Because they're open really late, Toi has become an instant fave of Hollywood hipsters like Sean Penn and Woody Harrelson, who make postclubbing excursions to this rock 'n' roll eatery a few blocks from the Sunset Strip. After all the hype, I was surprised to find possibly L.A.'s best bargain Thai food, authentically prepared and served in portions so generous the word enormous seems inadequate. Menu highlights include hot-and-sour chicken, coconut soup, and the house specialty: chicken curry somen, a spicy dish with green curry and mint sauce spooned over thin Japanese rice noodles. Vegetarians will be pleased with the vast selection of meat-free items like pad kee mao, rice noodles served spicy with tofu, mint, onions, peppers, and chili. The interior is a noisy amalgam of cultish movie posters, rock 'n' roll memorabilia, and haphazardly placed industrial-issue dinette sets; and the plates, flatware, and drinking glasses are cheap coffee-shop issue. In other words, it's all about the food and the scene -- neither will disappoint.

Westsiders can opt for Toi on Wilshire, 1120 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica (tel. 310/394-7804), open daily from 11am to 3am.