93637 Mon May 21 14:30:09 -0700 2001 17 6 Southwest 0 513728 I will be going to Vegas in the coming week. What are the best dishes to order (top 5 would be nice). also, i'll probably be going alone, so are the dishes small enough so that i can get maybe three dishes plus dessert. and i heard they serve during the lunch hours a buffet lunch (which is supposedly not as amazing as ordering off menu), is it possible to order off the dinner menu during lunch? is the whole bbq catfish, a very good dish to order, and how much does it cost? also, is the restaurant open for lunch on sat. and sun. lastly, how do you get there from the strip, i will probably be staying at the excalibur or mgm grand, is it within walking distance. sorry about all the questions, i don't want to miss the lotus experience while i'm ther. thanks in advance. Mon May 21 14:30:09 -0700 2001 0 kevin 1 513730 Kevin, To answer your questions in reverse order: Lotus of Siam is located at 953 East Sahara. It is not walking distance of the two hotels you mention. You can get there by bus or taxi. I'm not sure if they are open now for weekend lunch. The phone number is (702) 735-3033. There is definitely not a buffet on the weekends. Yes, it is possible, and far preferable to eat lunch from the menu. In fact, for some reason I've often found the quality of lunch meals slightly higher than dinner. I know that Bill & Saipin do not enjoy having to provide the buffet fare, and love to see customers shun the buffet at lunch. The price of the catfish varies, but I think the last time it was $12.95. It is a wonderful dish, but I'm not sure it would be the one I would order if I was by myself. The portions are not small. I once did eat three whole dishes plus dessert, but wouldn't recommend it unless you you are prepared not to eat again in the next 24 hours (not a bad tradeoff, actually). Check all the other posts for dish recommendations. Just off the top of my head, the dishes I'm looking forward to ordering immediately when I next get back to Lotus (next month!) are: Starters: Nam Kao Tod -- Minced sour sausage w/green onion, chili, ginger, peanuts, lime juice and crispy rice. Som Thai (Papaya salad, with or without dried crabs) Issan-Style Larb (not on regular menu -- a wetter version of this classic) Entrees: Pork Stew (on Issan menu) -- a meditation on pork and garlic. Salmon Panang (the salmon is charbroiled, the sauce sublime) Dessert: Sticky rice with either mango or coconut "ice cream" These are just off the top of my head. The only one of these dishes that costs more than $10 is the salmon. Mon May 21 17:39:30 -0700 2001 513728 0 Dave Feldman 2 513731 Dave, thanks for all the info really do appreciate it. but i do have a couple more questions, one of them probably pretty stupid. for the sausage dish is it made of pork or beef or combo of beef. also, do you or anyone else for that matter have any recommendations on other great dishes that don't have pork. i forget to mention the two things i don't eat are pork and octopus. thanks. Mon May 21 18:51:37 -0700 2001 513730 0 kevin 3 513732 Alas, Kevin, the Nam Kao Tod is made with pork. I suggest substituting the Nua Dad Deaw (Beef Jerky Issan Style). I've had the opportunity to have this dish at lots of very good, very authentic Thai restaurants, and can say without reservation that Saipin Chutima's version is by far the best I've ever had--wonderful deep, complex flavors. Another suggestion is the garlic and pepper chicken wings. This dish is actually more Singaporean than Thai, but, damn, it is just plain addictive. Your choice will depend on how often you decide to eat at Lotus of Siam during your week in Las Vegas. It was only one short year ago that Dave Feldman, in reponse to my and Jonathan Gold's rave reviews on Chowhound (actually these reviews were of the Chutima's previous restaurant in Southern California, Renu Nakorn), ate five times at Lotus of Siam in five days, including twice in one day. (Note to Dave Feldman: seems impossible that it was only a year ago, no?) If you can spend a week in Las Vegas and only eat one meal at Lotus of Siam, you're going to face a genuine dilemma, because, as Dave has said, the portions are very generous, and, as a single eater, you won't be able to manage more than three--maybe four if you can eat through pain. My suggestion is to ask for the special "Northern Thai" menu. It is printed on one page (front and back) and is separate from the regular menu. We now know that the Northern Style Pork Stew that Dave mentioned and that I'm also crazy about (and that is on the special menu) is off limits for you, but there are plenty of other things there that should, and will, tempt you. Although the menu descriptions are pretty thorough and complete, to be safe I'd explain to Bill Chutima, if he's there, or to your waiter or waitress, that you don't eat any pork or octopus, and they can tell you whether any particular dishes you're interested in contain either of these as ingredients. For myself, I'd take the charbroiled catfish to the Salmon Panang in a heartbeat, but the problem is that the catfish is a whole fish and is more than one person can eat if you're also planning to eat one or two other things. There are other wonderful catfish items on the menu, however, including a wonderful catfish larb. My advice is to eat there as often as you can, and try as many different things as you are able, especially from the special Northern Thai menu. You can't go wrong at Lotus of Siam. Everything is wonderful. Mon May 21 21:28:15 -0700 2001 513731 0 Tom Armitage 4 513733 Have you eaten the salmon penang at Lotus? It doesn't taste like any other Penang sauce I've ever eaten. I balked when Bill suggested it to me last time I was there, and then I had to eat my words. Not all of the items on the Northern menu are available all the time (especially when the restaurant is busy). The prep times on some of items are quite long. But from my point of view, the longer the wait, the more time to build up the appetite. The problem with the jerky and wings is again, very big portions. But the jerky travels well, and my guess is that even when diminished by time, the wings would be fun to eat as leftovers. Tue May 22 00:40:42 -0700 2001 513732 0 Dave Feldman 5 513734 "Have you eaten the salmon penang at Lotus?" Yep, I have, Dave. And it's excellent. I agree that, like most of the things Saipin prepares, it sets the standard for the dish. But, as good as it is--and I've yet to have anything "bad" out of Saipin's kitchen--if put to a choice between the two, I prefer the spicier, more rustic, albeit less elegant, flavors of the charbroiled catfish. Does this mean that when I eat at Lotus of Siam I don't order the salmon penang? Absolutely not. I do, absolutely, order it, and enjoy the hell out of it. The salmon penang, by the way, is well complimented by a bottle of German riesling spatlese or auslese, which the restaurant now has available. I'm sure that most people do not appreciate what extraordinary lengths the Chutimas go to in striving for the highest quality of food. Another reason that some dishes are not available at times is that Bill drives from Las Vegas to Los Angeles a couple of times a week just to pick up authentic, fresh Thai ingredients that are not available in Las Vegas. And even so, if the supplies available in Los Angeles do not meet his high standards, he doesn't buy them. This explains why Bill is not always available at the restaurant, and why some dishes may also not be available. Tue May 22 02:14:29 -0700 2001 513733 0 Tom Armitage 6 513735 actually i think i'll only have one chance to go to LoS on this visit. have one more question, is it possibly within walking distance of the flamingo hilton (which is where i will be staying at) and if cab ride is needed are we talking about a short or long one. and if anyone knows for sure if it's open for lunch on sat. or sun. i'd really appreciate it. Tue May 22 02:23:34 -0700 2001 513734 0 kevin 7 513737 Kevin, It would be quite a hike from the Flamingo to LOS, I"m afraid. Would probably be a 5-10 minute drive without bad traffic -- if you get a cab, skip the strip and go via Paradise Rd. north. Tue May 22 03:05:17 -0700 2001 513735 0 Dave Feldman 8 513742 i read a couple of previous posts and it mentioned some type of special giant prawns in a butter sauce or was it a coconut milk curry sauce. well, anyways, is this dish almost as good as the whole catfish and smaller than the catfish so that i will be able to try a couple appetizers too without practically popping. also, how much does this prawn dish cost on average? also, won't be in las vegas for a week, but actually around two days over the weekend which is why i want to try the most variety of dishes in one shot. who knows when i'll be back. thanks for the recommendations and all the info. Tue May 22 19:16:56 -0700 2001 513737 0 kevin 9 513743 As I recall, the giant prawns are the most expensive item at the restaurant but, when available, are absolutely divine. Tue May 22 20:04:35 -0700 2001 513742 0 Tom Armitage 9 513745 The giant prawns cost $26.95, I believe, twice the price of the next most expensive dish. I don't think it is IN a butter sauce, but tastes buttery. Bill explained the richness by indicating that these prawns are quite fatty themselves. And although the amount of protein is less than many of the other dishes, the prawns are rich and very filling. No way you can indulge with other dishes if youe at this. Wed May 23 02:37:30 -0700 2001 513742 0 Dave Feldman 7 513738 I agree with Dave, Kevin. It's probably about four miles or more from the Flamingo to Lotus of Siam. The directions are easy enough. Just head north on the strip (Las Vegas Blvd. N.) until you reach E. Sahara Ave, turn right on Sahara until you reach Market St., then turn right on Market Street and you'll find a parking lot in back of the strip mall in which Lotus of Siam is located. However, traffic on the strip is absolutely miserable, so I'd also go with Dave's recommendation to tell your cab driver to go east on E. Flamingo Road (the hotel is on the corner of Las Vegas Blvd. N. and E. Flamingo Rd.) to Paradise Rd., and then north on Paradise Rd. to E. Sahara Ave. You'll save a lot of time and taxi fare. Lotus of Siam didn't used to be open for lunch on Saturdays and Sundays. But I'd call them to check their current hours. The phone number is (702) 735-3033. Have fun. And I'll bet that, being a Chowhound, after that "one meal" you'll find a way to have another, given that you'll be in town for a full week. I took my inlaws there, who have very limited number of things they like to eat and are completely nonadventurous foodwise. In fact, I think this may have been the first Thai restaurant they'd been to. I thought I'd hear nothing but grumbling about the "wierd food," but instead they insisted on returning the very next evening. It's really that good! Tue May 22 03:27:35 -0700 2001 513735 0 Tom Armitage 6 513736 Don't misunderstand me. I prefer the catfish to the salmon, too. But I don't think it's the right dish for a single diner -- portion too big and not enough action for the rice. However, when both the chili sauce and the tamarind sauce are available, all bets are off! Tue May 22 03:03:58 -0700 2001 513734 0 Dave Feldman 4 516814 Anyone been recently? I'm dismayed that half the posts on this subject are objecting to the use of an obscure English word, instead of sticking to the point. Get a life, get a dictionary, get over "adumbrate," and somebody tell me if Lotus of Siam is still any good in 2003. If you would, that would be mellifluous. :) We're in Vegas in two weeks and dearly would love some recent advice about real restaurants rather than English usage. how's Lotus of Siam now? It sounds like a perfect place to hit, but has anyone been recently? Wed May 28 22:33:32 -0700 2003 513732 0 bill pisarra, jr. 4 516815 Anyone been recently? I'm dismayed that half the posts on this subject are objecting to the use of an obscure English word, instead of sticking to the point. Get a life, get a dictionary, get over "adumbrate," and somebody tell me if Lotus of Siam is still any good in 2003. If you would, that would be mellifluous. :) We're in Vegas in two weeks and dearly would love some recent advice about real restaurants rather than English usage. how's Lotus of Siam now? It sounds like a perfect place to hit, but has anyone been recently? Wed May 28 22:34:29 -0700 2003 513732 0 bill pisarra, jr. 5 516817 Bill, I haven't been there this calendar year but I'm going to resolve that problem soon. There have been many posts about LOS on this board (as opposed to the L.A. board) and although not unanimous, the consensus seems very positive. As far as I know, this is the last post about LOS. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/94279#516664 Thu May 29 02:04:03 -0700 2003 516815 0 Dave Feldman 6 516819 Another short, positive recent LOS review. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/94304#516772 Thu May 29 07:20:21 -0700 2003 516817 0 Marty L. 6 516831 I love the rich pork stew from the Northern menu, it hardly seems Thai, but we know that is out. How about the green chili dip (nam prik)? Such a dish is about my favorite Thai item to eat these days. It is just a bunch of plain veggies (you'll have to skip the pork rinds) with a "dip" of green magic. Chili and shrimp paste and a few other things pounded together into the most satisfying thing to put into your mouth. Healthy too! Anything off the grill works great. LOS is the only place I know in the USA that produces the equivilant bbq as in Thailand. Even the satay are pretty special. Rob Fri May 30 06:47:16 -0700 2003 516817 0 Vital Information