LAX-C

Directly across from Mae Ting's dessert stand was the entrance of LAX-C....

curiously covered with murals of  Indians on horses, which was a bit incongruous considering this was a restaurant supply warehouse that specializes in imported Thai goods...

Wandering Chopsticks recommended that we stop by LAX-C, which is more popularly known as "The Thai Costco".  There is no membership and they sell their goods in bulk and in wholesale prices to not only the restaurant industry but to the general public.

Since this was our first time in here, we were a bit overwhelmed by the sheer size and the variety of interesting items, especially these snacks. I don't think I'd ever seen Tom Yum flavored peanuts before!

Snacks galore - lots of Thai stuff but also a mix of Chinese, Japanese, and even some Filipino branded snacks.

There were people driving forklifts and folks pushing those wheeled flatbed carts (for lack of a better term), stocking up on supplies like vegetables, meats and paper goods.  I really liked seeing the signs at the ends of the aisle.  Fishballz!!!!

This warehouse sells all kinds of things for the restaurant business. We saw Latinos and Asians in here taking advantage of the prices.

Need some chicken soup base?

Jams:

Flavor packets - I've seen the NOH brand before at Marukai Living.  This was quite the international roundup - Portuguese, Filipino and Chinese.

This was better than a regular Costco since this had a lot of Asian ingredients that I like. It was so cool seeing all this here.

Again, those signs...

So many sauces!

I thought Shark's Fin was illegal?

Cookies for the Chinese restaurants, ha ha.

OMG - E-Sarn (Issan) sausage!!!

We did not get any since we didn't have a cooler with us and it would spoil.

Thai grooming products:

TC and I got a kick out of this! Ha ha, "moco" means "snot".

Winner for the best name of a gel EVER!

Food was also sold at in-store eatery...

According the blogger for MidTownLunch (linked at the end), this is the place where Thai restaurant employees eat. Since they shop here, the food is catered to their tastes and is not, as Kirk would say, "gringofied".  We just kind of looked things over this time. They had fried treats too...

and a variety of delicious looking stews and soups and other fried items. Many of the items looked "hot"! No Pad Thai here.

We made a mental note to try this place for a future visit.

We didn't stay too long because we had other places to go, but during our short walkthrough, this is what I came out with, an egg slicer and a pack of boba straws.

Only $2.23 total!

In the back of the building was this rather faded mural with an "outer space" theme.

Yes, that was the Starship Enterprise which Bert liked...

Unfortunately, there was no exit in the back, so we had to back out and leave from the entrance from which we came.

Who else went to LAX-C?
Here is WithinMyMeans' older post (circa 2009) of LAX-C
"Thai Costco at LAX-C"
and a more comprehensive post by MidTownLunch (where he tries the food at the steam tables), along with snippets from ThaiAmericanLifeinLA
and a few blurbs:
LA Mag and LAist.com

LAX-C
1100 N. Main St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(323) 342-9000

It was finally time to get going and check out a place that bills itself as an "Epicenter of Art Fighting Cultural Deprivation"....