a local dive, for quick and easy: Galanga is my default choice.
The last get together I I hosted, my invite said: ' I'll provide the booze and munchies will be whatever is on hand or BYO.' Of course, no one did. After the 4th guest walked in and attacked my measly bowl of chips, I realized I needed to get some munchies and ASAP.
Galanga came to mind and a mere 20 minutes later, they were on my doorstep with bags of food for a dozen people. It's great to know that you can 'cater' your party in a mere 20 minutes....
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I came here almost by force: I was told that this is the best thai restaurant on the face of this planet and that no other pineapple fried rice could compare. I was told about the trials and tribulations that the recommender went through in order to enjoy Galanga cuisine (apparently, it was closed for a while, it's not open on Sundays, etc.). So we finally went there and I was prepared to be awed.
I guess that was my mistake.
It was fine. Not bad at all. The pineapple fried rice was good. The yellow curry was nice. The spice was pleasant. The place is affordable and offers free delivery, which is great. I give it a 3.5 for that.
But please, don't confuse Galanga with a "funky, whole in the wall," that is perfect for a date. Yes, it is cozy. Yes, it's "funky," in the sense that there isn't a Galanga in the suburb in which you probably grew up. And yes, it may even have nice lighting at night. But that does not make it authentic or interesting. When you go the "whole in the wall" route, the taste of the food must make up for its lacking aesthetics. And here, you just got a cheap thai joint with candles.
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Galanga is decent Thai food.
I almost gave it three stars because it's not amazing fabulous food.
However, the lunch special is just so fucking cheap! I've never had a $22 lunch check for two people at a place with cloth napkins and felt full at the end in LA. Until Galanga.
So four stars for satisfying my snobby obsession with cloth napkin style eateries without snobby prices! YAY!
Oh man, I'd go today if my car were working.
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I am a huge fan of thai food and I am very picky about my red curry and I think this place has been my favorite place for curry hands down. Its not too sweet and it has the perfect amount of spice and it tastes fresh and healthy. They also have brown rice, which is always a bonus. Sometimes thai food can be heavy and too sweet and give you a kind of icky feeling. I have never felt that after eating at Galanga. Its just light thai fare. The service is also super sweet and friendly and they know all of their regulars by first name. I'm a big fan and recommend this place to all my friends.
Galanga is now open after remodeling...but I'm still not excited. If I could give Galanga 2 1/2 stars that would sum it up. Sure it's Thai fusion but the portions are small and the taste is just average. Every time we've gone at night I have froze sitting in the patio area because it's not well heated even though its indoors and how can you enjoy your meal like that?
Still, I eat here once in awhile to appease a friend who is faithful to them because the prices are low. But with an ample selection of Thai restaurants in Los Angeles to choose from why bother?
There's a Thai massage place next store...maybe that would up the star rating?
re-post from 01/22/2008
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What a find! Me and a couple of friends were trying to find a spot near the bar scene on Santa Monica and needless to say the 7-11 didn't count. So we walked a couple of blocks east, stopped at an overpriced tapas joint and then saw the two burger stands (Astro and Fatburger). And tucked right behind Fatburger was this Thai spot so we gave it a try. As soon as I opened the door I could smell the aromas coming out of the kitchen. Totally intoxicating. It's obvious everything is done fresh. And cheap! My wonton soup was 3 bucks for a cup but it was a big cup! And some of the best wonton I've had in years. Excellent flavor, plenty of chicken meat and three or four wontons with great texture. The noodle dish I ordered continued the trend and only $6.95? That's a Panda Express like price for a sit-down linen napkin restaurant. In WeHo? My friends' crab rolls were excellent as well with great presentation and a zesty sauce. Hard to believe the place was dead on a Saturday night around 8. The only strike I had was that there's no booze but you can BYOB but there's no mention of the fact there's a five buck corkage fee for wine and one buck for beer. Uh, can't we just twist off the cap on that one? So that loses a star for misinformation. Beyond that, great food, great service, greater prices. Why aren't you here yet?
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I thought that Galanga was solid. The server was prompt and friendly, the food was average-to-above-average, and the setting was nice. Prices were very reasonable. Not an amazing restaurant by any stretch, I wouldn't drive too far to go there... but I would definitely pop in again if I were in the neighborhood and hungry.
Let me start by saying I love Thailand so much that I went 4x in 1 year. That being said, I am feeling pretty qualified to judge some Thai food. I have never been here for dinner only lunch. They have great lunch specials and a serene little patio to enjoy lunch on a sunny day. Food is very flavorful and never greasy as some places in Thai Town tend to be. Even in Thailand some of the food can be kinda greasy leaving me with that uh-oh-jacked-up stomach feeling. Love the green curry and cashew nut tofu. The woman that works here (owner? maybe?) greets us with a hug.
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Thai fusion? Two words:
"THAI BURRITO".
Kap kun ka, ese!
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Decent food, decent prices, portions left something to be desired. If you're in the area, this would be a place to try for some decent thai food, but don't go out of your way.
Driven by here a number of times when we're up in LA. Finally made plans to stop for dinner. So glad we did.
For a small space, it's capable of holding roughly 50 diners. Their waitstaff is kind and speedy. Loved the oversized Mexican Coke. Their house hot tea was a lovely blend of jasmine, green and chrysanthemums. I adored the mini french press and glass tea cup and saucer. BYOB was great for Jack and his pre-marathon ritual of sports drinks.
Started with a plate of shrimp rolls. Dipped in their sweet & sour sauce, they gave my mouth a slow burn.
Was pleased by the tofu in my beef pad thai. Noodles were yummy, but I wanted more scallions. Also checked out the bbq pork ribs. A plate of four tasty slabs made my evening.
He tried the bbq chicken (both bbq dishes came without sides) and it was a winner. His review of their restroom was a thumbs up.
Considering it shares a parking lot with Fatburger, the mood inside was calming. Melodic Asian music fed the background. Decor was sparse but set the mood appropriately.
Can't wait to go back and taste their duck noodle soup, curry, and pra ram.
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This place is only about a block from my house, and what a treat! The food is exactly what you want when you want Thai food. Lunch is only 5.95, and dinner is pretty cheap too. The delivery is very fast, and the staff is nice. There is no reason not to love this place, plus it's newly rennovated. BTW I LOVE Thai food and I have fantastic taste, so you should trust me. The green curry is AMAZING! And the panang curry burrito is to die for! I am a Pad ke mao lover , and its the shiznit here.
This is a nice neighborhood spot for lunch. I come here with my colleague every once in awhile for their lunch special. Food is fresh and portions hit the spot. I've tried the veggie soup and veggie tofu lunch special. My coworker always gets some kind of meat dish and seems to enjoy it enough since he orders it over and over again! I think this place is a cute spot. Nothing awesome, but cute, decent food, and cheap.
Yummy and dependable and the cheap lunch special is my lover. I feel safe ordering anything on the menu. The Pad Thai is consistently awesome. I know that shouldn't be a hard dish to master, but some people totally screw it up (I'm lookin' at you Anajak in Sherman Oaks).
Plus they're like a block away from my work and are punctual with delivery 49 times out of 50. I haven't been inside since the renovation, but for those 90 days of closure, someone lamented the absence of Galanga at least twice a week.
Neighborhood Thai spot but would only go here if you live around the area. Not the best Thai food but it gets the job done. Better off going to Toi instead which is just right up the street.
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Lunch specials for $5? Free delivery? Sign me up!
You can choose between beef, chicken, pork and even tofu for all lunch options, and it comes with a salad and rice. And they have brown rice! BROWN RICE! Yey I luvs me the brown rice. Yeah, brown rice makes me happy! So what???
At first I was skeptical. How good could a Thai restaurant be in West Hollywood?
The portions are smaller than average, but still satisfying. Besides, there's nothing wrong with that. I could use a little bit of portion control from my restaurants! My only complaint is that there just weren't any leftovers for dinner when I was done. :(
They have a bunch of yummy desserts including mango and sticky rice, and fried banana which you SHOULD have room to squeeze in after your meal. I would definitely frequent this place more often for lunch, but for dinner, I'm not sure if it would be worth the shot - especially with Thai Town just a stone's throw away...
Lunch specials served between 11am - 3pm.
P.s. Thanks to Jenn L. for reminding me of their cute lil dining patio in the back with a leettle fountain surrounded by greenery. ;p
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I came for the crab rangoon. I will probably do it again sometime. Otherwise, average, good.
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Take a trip away from the greasy fast food destinations that have become staples in fast and cheap food and enter a secret garden. A little too dramatic? Maybe, but it's so worth it.
Whether you choose to dine in or out in their cozy patio you won't feel like you're on busy Santa Monica Bvld in West Hollywood. Not that I've been to Thailand, but if that was the effect they were going for, mainly something exotic and refreshing, then they achieved it.
The food, for its price range, is yummy to say the least. It's definitely worth some exploration. They even served bottled Coke and brown rice! And talk about good food at a great price! I think it was like $5 a person!
Service is sweet and friendly like you would expect at most Thai places. They even cute when they forgot to bring us the lunch menus and apolgized profusely.
What's funny is that after you're done eating you can visit the back lot for a Thai spa treatment! Talk about refreshing and relaxing all in one trip! Just ignore the Fat Burger and its lost souls.
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Such a great place to go to for lunch! I ordered pad-see-ew noodles with beef. I also tried the spicy stringbeans with chicken which also comes with rice and a side salad. I don't know which dish I like more. Both dishes are very flavorful and only $5. I also had the strawberry lemonade. If you don't like really sweet drinks then you should order the strawberry ice tea instead.
I sat in the back outside patio. It was really refreshing to sit outside for lunch. The only bad thing is that there were flies. Parking is really convenient since there is a lot next door that is free.
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RED CURRY! Hands down the best red curry I ever had. Did I mention the red curry? Every thing i had has been at its worst very good and at its best orgasmic. Did I mention the red curry? Admittedly i have never been in the restaurant itself I usually get it delivered. Did I mention the red curry? Deliveries are quick and food is still hot, and their Thai iced coffee is scrumptious. Did I mention the red curry? Everything is real fresh and light and flavorful, and appears to be vegetarian friendly, as a carnivore its only an assumption. Did I mention the red curry?
For some reason I'm in the mood for some red curry. Did I mention the red curry?
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I got food delivered from this place for the first time tonight.
This place is not good, it is delicious!!
Great fried wontons, awesome pad thai... Free delivery with only $10 minimum... Nothing I can say! This is my new official asian delivery place in WeHo!
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Everything I've had here is great! I love this cute place with warm staff. I usually go with a couple who goes to this place at least two-three times a week so every time the bill comes, I think they "forget" a few items. I've never paid more than $15 for a meal here that usually includes at least a salad, soup and three entrees (that we share).
My favorites here:
Green papaya salad- great sauce and crunch
Spring rolls with tofu- great dipping sauce, love all that lettuce for crunch
Glass noodles- wonderful, savory mild flavor
chicken penang- subtle, creamy curry
Ginger fish- Well-cooked, lots of veggies!
mango sticky rice- awww, they're like orange armadillos! So cute.
I love how everything comes on cute serving ware. This is definitely not your average Thai place but at the same time, don't have outrageous prices, especially for West Hollywood. The menus are printed on handmade paper which can be a little hard to read out in the back patio at night.
This is definitely a great place to keep in mind for dinner before heading further into WeHo for a night of bar hopping.
1/23/08 Edit-
The place has been renovated. It's very cute although I don't really like the brown paper on the tables. That's a bit tacky. The back patio wasn't done yet. And my friend got wet paint all over her from the newly painted door.
The food is now overcooked and way saucier. Saucy pad thai is not my thing. But the staff is still very warm. And we were treated well. We weren't rushed even though they were busy and the place was filling up.
I'll still eat here but will stick to the curries since that's mean to be saucy.
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Great place - this shack restaurant is cozy, but the restaurant is almost a second thought to the take-out delivery business.
The kitchen is visible from the restaurant and with all those spices, the smoke sometimes burns your eyes unless you sit strategically around the corner. Raychel said that she was freaked out by the arriving cars as they parked outside as they look like they're about to drive through the restaurant! Be warned ;-)
We ordered calamari starters (ok..may better at Joom) with the summer rolls (amazing even with the salad cream sauce). The soup was pretty good. The spicy basil duck was tasty and just right.
I washed it all down with one of Galanga fresh teas. This is one of my favorites now as it's closer than Thai Town. But for good food AND great decor go to Joom.
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(Temporarily closed for remodeling)
Since discovering this place I have a hard time going anywhere else for lunch. Dirt cheap lunches, authentic Thai flavor (I went to Thailand this year so have a high bar!), friendly people, and a pleasant casual ambiance.
Can't recommend it highly enough!
Cheap, tasty, and fast pretty much sums Galanga up; and by cheap I mean $5 lunch specials.
Inside the restaurant is kinda dark but the patio is nice and cool with lots of greenery to check out. Perfect place to have lunch. I got a eggplant, red pepper, and chicken dish which was delicious and looked great. I thought that for such an inexpensive place it was pretty awesome that they paid enough attention to detail to put a sprig of mint in my water
I'll be back soon!
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Galanga is my dinner date spot with my future babydaddy. Don't be scared off by the AstroBurger and the Fatburger on the same corner. Park in the lot (parking in a LOT still hasn't lost its novelty on my jaded city heart and makes me forget I drove 40 miles from BFE Ventura County to get here) and bring your wine bottle(s) of choice. Corkage fee is $2. $2!!! It's a sin not to BYOB!
Food is varied (they'll give you brown rice!), tasty, and cheap, as others have noted. Service is prompt and pleasant, even if you ask for 3 coffee refills at 9 PM, as my lovely dinner date has done. Food is NOT spicy, even when I've asked for it as such, which is a regretful star subtraction.
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My boyfriend and I affectionately call this restaurant the Thai Shack. It tries to be cool and hip with their building and decor. But the two times I went here before giving up and going to the other great Thai places in the area, I always felt like I was entering the building that held the restrooms at summer camp as a kid and just couldn't get over it.
I always order the crispy fried tofu as an appetizer at Thai restaurants. Typically it is crispy on the outside and light on the inside. Here it was a bit heavy and not very appealing. Plus spicy, dos not mean spicy here.
Update 8/2/07
I went back to the Thai Shack last night and had a great meal. Even though it still looks like a shack, I am changing it to four stars. The wait staff was attentive, patient and cool; The food was tasty - we had the yellow curry with tofu, coconut rice, and an order of tofu three ways. All of it was scrumptious.
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Not exactly off the beaten path, but certainly doesn't feel like it's on a major roadway either. Great food, chill atmosphere.
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Decor is very cute; you step in and feel like you hopped on to an island - from tablecloths to wood paneling in a little hut!
Food is a fusion of things - they have your basic thai dishes, basil chicken, garlic chicken/beef, to your fusion typed foods of thai burritos. The 'specialty' meals come with your choice of white rice or coconut organic rice. mmm the coconut rice was just right - sweet but not overly cavity sweet.
Lunch menus may be more affordable - as everyone says it's $5 only. Dinner was a bit more expensive - ranging from $12-15 a dish for an average plate size meal.
Parking was full in the lot, so we parked on N. Las Palmas which had more spaces.
Overall, not bad.. but would only go back if in the area.
I recently moved to the Park La Brea area for work and, of course, the first thing I look forward to are new places to eat. The indoor seating was a bit warm for me but the patio seating was great. I ordered the spicy green beans with chicken and a strawberry ice tea. The portion was perfect and the spicy dish had great flavor. On top of it all the total bill came out to 7 bux after tax and tip! What a great overall value! Galanga has been added to my new list of restaurants to frequent.
Just like ducking into a beachfront shack somewhere in Phuket, Galanga quietly dishes out some solid, flavorful Thai food.
There's a cute little patio in the back, complete with gurgly fountain.
I like the Chicken in Lettuce Cups, light and refreshing with lime juice and mint.
Reasonable prices, and very friendly staff.
As others have mentioned, the outside does not seem all that promising, but the interior is cozy and cute. More importantly, the food is tasty and cheap. Two of the three dishes were very tasty (the other was a simple veggie combo dish that, as expected, was nothing fabulous but definitely serviceable). Service was attentive and there's parking which is a huge plus around the area. I wouldn't make a trip out to the area just to eat here but I'd go back if I were already in the area.
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I order from Galanga almost every week. Spicy green beans with chicken(get it extra spicy if you like hot food), tom kah ga, yum woonsen (extra spicy of course), red curry, beef noodle soup, and red curry are some of the regular ordered items at my house. I tend to like the more traditional items since I'm half Thai, and everything so far has been quite good.
Everyone has been very friendly. Delivery usually arrives in less than 30 minutes from placing the order.
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In the search for some good crab rangoon in Los Angeles, this restaurant proved to be a winner.
The atmosphere of the restaurant is unique and charming, and the people are incredibly friendly. The service was also quick and the food we ordered (spicy calamari, yellow curry, and crab rangoon) was delicious. Who would have thought that a little hut-like building by Fatburger would prove to be such a wonderful place for Thai food?
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My coworker and I tried this place for lunch for the first time the other day. Based on that one experience, I'm gonna go out on a limb and give Galanga 5 stars!
The restaurant looks like a little wooden hut across the parking lot from a Fatburger, but the effect is tropical and homey rather than shabby. Service was attentive and friendly, and the food! I ordered the Pad See U, rice noodles with beef and broccoli in brown gravy, and it was delish. My coworker had the Pad Thai, which looked fabulous and won similar raves from him.
And yes, the lunch special really is $4.95. Even the regular menu prices are very reasonable, especially compared to some "upscale Thai" (i.e. overpriced) places around town. I'll be heading back to this place again and bringing friends.
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Yum, yum! What can I say, the reviews were spot on for this place. Tasty food, reasonable prices and decent service make this eatery a shoe in for being in my dining rotation. I had the steamed salmon panang and it had plenty of flavor and spice. Yup, the bargain lunches are the hook. Give it a shot, it will be worth your while.
A little update...their hours are a little bit wacky. We tried to go yesterday but they closed early because of the rain and that was at 2 in the afternoon. Call me crazy, but don't restaurants do booming business in bad weather?
I've lived around the corner from this place for about three years, yet... well, life happens and we miss the Galanga train. Not tonight, baby! The daintiest/flower-shaped crab rangoons, tofu pad thai, vegetable curry with ginger sauce, items so far... so very good. Quite a selection of salads and noodle dishes as well... everything on the menu appeals to those fickle tastebuds. Brown rice as an option is great for those craving smart carbs only. Galanga also has a lunch special: everything for $4.95. Not too shabby. And toss in an absolutely adorable garden patio w/ sweet little romantic touches, wonderful presentation and friendly service, and you've got a solid gold winner.
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Great place for cheap lunch- only $4.95 for an entree, brown rice and a small salad. How can you beat that? I like the spicy green beans w/ chicken. The staff also seems to be really friendly.
Note: they don't take cards for orders under $10 so don't forget your cash (I'm embarrassed to say that I sometimes use my debit card for my $3 coffee so I had to include this detail for those that run around cashless like me!)
Update: I had the yum woon sen earlier this week for lunch and it was almost inedible. There was so much lime juice and god knows what else that my entire face puckered when I ate it. I only had a few bites and threw it away. Don't order it! (Minus a star, sorry Galanga)
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Cozyness doesn't mean great food always, but it means cozy
My favorite place for Thai food delivery. So prompt! They come in about 25-30 minutes with my food piping hot. I always get the same thing... garlic chicken... and I'm always thrilled.
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