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| - Having just returned to Las Vegas for a quick business trip early this week, I had to make a few visits to some of my fave haunts when I lived here. Of course, LoS was high on the list and it didn't disappoint!
LoS always gets the following accolades: "gotten the nod from the James Beard Foundation", "the place where all the local chefs come to eat", "one of the best Thai restaurants in North America", blah blah blah. Everyone has said it, heard it and knows it. Whatever. It's great and still my gold standard outside of kidnapping my friend's Thai mom and having her cook my dishes out of my own kitchen!
A few noteworthy changes if you haven't been there in awhile (since March 2010 according to our waiter):
1. They've expanded into the now defunct Korean restaurant that used to be on the right side of the LoS.
2. They've remodeled the inside...it's no longer the "hole-in-the-wall" greatness it used to be...everything is def. more upscale albeit in the same dive Commerical Center with the Green Door*.
3. They expanded the old wine "cabinet" into a friggin' 15' glass wine cellar centered prominently in the middle of the newly redecorated interior. Way cool!
4. There's a nice new shiny bar on the far right side of the resto - cool.
5. 2 sets of bathroom now - the older "boys" and "girls" side on the left and now the much nicer and (thank God) larger (multi-stalls) "men" and "women" bathrooms on the left side. No more waiting in the hallways!
A few extra notes/details on the food (this visit):
1. We ordered four entrees (Pad See Ew, Mee Krob, Tofu Penang Curry and a Northern style curry made with catfish) and 2 apps (Tom Kha Gai and Tod Mun) for 5 people. Plenty of food and everyone finished up the meal for bill of $75 including 4 drinks. Not bad!
2. Spice level was low for this meal at a "5" b/c we were catering to a wide range of palates, but as a note you can always request the pepper rack for those that want more. Honestly tho, if you do request the "10"...it's spicy greatness and you won't be disappointed...but just be aware. I love it at the level.
3. What I loved the most (generally speaking) was the delicate flavours of the dishes. I didn't find any sort of heavy handedness when it came to the flavor profiles - not too sweet, not too gunky (no fillers), etc.
4. The Penang was incredible and had this beautiful creamy nuttiness to it....you could taste the complexities of flavours in it - a richness from the coconut milk, not too sweet, with hints of the kefir in it. Just a note, if you haven't been here...most dishes can be substituted for veggie friendly (i.e., tofu) and they willingly suggest it if you can't find something you like.
5. The Pad See Ew was gorgeous. It had that high heat smoky flavor to it I crave in the dish. Not too sweet and a balanced flavour with the basil leaves - i.e., not overly "basily" as some places make it. So good...you could taste the individual ingredients in the dish!
6. I wasn't a fan of the Mee Krob, but it was tasty and well done. It's just not my favorite dish for Thai cuisine.
7. The Tod Mun is done the way I like it. Thin patties that are just luscious and perfectly seasoned/fried and complemented with the cucumber dressing. The crispness of the cabbage and the cucumbers provides the perfect textural complement to the home made fish patties with bits of green onions throughout.
8. The Tom Kha Gai had that nice bit of sourness and just enough heat to start off the meal properly. A very flavourful broth with the bits of lemon grass and galangal throughout.
9. The unique and different item was the northern Thai style curry - it was very broth-like but good. Almost reminiscent of the Thom Kha Gai, but no lemongrass in it. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit, but found it more mild in taste and the flavours were *VERY* subtle and refined. So, if you're expecting bold typical Thai flavours...be warned and you might want to pass on this dish. Otherwise, it's a nice change from the usual typical dishes one can order.
A few notes on service:
Excellent as always. Not too invasive, yet not too rushed. We had a leisurely dinner therefor several hours - even after finishing our meal, we sat and continued talking and never once felt like we were being rushed out. They even came by and refilled out drinks while we talked!
If you haven't figured this out...yeah, I love and miss this place a lot. Living on the east coast now really highlights how different and how much better the Thai food is out west. Eitherway, if you're visiting or you already live in Las Vegas, LoS is a helluva good joint! You won't be disappointed. Now, only if they would Fedex their food.....
*If you have to ask...you don't want to know.
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