Tucked away in a little building on Riverside between Lankershim and Vineland, Orchid Thai Massage is a quiet oasis of Thai-style massage in Toluca Lake/Studio City. Unlike some other Thai Massage places I've been to, Orchid offers large, clean, private rooms for your massage treatments. Soft traditional Asian music plays softly in the background. Unlike the somewhat makeshift decor of other Thai massage places I've tried, Orchid offers their services with an air of quiet professionalism. One interesting difference is their offering of combination massage therapy, using a mix of Swedish, Thai and Shiatsu techniques. My masseuse gave me a pummeling, kneading and pounding that was firm and strong. Yes, at times it hurt, but it was a good hurt, if you know what I mean. At $50/hour, it was pricier than most Thai massages I've had, but still cheaper than most "western" day spa-type massages you can get around town. After being kneaded, we were treated to a hot cup of Yogi detox tea and cool water -- a thoughtful touch that helped me to unwind and feel welcomed to their business. A worthwhile place to try if you're turned off by the slightly makeshift atmosphere of cheaper Thai massage places, but equally turned off by $75/hour massages from more foo-foo day spa type places.
Pros: clean, private rooms, strong but thoughtful masseuses, great combo of techniques
Cons: slightly pricier than most thai massage joints
more