It was in 1976 that we attended an event in Los Angeles sponsored by the Government of Thailand Tourism Authority.  Its purpose was to recognize the role Thai restaurants in the U.S. were playing in the promotion of Thai cuisine and culture.
Since then Thai restaurants are in abundance supply but when we heard about  the popularity of a Thai restaurant in Westwood named Emporium Thai it was time for further investigation.  We were in the restaurant only a short time when we asked how long has this been going on?  
Here was a neat, artfully created dining room and bar where every patron was greeted on entry by smiling members of the wait staff.  If they felt you were new to Thai cuisine they were there to provide help through the large menu and willing to make suggestions and always asking a most important question with Thai food,  do you want it spicy or mild in flavors?  At this restaurant spiciness is on a scale from one to ten with not spicy, level one and level ten labeled lava.
We met with John Sungkamee,  the genial proprietor, who had a wonderful story to tell us about how his family came to America and how Emporium Thai will be celebrating its 18th anniversary next March.   John gives all credit to his mother, who besides being mother to twelve children, thought that some of her family moving to the United States would open more opportunities.  So she entered a lottery that was being conducted that offered members of a family opportunity to emigrate to the U.S.   To her amazement she was one of the winners and John, the youngest of the twelve children, then 18 years old, came to the U.S.
And his was one more of the success stories that we all love to hear of an immigrant doing well in their new country. 
First he worked in restaurants  carefully learning English as quickly as possible.  Then college to learn the skills to become a software engineer.  But then the opportunity came to open a Thai restaurant on Westwood Blvd., in the heart of Westwood.  So Emporium Thai came into being with more of the family arriving from Thailand including his mother.  A photo of his mother can be seen in the restaurant still smiling a welcoming greeting to her many guests even after her passing two years ago at the age of eighty eight. 
Taking over to aid us in our perusal of the  Emporium extensive menu was  family member, Honey Bee.  With her gracious manner, smile  and charm she had our complete attention.   We opened with Thai dumplings, both steamed and crispy as one of the appetizers which also included veggie egg rolls, Thai buffalo wings and crying tiger beef.    For our salad with Honey Bee's help we selected the Coco Mango Salad with Shrimp which included shredded raw mango mixed with dried coconut, fresh chili and lime juice.  Also we had to try the Crying Tiger beef which was outstanding in  presentation and flavors.
One of our group did enjoy spice so a Currie, one of house specialties, a Yellow Currie with chicken arrived at our table.  This was not for me with my no spice mode.  Two more delightful and delicious dishes arrived,  they were noodles called Pad See Ew Westwood  with shrimp  and an entree, Pad Kra Pow, Thai basil chicken that generally arrives with spice but for our table mild with spice absent.  Of the three at our table one wanted spice and lots of it, the other two mild or no spice.  Every dish arrived just as each of us requested.
 The bar offers  Asian styled cocktails and some wines, and John told us one of his future additions will be a more complete wine list.
When we left Emporium Thai we were convinced we had experienced the best Thai cuisine available in west Los Angeles which explained it being chosen as one of the top one hundred Thai restaurants in the USA.
And that John Sungkamee is indeed an outstanding restaurateur.
Emporium Thai is located at 1275 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles 90024, Telephone 310 478-2838,  web www.ethaicuisine.com.  Hours are Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Friday & Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.