Few people would assume one of the best, most innovative Thai restaurants in Los Angeles is in the shadow of LAX and not in the thriving, six-block stretch of Thai Town. But for 20 years—a huge milestone the restaurant is hitting this month—Westchester’s Ayara Thai has stayed committed to locals, who know the family behind the restaurant by name and ask them to cook at their birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers, and more.
Andy and Anna Asapahu opened the restaurant in 2004 before passing off the reins to daughters Vanda and Cathy in subsequent decades. Today, Vanda handles the savory side of the menu, while Cathy is in charge of baking and desserts. They’re energized to carry on their parents’ legacy—and to keep pushing the envelope of Thai food in LA with their mix of modern and highly personal family dishes like lobster pad Thai and Thai tea flan.
“I’m in awe of my parents for everything they’ve done,” Vanda Asapahu says. “As kids who grew up in the restaurant, we never thought we’d be here, but we’ve gravitated back. We’re proud of how much we’ve done and how much more we have to do.”
Now, they’re excited to expand the restaurant, which remains one of the most beloved Thai spots in the city.
Read on for what makes Ayara Thai an LA legend and details on the newest happenings, and make a booking on OpenTable.
What do you think Ayara Thai’s “X factor” is?
Cathy Asapahu: What’s kept us in business for 20 years, even though a lot of restaurants don’t make it in LA, is having a very loyal community supporting us and supporting us when we do something outside the box. We have never said we’re an ‘authentic’ Thai restaurant. We’re authentic to our family. We serve dishes that have come down through generations.
Vanda Asapahu: It would be easy to set up a restaurant in Thai Town, where it’s expected to open a Thai restaurant in LA. We’re near the airport in kind of a no-man’s land, but we’re authentic in that we grew up here in Westchester. We have our parents’ friends and other guests who have grown up in this community, and we’re forever grateful for their support.
What does it mean to you for Ayara Thai to turn 20?
Cathy: I’m very proud of us and my family, and when I say ‘family,’ I’m including the people who work with us in the kitchen and have been with us so long. We held it together during the pandemic all while being true to ourselves and our story but also adapting for the times.
Vanda: The fact that we’re all, including my aging parents, excited about the restaurant is my point of pride. Whether it’s finishing the expansion we’ve been working on [into the space next door], bringing in a charcoal grill, or trying to import more Thai liquors to use in our cocktails, we still have a lot to do.
What’s the one dish you’ll never remove from the menu?
Vanda: The shrimp paste fried rice. It’s a dish that you can’t find on any other Thai menus, where the head of the shrimp is stir-fried simply in fried rice. Also the pad Thai. You can’t deny the power of pad Thai.
Cathy: For me, it’s the Muay Thai wings. They’re bangers. My mom came up with the recipe as a bar snack for when my dad used to have parties in the backyard. They’re marinated in a combination of soy sauces, oyster sauce, and black and white pepper. We cook them low and slow, then fry them off to serve.
What’s the underdog of the menu?
Vanda: One of our newer dishes, the shrimp pad pong kari, isn’t moving as quickly as other items. We put it on as a Thai family dish that you eat with rice, and we love it. I eat it all the time.
Cathy: The shrimp are stir-fried with a soft scrambled egg, curry powder, and coconut milk. It’s a dish that’s near and dear to Thai-Chinese people living in Bangkok. Our dad is from that community, so that’s why we put it on the menu.
What drinks do you recommend?
Vanda: I think beer and cocktails pair best with Thai food. Our makrut lime margarita is made with Thai ingredients, and because of the lime base, it’s a flavor that complements our food.
Cathy: Meanwhile, our wine list is not meant to be challenging. It’s really approachable.
Vanda: We offer one sparkling, one white, one rosé, and one red. The small selection is intentional, because those particular wines can pair with a lot of dishes we serve. Next week we’re bringing on a Lambrusco, which I’m really excited about.
What’s your favorite product at the restaurant for people to try at home?
Vanda: We offer cooking kits, and we also have a sauce line that we sell online and in our restaurant. The cooking kits have sold really well this summer, because our pad Thai kit is great for activities like camping. The curry kit is also great for busy families whose kids are going back to school this month.
Who’s your longest regular?
Vanda: There are so many! Ken and Nancy, who are both professors in their mid-70s [and] live in West LA, want to retire to Thailand. They moved there but had to move back. We feel like we’re a piece of their tie to Thailand. We’ve actually run into them at the airport there. There’s also Michael and Alison. Michael is the chair of our community garden and Alison is in so many local book clubs. They actually attended my wedding.
Who’s your longest serving staff member?
Vanda: In the front of house, our head server Jean Panjanopakul, and in the back of house, Daniel Hipolito Lopez, who’s our head prep cook and grill chef. Daniel’s coming on 18 years and Jean is probably about the same. We’re looking to create a special position for Jean, because she’s thinking of retiring soon, but she’s such an essential part of the team. Daniel’s been with us since he was 16 years old. He started as a dishwasher.
Cathy: Daniel can do every single position. If he could clone himself, he’d be able to run the entire restaurant.
What’s the most memorable request you’ve received from a customer?
Cathy: Last year we catered a shower for the second child of our regular Tiffany Too and made a big buffet of all the dishes she was craving while she was pregnant. She’s been dining with us since her first baby was in utero, and her daughter, who’s five now, wanted to help me out with the entire event.
What’s the best seat in the house?
Vanda: People love table seven, which is right by the elephants. There’s one naughty elephant that’s having a great time, which people love. I personally like table two, right by the windows, because you can watch what’s going on outside.
Cathy: I like sitting on the patio, which people sometimes miss out on. When the weather is great, you can enjoy Thai food while drinking sparkling wine or beer and soaking up the sun outside.
When is the best time to find a reservation?
Cathy: You should book at least a day in advance. We do close [reservations] sometimes day-of if we start getting too busy.
Vanda: The five o’clock hour is a much quieter and calmer dining experience. Plus, we’re not dealing with the 7 pm rush, so the food comes out faster.
What’s your favorite award you’ve won?
Vanda: We love the awards from HomeTown News, which is local to Westchester, Marina Del Rey, and part of Culver City. We get it delivered to our driveway, and lots of people talk about it. Each year the readers vote on their favorite restaurant, and we’ve been voted best Thai restaurant, favorite restaurant, and best lunch restaurant.
Cathy: In 2019, the first year MICHELIN came back to LA, we were named a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand. I came up in fine-dining kitchens after working in my parents’ restaurant. It’s great to be recognized by MICHELIN as a more affordable restaurant, because younger people want to eat more casually.
What’s been the biggest change at the restaurant since the opening?
Vanda: The food. When we opened, we had khao soi (coconut curry soup) on the menu, but we had to remove it because it wasn’t selling. We put it back on about 10 years ago, and now people love it. It’s a sign of the times and the deeper understanding of Thai food. We consider it a privilege to cook what we want to and introduce dishes that may not be as typical.
Karen Palmer is a pizza- and pasta-obsessed food writer based in Los Angeles. She is the former editorial director of Tasting Table, and her work has appeared in Eater, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, and many other publications. Follow her on Instagram at @karenlpalmer.
