This is my regular go-to place to bring guests when they visit my area. The things I like and highly recommend:
*Minced basil chicken over the brown rice with fried egg (which is really like purple rice you can get at Korean restaurants!). This is my favorite dish of all here!
*Leaf wrapped savor nibbles...so good, I can't describe. You just have to try this.
* Summer Fried Rice: a curry seafood fried rice! I love the raisins...a nice touch of sweetness!
*Drunken noodles: sometimes super spicy, sometimes okay spicy. But this is easily remedied by just asking them to put the peppers and spice on the side.

Some things that were only OK or not always consistent.
* Green curry: i like it here. I think it's decent.
*Mango sticky rice: one time, they made the rice way too salty!! But the other times, it was perfect.

Do not get:
-Pad thai. It's just OK here.
-Orange chicken. Don't ask why a person would order this dish when there are so many other delicious authentic Thai food items on the http://menu...it was a lunch special.
-Burmese tea leaf salad. A bit too pungent here.

Service is always great here. The servers are always so sweet and attentive and most of all, patient with my messy toddler who likes to pull the flowers out of the cute little vases on the tables.

Love the decor, love the look and feel of the place, and love the food.

Very good food. I like the atmosphere, it's wide and not too stuffy (although I think the music can be a little bit too loud with certain tracks. It's pretty good thai with a "white" twist (no offense peoples!).

I got the thai sukiyaki, and it wasn't what i expected. i expected the soup kind, the broth that my mother used to make. And it's not "thai siracha sauce"... what it's made of is fermented tofu. Don't like that they fail to explain that, but at the same time, if they did, it probably wouldn't be on the menu. Trust... it's good! Even not in soup!

The Beef pho was alright and so was the Thai sausage. I got the black pepper sole, and that was tasty too, albeit too salty.

I would come here again to try the different dishes. I am intrigued in the way they shaped thai dishes in this Toluca Lake area.

I wanted to have lunch somewhere in the area and this place sounded cool on yelp.  

I ordered from the lunch set and got curry.  The meal comes with egg roll and salad with peanut or soup.  I got the soup which I didn't enjoy much because it was vegetables and broth..nothing special.  If I go there again, I'd get the salad.  

Although the ambiance, food, and people are friendly, what irked me the most about this place is the slowness of the meal!!!  Seriously, 20 minutes for the lunch special?!?!  I didn't order pot roast nor did it say on the menu that the food would take a while too cook.  I was on my lunch break and ran past my time because of the wait time for food here.

I asked some of my coworkers if the wait for food was really long here and they said we could order our food when they open and it won't be ready until 5pm, which is when I'm off.

Due to the long wait time I'm not going with a solid  4 stars here.  I would love to come to this place again, but not when I'm pressed for time.

They recently got a beer license and their draft selection is ace and cheap. The food was already great, but the libations add to the overall atmosphere and took this place from almost perfect to perfect.

It was OK. Mix of Thai and Chinese food

Hands down best curry noodles I have ever had in my life.

Found myself in the area for new years eve and the Zankou chicken next door was closed. Walked and saw this place. At first I was confused as to whether they where selling Vietnames food or Thai food  due to the  advertisement sign  for Pho.

Curry noodles
- curry broth  with egg noodles and chicken , top with crispy noodles.
- hint of coconut
-SO GOOD!!!

Decor
-weird, modern with a mural .Doesn't scream Thai food.

Boba
- rip off  , over $4 for a small thai tea boba that wasn't out of this world.

This particular spot is very deceiving from the outside when you drive by. The restaurant is located within a brick building shopping center and when passing by you would get the impression that it is just another small Thai establishment. However, DO make the attempt to try this place if you are craving Thai because once stepping inside you will instantly be impressed with the modern decor and design. The food will meet your expectations and the fact that they offer boba is a true plus. If you want something on the lighter side, try the Green Curry Rice dish (perfect portion). If you want something on the heavier, carboload size then try the Pad See Yu.

I'm a totally different person than last year.  Who would have thought that 365 days would have taken me through some of the best of times, yet some of the worst of times.

Last year for my birthday, I did it up.  Did it big.  Had a huge party in a hotel suite with huge amounts of people and huge amounts of alcohol.  

This year...
I wanted to be alone.  Solitude.  Time to reflect over the year.  Time to think about making changes for 2012.  

Examining what I did wrong.  
What I could have done better.  
What I'll do differently.

But just as I was about to kick this birthday in alone, He...the guy who wants everything, yet wants nothing, said NO and brought me here.  Damn control freak.  But I like it.  And I was surely hungry.

We ordered the chicken coconut soup, the veggie wonton soup and the summer fried rice.  Sounds so simple, but Summer Canteen is brilliant at turning plain shit into something with WOW! factor.

And the cashews in the Summer Fried Rice add this perfect nutty, crunchy twist.  I wish I'd thought of it first.  The chicken coconut soup, though small, is full of tang, creaminess, and is very aromatic with ginger.  

Comforting food.
Comforting place.
Comforting guy.

What a way to bring in my 29th.  No man is an island.

Green Papaya Salad with Shrimp?? yes please!!!

so yummy, I wasn't mad when the waiter spilled some of it on me. Also, they had Mango Sticky Rice in November!!!!

Just don't wear a white shirt and you should be fine.

Just ordered delivery from here, listened to Yelpers and ordered:

Drunken noodles
Minced basil chicken over brown rice with fried egg - FAVORITE
Leaf wrapped savor nibbles
Garlic broccoli - YUM
Fried banana
Mango rice

Very happy, decently delivery time... all in all, I'm happy!

I was actually married in Northern Thailand so Summer Canteen's menu brings up a special nostalgia for me.  For Northern Thai food, it's not so bad.  I don't know if I'd make a special trip to come to this place but if I was in this part of town, sure, I'd come back.

The leaf-wraps (appetizer) made me very happy b/c short of buying it from one Thai market that I found in Thai Town, I haven't seen these leaf wraps anywhere outside of the Loi Kratong Festival in Chiang Mai.  You have to be a little adventurous to enjoy these, though, since the flavors aren't what you're probably used to with a Western palate.  For example, you have to eat the lime slice whole, peel and all.  My lunch buddy was a little weirded out.  I loved them, though.

Otherwise, I had the tea leaf salad. I must admit, I've had better.  The tea leaves weren't fermented enough so it was missing the sour that it really needed for the right flavor.

The basil leaf chicken was yummy but I especially liked the unmilled brown rice that came with it.  Because it was unmilled but still sticky, it was a nice texture and really enhanced the dish overall.

Oh, we also ordered the Thai sausage, the newest thing on their menu.  Since they sliced it up and then fried it, it lost its charm.  The best way to prepare this sausage is to grill it whole then slice it up.  Summer Canteen's preparation made it chewy and flavorless.  I'd say pass on that dish.

I don't eat meat and I was very happy to see there were options for me. The place was nice, food was good and service was prompt. I was taken back by the title of the place. "Summer Canteen" doesn't feel like an asian restaurant. So I never stopped by. But then a friend recommended the place and we had a small group go. I am glad I did!

I haven't been able to stop thinking about the food here since i did a quick Sunday lunch last month. I love the feel of this place, half bar, half fun date place with metal-and-wood class. I ordered the spring rolls which came with two sauces, the regular peanut one and a sweeter... duck sauce? My friend's pad see ew looked delicious and definitely portioned enough for two people. Can't wait to try everything else.

The oddly named Thai restaurant Summer Canteen occupies a corner mini-mall on the corner of Riverside and Lankershim, near the western edge of Toluca Lake, that white bread, affluent conclave where ethnicity is only evident in restaurants.

High ceilings, an open kitchen, craft beers on the menu, untreated concrete on the floor, a long 1960s Thai movie mural on the wall; the restaurant aspires to a modern ethic of young, inventive, innovative and hip.

Unfortunately, it is none of these.

Only about 1/5 of the tables were occupied on a Saturday night, a warning sign we ignored.

At two of the tables were tattooed couples in ersatz 1950s outfits: a woman with a pleated skirt and inked up arms;  and a man in a plaid shirt and straw hat who would have been asked to remove his hat if he had sat inside a restaurant wearing one in 1955.

A perpetually smiling waiter was attentive. No problem there.

Sitting down we noticed that there was too much space inside, areas that looked like more business was expected than actually happened.

We ordered a sautéed fish dish with vegetables and brown rice, and also a shrimp dish with vegetables.

Both came in reasonable time but both came looking as if a dump truck full of broccoli, bok choy and mountains of rice had been dumped in large bowls with microscopic samples of protein scattered on the sides.   There was simply too much rice in each bowl, enough to a feed a family of four in Bangkok.

The presentation was crude.

And both dishes were bland, dull, and excessive. Why pile on so much, exactly the same, in two different dishes?  Isn't rice normally served in a separate container anyway?

I saw other plates pass by that looked good, but the size of the portions were also huge and I bet that lots of rice and vegetables are thrown out in the kitchen's garbage every day.

In normal economic times, this might have been a busy lunchtime spot where local, reasonably compensated professionals in blue shirts working in sales, real estate, banking and mortgage companies might have come for their mid-day meal. And maybe they still do, but dinner was a bust.

Nothing here would make me return. And Summer Canteen offers no competition to the vastly better Rustic Kitchen,  just north of here on Lankershim.

I stumbled upon Summer Canteen as an accident and what a happy accident it turned out to be! I had done some research before making our last-minute reservation and read what others had raved about - the lettuce wraps, curry noodles.

We ordered the lettuce wraps and chicken skewers as an appetizer - both were very good, but I personally liked the lettuce wraps better. My boyfriend ordered the Chicken Pad Thai for his main course with a Ginger Cinnamon lemonade and I ordered the Curry Noodles. We both left with VERY happy tummies and can't wait to go back! I highly recommend this place - it's definitely one of North Hollywood's hidden gems!

Very grateful this place opened.  I've stopped in to order take-out at lunch, and they're always fast & friendly.  Dining in is pleasant as well, in that cool, airy space, with good beers and pretty plates.  

I've tried several things, all at least "ok" some "really good," but I think my favorite and the most memorable has to be the curry noodles.  Medium spicy was just right (hard to find that - usually it's too much or too little spice), and a great combo of flavors/textures.  The only thing that could've made it better was if I had eaten it there instead of getting it delivered, as the softer noodles were stuck together and clumpy, but doesn't matter too much.  

Useful fact: The egg roll is the tiniest roll I've ever seen in an American restaurant (they're small in Thailand), so don't count on it as a substantial side when you get a lunch combo.  It's literally like 1.5 bites.  You'll fill up on the nice amount of brown rice, however.

My friend and i were heading to a Mexican place down the street when we walked by Summer Canteen and it smelled awesome so we decided to give it a shot. Boy am I glad I did.

Although I've only been there once, it was the best garlic chicken I've ever had. Anywhere. My friend said his shrimp noodle soup was also terrific.

I can't comment on the reviewers who ordered other stuff and didn't like it but stick to the chicken or beef panang and you won't be disappointed. In fact, I'm goin' back tomorrow.

:)

A party of 5 attended for a little birthday and we were all pleasantly suprised at how much we enjoyed the food.  

Flavors were deep, some subtle, others complex and the wait staff was very attentive and helpful...and mindful of our needs.

Our favorites were the spicy seafood curry mousse-great b/c robust w/ a slight kick; Burmese Tea leaf salad-unique and very healthy; Beef panang curry-flavorful and solid; Chicken drunken noodle-carbs worth eating since it was tasty w/ great pasta texture.  Coconut ice creams was yum good; the sticky sweet rice w/ mango was a bit too hardened, but tasted good... We also had braised lamb w/ mussamum--was okay, short ribs w/ vermicelli is good for milder palates.

Amidst all the food, I just realized we never got our Tom Kha soup, but we were full and satisfied anyway...

We would go back! Nice, modern decor, too.

YAY--DECENT BOBA IN THE EAST VALLEY!!!

i am thrilled.  buh-bye to the Chinatown-Monterey Park commute for good boba.  an best of all, they will customize it for you.  it normally comes in a supersweet tea, but they'll make it in mint or other tea for me.  love.  

their food is delicious, too.  this restaurant is in our regular rotation now, since the kids love their DRUNKEN NOODLES.  beware, it's very spciy (even for this Asian girl's palette), so we always ask for them to hold on the spice for the little ones.

we have tried the many appetizers recommended on Yelp!  they are unique and yummy, but i always come back to the SUMMER ROLLS and the TOM KHA soup.  

i'm always too full to try it, but am lookig forward to checking out their MANGO STICKY RICE soon.  

the service is great and the decor is very cute, especially for a strip mall joint.  we love you, Summer Canteen!

Yelp to the rescue... I was looking for someplace to grab a nice light but good dinner before catching a concert at the Gibson and I found the Summer Canteen.

It was Sunday at about 5:30 PM so the place was almost empty and we were seated in a their spacious dining room by our friendly server. The tables in the Summer Canteen are set up in a way that they almost encourage community dining so I imagine when it is crowded you could possibly be seated very close to someone you don't know.

But that was not the case for us this night.

I was with my daughter and wife and looking through the menu we all found something to like.

My wife ordered the pad thai  http://www.yelp.com/bi...

my daughter ordered the the Orange Chicken   http://www.yelp.com/bi...

and I ordered the Thai BBQ Chicken that comes with a delicious papaya salad that I ordered medium spicy. http://www.yelp.com/bi...

I was surprised at how much chicken came with my meal. As you can see from the picture it is basically half a chicken and it also came with a BIG bowl of sticky white rice.

I sampled the Orange Chicken and it was good but nothing all that special about it. I did think my wife's Pad Thai was delicious and spiced perfectly.

My chicken was outstanding. It was the juiciest chicken with the most delicious crispy skin on it. It paired so nicely with the papaya salad. W

This is one of the reasons I am such of fan of Yelp. We would make this a regular spot for lunch or dinner if it was closer to home.

We were looking for a good place to go for dinner before a play. Found Summer Canteen on Yelp and had a terrific, flavorful meal. Followed others' recommendations and ordered the minced basil chicken over brown rice with fried egg and the leaf-wrapped nibbles. Finished it off with fried banana. Delicious food, great service. Looking forward to the next time we're in the area and can go back.

I am a big fan of Thai food, but there are so many different Thai restaurants in town. After a while, they all begin to start tasting the same.. However, you will be pleasantly surprised by what you see and taste here.

Let me first start with the appetizers... A must-try is the Seafood Curry Mousse. It will be a different experience for you. It sure was for me. Eat it all while it is still warm, though. We also had the Chicken Satay and the Spring Rolls. They were just ok for me.

As for the main entrees, as a group, we ordered 5 different dishes to share: Panang Curry, Pad Thai, Braised Lamb Shank, Summer Fried Rice, and the Braised Short Ribs with Vermicelli Noodle. In my opinion, I think the Braised Short Ribs with Vermicelli Noodles were the best of them all. The beef was so tender and very flavorful, and the vermicelli noodles were the perfect compliment for the dish.

After eating as much as we did, it's hard to believe that we still had enough room in our stomachs for dessert. If you can convince yourself that regular food and desserts go into separate compartments in your stomach, then yes... there IS room for dessert! Although the Mango with Sticky Rice looked good over at one of our neighboring tables, the Thai Tea Creme Brûlée "had me at hello" even before we ordered our appetizers. I kid you not... It really does taste like Thai Iced Tea, but in Creme Brûlée form. I think I will be placing this item near the top of my most favorite desserts list!

If you are near the area, and are feeling a little hungry for some Thai food, you should definitely stop by this place to check it out. And if you think you are too full for dessert, just remember that there is ALWAYS room for dessert! This restaurant is located in a small strip mall, and there is a lot more parking directly below the complex. Got to love the convenience! Happy eating!

This place simply rocks! I have tried everything on the menu and it is all great. What I like about it is that the food doesn't taste like all the other Thai restaurants. They definitely have there own unique style. Most curries at other places are pretty bland, but the Curry Noodles here are simply the best I have ever tried. Great Steak Salad and an incredible brown rice, the best I've ever had. Excellent Thai Iced Coffee with boba.

The staff is top notch and pretty, too. Amy, Nann, Bee, Jan and the rest all provide attentive and efficient service. Highly recommend!

Great vibe, love the way it's decorated and food prices were reasonable.  I had wine, the spicy and sour Thai chicken soup and pad thai.  Can't go wrong with that.   Give me more cute yummy places like this in the hood!

Overall good. A bright spot in the area's overall drab, homogenous food scene. I found the food to be a little hit & miss. The best were mango sticky rice, fish cakes & lettuce cups. Not as good were egg rolls & beef salad. Service was good.

First of all I have to say this place is the cutest little restaurant.  Modern look/feel.  I just moved to the NoHo area and tried Summer Canteen and absolutely fell in love.  I have been there 3 times since and love everything Curry Chicken, this other noodle dish with egg in it, and items off the vegetarian selection in the menu.

The only thing I would not recommend is the Pho.   Not good Pho, but I didn't expect it to be good because its not a Pho restaurant.  I just tried it because there is no where else to get Pho in the Noho District.

I have to admit I have been totally blown away by this place, several times now. The location is where another asian joint used to be, but a friend dragged me to that once and it smelled funky, looked unclean and the food was awful so when this place opened I had no intention of even checking it out...but I stop by the Coffee Bean there sometimes and the decor and inviting atmosphere was just too much to resist a little investigation, so one day my honey and I went in to check it out.

We sat outside on a lovely summer evening, had impeccable service (which has repeated every time we're there), drank a virgin mojito that knocked my socks off, while my honey fell in love with the ginger lemonade, and we feasted on green curry veg with tofu and a veg soup that were both INCREDIBLE! Gorgeous, colorful (so you know they're not overcooked) veg with savory clear broths, coconut creamy sauces and curries, perfectly steamed rice...it's Asian fusion heaven.

We also tried the spring rolls, which are thin, crispy and perfect, and recently split the honey walnut shrimp and that was nothing short of fantastic.

The decor is lovely, and the staff encourage you to relax and stay as long as you like. The serve young coconuts for the freshest coconut water possible, take time to make and mix their drinks with care and the food comes out quickly while also obviously being cooked with great care and the flavors are incredible.  

The staff also remembers you and makes you feel totally at home the moment you walk in, sometimes before even if they see you coming, lol. I cannot say enough good things about the place, the vibe, the service, the food...it's the perfect hangout spot, even if you just want a nice frothy, icey virgin mojito and some egg rolls as a snack, they welcome you with open arms and a smile.

If you like Asian fusion slanted towards the Thai spectrum, this is about as good as it gets on every level. You have to go!

Nice surprise. Short ribs.  Ginger lemonade
Stopped in on a whim on Cinco de Mayo and loved everything we tried - in old City Wok location but higher caliber of food - Thai/S Asian Fusion

Summer Canteen is one of the places that serves that black/purple short-grain rice that is just really good.  

My go-to dish here is the black pepper garlic sole, because I like to pretend that I'm not going too unhealthy.  Super good. Its not that consistently made, is my only complaint - on some days, the sauce is a bit salty and the delicious green beans are drenched in it, to the point where I can't finish them..  But on other days its just right, and its irresistible. FB thinks that the orange chicken is amazing.  

Service is always pleasant here.

Summer canteen continues to deliver.  I've now either eaten at the restaurant or ordered deliver6 times.  Every dish has been delicious.  I've had:
Pho Bo
Kee Maw
BBQ Short Rib on Vermicelli (2X)
Green Curry
Koi Soi

Summer Canteen.  Very good.

Pros:
- Able to split checks for large groups
- Pad Thai is great
- Not very busy on a Saturday at lunch time, quiet inside.
- Reasonable prices

Cons:
- Two of our dishes came out cold, though they were able to reheat them quickly
- The garlic noodles were extremely flavorless, very sad times

I've eaten here 6 times now... I'm ready to review.  

This place is consistently great Thai fusion fare! The summer & crispy fried egg rolls (and the sauces) have been great appetizers to start out.  The portion sizes are just right and they always taste fresh & made to order!

I've had the following entrees (which have all been well worth the drive): Summer fried rice, honey walnut shrimp, braised lamb shank in mussamun curry, spicy friend rice and spicy basil leaves w/ minced chicken.  Each one of these entrees never disappointed!  Always fresh, made-to-order, very presentable, hot and DELICIOUS!

The servers are very attentive and always have a smile on their face!  I never feel rushed and always am able to get their attention when need be!  I think there's a decent amount of parking and, even though the signs say 30 minutes, i doubt it's enforced.  The atmosphere & decor is cool.  Plus, they now serve beer & vino!!  I'm guessing the evening crowds are about to get bigger!

So, if you're looking for some good Thai (or Thai fusion) for lunch or dinner, going here is worth the drive & the experience... ;)

I would give it 4 stars, but our server was not the most attentive, even though they were not busy.  I might change my stars if I get better service, because their food rocks!

I had the summer fried rice - egg, chicken, shrimp, pineapple, cashews, raisins with curry powder in steamed rice.  A-MAZ-ING. So yummy I am eating the rest for lunch today!  My boyfriend really loved their pad thai too.  

Try their ginger lemonade - packs a spicy punch but is refreshing.

Atmosphere - clean and modern.

Parking - FREE! Also has underground parking for free if nothing available on the main level.

Will definitely be going back soon as I know I will crave this summer fried rice dish and their ginger lemonade.

SERVICE!!! My wife and I love this place, the best Thai we've had in this area. BUT, the last two times we ordered take out we were given an estimate of 10-20 minutes, now its 50 minutes after ordering and my wife is still sitting there waiting.  The food and atmosphere are great, however, the management needs to get more staff because poor service will eventually make even the most loyal customers go elsewhere!! The things we love there: Thai Beef Salad, Spicy Basil Leaves w/ Minced Chicken, Not so Ordinary Orange Chicken, Chicken Drunken Noodle(Pad Kee Mau), Tom Kha Soup.

Pretty darn good! I'm surprised this place isn't more popular. Some things pricey (especially the appetizers), some very reasonable ($4 organic IPA!). I love the outdoor seating. The indoors has a nice vibe as well. The food is good and presented well. The eggplant side dish is to die for! I would be here regularly if there was a food and drinks happy hour! My actual rating would be 4.5 stars, but since there is not an option for that I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. :)

With a hip, contemporary look and Sriracha bottles standing at attention, it sets the foundation for a great experience in my book.

I've both dined in and picked up take-out with prompt service.  Most importantly, I've liked *almost* everything I've ordered there...Beef satay appetizer, Pad Thai noodles, Summer fried rice, Tofu green curry are all great.  And I love their wild brown rice!  

The only bad thing has been the 'not-so-ordinary Orange Chicken'.  It was small bits of dry, overcooked, chewiness in not-so-exciting sauce.  But even that won't keep me from returning....especially with the constant reminder of mango sticky rice on their website...Mmm...

I first went to Summer Canteen with a friend who swore it was the best Asian fusion in town-- and I have to say I  agree. I had the green tofu curry and it was delicious. The portions are just right and the food is fresh. Being vegan it can be challenging sometimes to find places that serve eclectic vegan-friendly dishes so I was thrilled when I saw Summer Canteen's menu.

p.s. The parking lot signs say 20min only but I have an inkling they don't enforce it.

Nice, clean, 'Summer-y' Thai food.
Solid Pad Thai. Really good. It was clean and fresh and not greasy or heavy at all. Good portion sizes.

This place is great if you're in NoHo and want a fresh lunch spot. I came over while I was waiting for my car to get an oil change at the EZ Lube next door. They have an outside patio for lounging and the inside is pretty low-key and chill.
I'll be back.

The food here is just fantastic. I have a few favorite neighborhood Thai/Burmese restaurant. Everything is flavorful, the staff is nice and helpful, the space itself is nicely designed and kept very clean. Prices are reasonable, and well worth it for the flavors. I would trust them with anything on the menu, but I love the spicy basil leaves and mint chicken. Also, you must try the Burmese tea leaf salad!

Amazing food! The restaurant just opened so there aren't a lot of people. I come in often because it's so close. Here are some of my favorite dishes:
The grapow gai is like an explosion of flavor- one of my favorite dishes.
Summer fried rice is done just right. I love the pineapple bits with the chicken mixed in.
Tom kha is some of the best I've had. Can't get enough of it.
I hope this place takes off because I'm coming here often!
(PS- thank goodness for delivery! Lazy days.)