Vegas: Lotus of Siam with a non-spicy eater

[shiromaguro]

I apologize if this has been posted before but there are so many posts about Lotus of Siam that I don't know where to begin. I'm going there this weekend (making it part of my otherwise campy Vegas getaway) but my dining companion does not do the spice. Is there anything said companion can order that isn't spicy and doesn't compromise flavor? Thanks in advance for your help.

[Dave Feldman]

I think the food quality at lunch is at least as good as at dinner, and I agree with all who suggest forgoing the buffet unless you are interested in the soup that's offered that day. But the other -don't miss item in the buffet (besides the soup and entree of the day) is the garlicky -minty chicken wings, especially when they are just delivered piping hot.

[Rick]

I've had the buffet twice and the menu twice, I'd definitely say the menu is the way to go.

[lvnvflyer]

Please do know that LoS does NOT do the buffet for dinner, only for lunch; if you are going for dinner, you'll be ordering off the menu. Don't let that dissuade you; I think dinner is definitely worth it, and altho' the buffet is fine, it's not that special, IMHO, as opposed to, for example, the sour sausage and crispy rice appetizer (SO delicious) and some of the other items recommended on this board...

[ciaogal]

I have been for both lunch and dinner...I usually dine solo @ lunch because I am in between appoinments and rushed as always... buffet seems to be the way to go!
Dinner I have time to really appreciate the flavors and depth of the dishes prepared to order......

[ciaogal]

Thanks QAW....great info.
I am off to Vegas next week for work.......
I usually do the buffet as I dine alone most times...and the buffet seems to work the best unless I can coerce a client or a friend to join me......

[QAW]

Here is a quickie guide to the LOS buffet for those in Las Vegas for a stretch and want to choose a particular day. While the full menu is offered at all times, the buffet has a feature entree each day. And unlike so many Asian buffet's that will tone down items when produced on a larger scale, LOS does not; each of these entree's is made to the same standard as if they were ordered off the menu (and about a 4-5 on the spice scale; they range from 1-10 overall).

Monday - Chicken with Red Curry
Tuesday - Chili Mint Chicken
Wednesday - Chicken with Yellow Curry
Thursday - Chicken with Green Curry
Friday - Chicken Pad Prik King

The soups change daily (they do their own version of Hot and Sour on Wednesday's, which is not on their regular menu), as do several of the side items (there are always at least two vegetarian entree's, with Tofu with Fresh Ginger served daily). But the above list can help you choose a particular day. Keep in mind that because their dinner prices are so reasonable, one does not have to go the buffet route to save money.

[monkfanatic]

is this chinese food?
where in vegas, i love spicy food can't wait to try

[Megiac]

Thai. It's in Commercial Center, so off the strip.

[ciaogal]

Sahara just west of Maryland

[shiromaguro]

While we're on the topic, is the talk about it being SO MUCH better at dinner true? Or is lunch good enough?

I can't wait...thanks everyone!

[ciaogal]

shiromaguro...you can order off the dinner menu @ lunch as well....so the food is equally as great!
For Lunch LOS offers a buffet of selected items.....sometimes you can hit it when the offerings are plentiful and to your taste...usually everything is mildly seasoned and made for the masses......thiugh I have had some wonderful buffet lunches when I am dining solo or in a rush......
Enjoy!

[Michelle]

My sister and I can't do spicy food, but we love Lotus of Siam! We just tell them when we order, to make it "not spicy". Some of our favorite dishes are the beef salad (to die for, I could eat this every day!), the crispy rice and sour sausage appetizer, pad thai or other noodle dishes, and the sticky rice and mango for dessert. It's not an issue, so enjoy!

[shiromaguro]

Thanks so much for the recommendations everyone! This is extremely helpful.

[Dave Feldman]

Some other ideas...

The barbecued beef is excellent. The sauce on the side is flavorful but not spicy. This is one of my go-to dishes at LOS for timid eaters. And I don't mean this in a patronizing way. This is superb, steakhouse quality beef, charcoal grilled with a great sauce. What's not to like?

The sea bass with ginger isn't spicy but is flavorful.

And as Megiac says, anything can be ordered on a 1 or 2 level, including such standbys as the crispy rice with sour sausage, the northern pork stew, etc.

[QAW]

There are plenty of interesting options that are "mild" in terms of heat, but bring plenty of flavor - Salmon Panang (a creamy cognac infused sauce), Pompano with Ginger and Black Mushrooms; and Kana Moo Krob, an occasional iundulgence of mine - crispy side pork with chinese broccoli in their own version of oyster sauce. I would not suggest toning down the curries, since they can lose too much of their character, except for the Roasted Duck Curry, which carries a lot of flavor without a lot of heat.

[Megiac]

You can order all of the spicy dishes there on a scale of 1 to 10, so your dining companion should be just fine.