Atmosphere: Casual | Budget: $
Let me just start this post about Lotus of Siam (Thai restaurant in Las Vegas) by setting the stage with a couple of quotes….
“So the question isn’t whether to go—you should (run, don’t walk)—it’s what to eat when you get there. With a menu of over 150 choices ranging from classic curries and noodle dishes to Northern Thai specialties and signature Lotus creations, there is no way to eat more than a small fraction of what sounds good in a single visit.” – Zoey Ley for Serious Eats
“It was the best Thai meal I had ever eaten. I went back for the next four or five meals in a row, and I almost cried when I had to get on a plane back to New York. I called it the best Thai restaurant in North America in my review for the magazine, and in the dozen years since, it has become probably the most famous Thai restaurant in the United States.” – Jonathon Gold for Saveur Magazine
“What you want to order is the khao soi, packed with chewy egg noodles and a slow burn of dried chiles. You want the sai oua (house-made pork sausage), and you definitely want the spice-heavy larb. Both dishes nail the delicate balance between fiery and fatty, keeping you coming back for bite…after bite…after bite.” – Bon Appetit Magazine
And the list of rave reviews goes on and on….so of course, I had to go and judge the food for myself.
Quite honestly, I wasn’t sure if the Lotus of Siam would live up to the reviews. But as you might infer from the title of this blog post, the hype is real and the food outstanding.
The minute we got out of our Uber (the restaurant is a 10-15 minute drive off of the Las Vegas Strip), there was a long line out-the-door. Fortunately we were able to get seated upon arrival since I had made reservations a month in advance (take note!).
The menu for Lotus of Siam can get overwhelming as there is a huge variety of options to order from. Focus on ordering from the “Northern Thailand” section of the menu and you’ll be okay . Or, you can follow in our footsteps and order the HIGHLY RECOMMENDED items I’ve listed below (I’ve noted which items below are categorized as Northern Thai cuisine).
TIP: Make sure you pair all of the below items with sticky rice because….sticky rice. Also, make sure you order some beer to pair with all that spicy food! Trust me, you’ll thank me later!
Seafood Soup with Tofu (Non Spicy): A clear broth served piping hot (literally, there is flame shooting out of the pot when they bring it to your table!) filled with assorted seafood, tofu, and vegetables. If I HAD to rate the dishes, this one would probably rank last. However, I felt like it provided a nice balance to the heat from the others.
Som Thum (Thai Papaya Salad): Your simple, classic green papaya salad. The blend of lime juice, sugar, and fish sauce is perfect – not too sour, not too sweet. Add in some chili for heat, and some peanuts for crunch and you’ve got a refreshing appetizer.
Nam Prik Noom (Red Chili Dip): The color may be bright red, but the Red Chili Dip is not as spicy as it looks! It has similar elements to an Italian marinara sauce (think ground pork, tomatoes, spices) and is served with a nice assortment of dippers.
Thum Ka Noon (Pounded and Shredded Young Jackfruit): We weren’t sure what to expect when we ordered this but my husband was curious and adamant that we try it. We’re so glad we did. A mixture of shredded young jack fruit, ground pork, tomatoes, and northern Thai spices…this was probably the biggest surprise of the night!
Kha Nom Jean Nam Nygow (Rice Vermicelli Curry): I’ll just say it upfront, this local Northern Thai dish is not for everyone. I’ll also say that it was my favorite dish of the night. While the title says ‘curry’, it actually tastes more like a pork stew served over vermicelli noodles. The stew was filled with tomatoes, ground pork, spare ribs, and pork blood chunks (yes, I said it) and was incredibly flavorful. Even if the thought of pork blood chunks scare you….order this dish anyway (you can eat around them like my husband and mom did).
Chilean Sea Bass on Drunken Noodle: An immensely delicious deep fried sea bass served over traditional drunken noodles (pan-fried noodles tossed in a sauce mixture of fish sauce, soy sauce, garlic) and topped with fresh homemade chili and crispy Thai basil. The sea bass was cooked to perfection.
Crispy Duck with Chili Basil Leaves: This was Kevin’s favorite dish of the night. Crispy duck with the fat nicely rendered, served in a classic Thai style topped fresh homemade chili and Thai basil.
Looks good right? Given the plethora of rave reviews about the restaurant, it’s not a ‘hidden secret’. But, if you happen to be visiting Vegas anytime soon, I highly recommend you venture off the Strip to check this place out!
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