Lotus of Siam

LVA Review

This restaurant was re-reviewed in the April, 2010 LVA; some of the information contained in this review may no longer be accurate. Our first mention of Lotus was way back in 2000, when the restaurant burst onto the scene after being tabbed as “the best Thai restaurant in the country” by Gourmet magazine. Since then we’ve referred to it more than a dozen times. But believe it or not, it’s never been a Local Corner, so we’re remedying that now. Lotus has just expanded into a neighboring space that triples its capacity. In addition to making it easier to eat here (the place became so popular that it was often difficult to get a table), there’s now a big new bar and a much-needed second restroom. Also located in the new section is a glass-encased wine cellar, housing what we’ve heard is a world-class selection of German and Austrian white wines, which are particularly well-suited to this cuisine. The down side of the expansion is that the place has the look of a banquet hall and the great photos that used to line the walls (including one of Anthony Curtis and pals) are gone. Don’t let that deter you, though; the food is as good as ever. The menu is enormous and varied, with noodles, curries, stews, veggie concoctions, and all manner of tasty other dishes. You almost can’t go wrong. But to ensure that you don’t, there’s just one rule: Stay away from the big-ticket items. For example, you can spend $45 on a big steamed fish, but there’s no reason to. By sticking to the smaller plates, you’ll get to try more of these amazing tastes and save money in the process. There’s one dish that you have to try. The #14 appetizer, nam kao tod, is a powerhouse combination of minced sour sausage mixed with green onion, fresh chile, ginger, peanuts, crispy rice, and lime juice ($7.95) that’ll hook you for sure. Beyond that, read the descriptions and make your picks. Some of our favorites are Issan-style beef jerky ($8.95), spicy vegetable soup ($7.95), Musaman curry with sliced beef ($10.95), tub wharn (beef liver in spices, $8.95), and Anthony Curtis swears by the koi soy (menu item #59) steak tartare for $13.95. And while the price has gone up a few bucks over the years (now $9), you can still get the Lotus lunch buffet on weekdays from 11:30 to 2:30, about which our soon-to-be Eating Las Vegas author Max Jacobson writes, “Whenever I eat the buffet here, I head straight for the garlic black-pepper chicken wings—the best chicken wings in the world.” This restaurant was reviewed in the December, 2000 LVA; some of the information contained in this review may no longer be accurate. Considering this is a city of celebrity chefs and culinary one-upmanship, last month’s Gourmet magazine listing of the five best restaurants in Las Vegas was a shocker. Picasso and Renoir? Of course. Le Cirque and Napa? Natch. But Lotus of Siam? Gourmet called it, "simply the best Thai restaurant in the country." Now, we don’t normally go in for the recommendations of the white-linen-tablecloth set, but the big glossy ad-mag was plugging a hole-in-the-wall eatery located in an ancient shopping complex two miles off the Strip. Our kind of joint? You bet. We had to try it. Fancy it ain’t, but that’s often a good sign when searching for that rare combination of fabulous and frugal. Indeed, the dominant price on the menu is $6.95, and almost nothing exceeds $15. In a valiant attempt by three of us to sample a cross-section of the menu’s 130+ selections, we tore into three appetizers, two soups, three entrées, two desserts, and beverages, including five Thai beers. The price came to $110. The verdict? In our many years of restaurant sampling, this rates as one of our best finds ever (okay, so Gourmet found it first). If you’re a fan of Asian cuisine, this should be your first stop on your next trip. Here are some recommendations: the appetizer of minced sour sausage mixed with green onion, fresh chili, ginger, peanuts, crispy rice, and lime juice ($6.95); seafood hot pot soup-a sour stock, brimming with shrimp, squid, giant scallops, mussels, and big chunks of poached salmon ($13.95); "Issan-style" beef jerky ($6.95); pad Thai-Lotus’ version of the classic noodle dish is the best we’ve ever had ($6.95). There are also barbecue, curry, vegetable, and seafood (catfish is prominent) dishes. For dessert, try the coconut ice cream over rice; the owner told us it’s a specialty pedaled by Bangkok street vendors. Lotus of Siam is located on the north side of the Commercial Center shopping complex, just west of Maryland Pkwy on E. Sahara (953 E. Sahara Ave., #A-5). Due to its newfound notoriety, it gets busy on weekends, so call for reservations (702/735-3033). And we learned about it too late to try for this issue, but a $5.95 lunch buffet is served from 11:30 am to 2:30 p.m. every day.