The team behind historic LA Thai restaurants Chao Krung and Tuk Tuk recently opened a new Thai smashburger restaurant on Friday, April 12.
Located next door to Tuk Tuk Thai on Sawtelle Blvd, Ban Ban Burger is the newest concept from sisters and co-owners Chef Amanda Maneesilasan and Katy Noochla-or. The playful menu combines the classic American burger with bold flavors of beloved Thai dishes like grapow and laab, plus Thai milkshakes in flavors like pandan, Thai tea, and coconut.
Born in Bangkok, Thailand and raised in Los Angeles, Katy and Amanda grew up working in their parents’ restaurants (including Chao Krung, the second restaurant to open in what is now LA’s Thai Town in the 1970s) and took over the business in 2017. Amanda learned the art of Thai homestyle cooking from her grandmother, who previously cooked for the royal family in Thailand. Now she brings those family recipes to her restaurants and introduces Angelenos to Thai ways of eating, like Sum Rup, a tradition that Katy and Amanda designed as a monthly dinner series at Chao Krung last year. To complement the homestyle dishes at Chao Krung, Chef Amanda serves Thai-style street food at Tuk Tuk Thai on Sawtelle, and now is taking a more modern and fun direction with Ban Ban Burger.