Lotus of Siam is described as being the best Thai restaurant in Las Vegas, if not the country – so, of course, we had to try it. After a failed attempt in 2012, we finally managed to get in in 2013. It was very good, but not extraordinary. Then again, Thai food is so good in general, that finding extraordinary Thai food seems like a Herculean task.
Lotus of Siam has a huge menu, offering both traditional Thai foods, Issam and northern specialties. With so much choice, it’s easy to get lost so I asked for my waiters’ recommendation and ended up getting the duck on drunken noodle ($26). That was a mistake. The duck was OK, but the noodles lacked flavor. I liked them, but I didn’t love them. I would have been better off going with one of my favorites.
One of the kids had the chow mein ($9). This was a lovely dish. It tasted like a combination of Chinese and Thai flavors, which were perfectly melded. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a large portion.
My other daughter had the Pad Thai and this was phenomenal. The noodles had a welcomed smokeyness I’d never experienced before. Unfortunately, the portion was not large enough for me to get more than a taste.
Mike had one of the special panangs. I don’t remember what meat he had, but the sauce was described as a panang with cognac. It was good, but it didn’t taste any different from a regular panang sauce. Still, he was happy with the dish, if not the price.
The place was very crowded, it took a long time to get seated and service was competent but busy. In all, I think it’s a restaurant worth trying, but which cannot possibly live up to its hype.
Lotus of Siam
53 East Sahara Avenue Suite A5
Las Vegas, NV
Phone:(702) 735-3033
http://www.saipinchutima.com/