Technically, Restaurant Week started January 22, but dineLA teamed with KCRW and Night + Market on a preview dinner. The event featured the entire three-course menu and appearances from KCRW Music Director Jason Bentley and Matt’s Movies host Matt Holzman. The radio personalities joined 50 adventurous people for Talesai scion Kris Yenbamroong’s aggressive Thai cuisine. My favorite dish of the night of course involved pork and paid tribute to the northern Thai city, Chiengrai.

Yenbamroong’s stew – Hanglay Hang Moo Teen Moo – starred tails and trotters. He slow braised pork in a flavorful red oil slick seasoned with palm sugar and pickled garlic cloves that infused the skin until it became almost candy-like. Textures varied as gelatinous cartilage and juicy meat hid behind the dish’s many bones. The crisp, julienne ginger topping didn’t exactly lighten up the dish, but distracted my taste buds from the unabashed richness.

Chiengrai Stew has got to be the natural gateway to “startled pig,” a pork dish that Yenbamroong apparently assaults with chilies and spice. Yes, these types of dishes actually exist on the Sunset Strip, which may be even more startling.

Dose of Vitamin P spotlights my favorite pork dish from the previous week.