Well-Balanced: Thai Favorite Cuisine

Some nights you just want noodles and a good glass of wine. We found both a few minutes from home, tucked into a Tustin plaza behind an almost-too-humble name: Thai Favorite Cuisine. We'd driven past it more times than we can count. This time we pulled in, and left already planning our next visit.

Here's the short version, in case you don't read to the end: go.

A room that got the memo

The space has clearly had a recent glow-up, and it works. Think exposed ceilings, woven pendant lamps throwing warm light, arched alcoves painted with soft botanicals, and light-wood tables that keep it feeling easy rather than fussy. It's the kind of modern-but-cozy room regulars have been happily talking about since the makeover, a Tustin staple for a few years now that quietly leveled up. Casual enough for a Tuesday, polished enough for a date.

The khao soi (or, as we called it, "calsoi")

This was the star. A deep, speckled bowl of khao soi, the northern-Thai coconut curry noodle soup, arrived golden and glossy, soft egg noodles underneath and a crackly nest of fried noodles on top for crunch. Sliced chicken, pickled mustard greens, red onion, and fresh herbs rounded it out, with lime on the side. The broth is rich and savory and, in Virginia's words, well-balanced. Not the cloying, super-sweet version you sometimes get, just deep and comforting without tipping over. We kept going back for one more pull of noodles long after we should've stopped.

Grilled chicken that earns its char

Our other plate was a beauty: turmeric-marinated grilled chicken, gold and glistening with real char marks, laid over a fresh cabbage-and-carrot slaw with a couple of dipping sauces: one nutty and curry-ish, one cool and bright to cut through. Tender inside, smoky at the edges, and that same sweet-savory balance we loved in the curry. It's the sort of straightforward, done-right dish that tells you the kitchen cares.

Two chardonnays, and a corkage tip worth saving

We split two glasses of chardonnay, and the price, like everything else on the bill, was refreshingly reasonable. Which brings us to the tip: corkage is just $15. If you've got a special bottle at home, this is a lovely, low-key place to bring it. And there's plenty here we haven't touched yet. The menu runs deep into skewers, salted-egg calamari, boat noodles, and mango sticky rice, all things regulars rave about, so we've already got a list for round two.

Go

Modern, warm, well-priced, and genuinely delicious, with a khao soi we'll be thinking about until we're back. If you're anywhere near Tustin, Thai Favorite Cuisine is an easy, enthusiastic recommendation. Bring a bottle. Order the calsoi.

Thai Favorite Cuisine, 13572 Newport Ave, Tustin, CA (right next door to Irvine). Corkage $15.

Mar & Virginia