Anajak Thai, Still Standing After 31 Years

Scott Hutchinson of Sherman Oaks says he has been eating Thai food at the Anajak Thai restaurant since he was 5 years old.

"My parents started taking me here since the 1980s," says Hutchinson.

"He thought it was American food," says Ricky Pichetrungsi, the owner of Anajak Thai restaurant, at 14704 Ventura Boulevard.

"He didn't even know there was a place called Thailand," said Ricky smiling, standing behind the bar at his popular restaurant on a crowded evening, when every table was taken and people were waiting at the door to be seated.

Located in the center of the Sherman Oaks Business district on Ventura Boulevard, Anajak Thai is usually a beehive of activity at lunchtime.

"We come here several times a week," said Mike Mangan, a cartoon creator who works in the five story building next door.

"In fact, sometimes I'll come in for lunch with a couple of co-workers and we'll see 3 or 4 other people from the office sitting at another table," added Mangan, after finishing lunch and lumbering back to work.

Ricki Pichetrungsi came to America in the 1970s and his first few jobs involved working as a helper in restaurant kitchens all over Los Angeles County.

Having worked as a chef in Thailand, Ricki got a postion cooking in a Japanese restaurant , and finally he realized his dream by starting his own Thai restaurant in Sherman Oaks.

"When I opened this place in 1981, many people in Sherman Oaks had never tried Thai food. Business was quite slow for the first couple of years, but we survived,"added Pichetrungsi, who seems to have a perpetual smile on his face; and his joy seems to be shared by wife Rattikorn, who also works in the restaurant as hostess, waitress and occasional chef.

"She was  a former Miss Thailand when I met her," added Ricki.

"I was flying back to Bangkok because my mother had passed away and I was feeling very sad, she was working on the Thai International Air flight as an attendant," said Ricki.

"We started talking, she comforted me and over a period of time we became friends. I never dreamed that she would end up becoming my wife and business partner."

Over the years, Anajak Thai has developed a large following among people in Sherman Oaks and other parts of town.

"Some of my customers come from West L.A. and Hollywood, many of them used to live in Sherman Oaks and they still come back for lunch or dinner," said Ricki.

Part of the business involves explaining to customers that Thai food is gently spiced.

" It's not hot food, our specialities and most popular dishes like Anajak Thai Chicken and Bangkok Shrimp are not laced with hot peppers, they don't provide the hot sensation that some people look for in other ethnic food," Ricky said, pointing to a dish of Bankok Shrimp which the menu describes as 'Shrimp grilled and topped with garlic sauce, served over egg fried rice and steamed broccoli.'

Ricki describes himself as chef, host, and parent. He and Rattikorn have three children, the restaurant has been providing the family with a enough income for them to have a prosporous life in their adopted country.

Ricki says he is well aware that the failure rate among restaurants is high.

"Many places in Sherman Oaks have opened and closed since we started here 31 years ago.

"I love cooking and especially love it when people say they like the food we are serving. We are bringing a little piece of Thailand to customers here and it's great that they are enjoying it," said Ricki, still smiling, looking at the big crowd lingering at their tables.