text: Alright let us talk Thai I could eat Thai food everyday for every meal I literally cannot get enough of Thai food into my pie hole And I would gladly move to Thailand in a heartbeat if it were not the sauna sweatbox of tropical equator hell where I would look like a tool that had taken a shower in my clothes pretty much whenever I walked outside not pretty So as a consolation I have been terribly fortunate to have the best Thai restaurant in the YOUS right in my own back yard well ten miles away but whatever within the first week of moving here I had my first experience at Lotus of Siam and my world has never been the same since nnAnd what a surprise that here in this archaic mish mash of tired trashy tourist sin reeking of cheap vodka and regret there lies a culinary palace in the most unsavory of places but a landmark nonetheless and ever since it is small cameo on Top Chef the hoards of tourists have increased tenfold making wait times to over an hour at peak times In a rundown shopping center east of the Strip Chef Saipin creates some the loveliest humble yet sophisticated dishes that make up for the lack of ambiencennNow please please do not be disparaged by the desolate location and crappy shopping center facade yes it is dilapidated and no your car will not get jacked many a friend have periodically checked to see if their cars still there no worries the homeless keep an eye out for ya They have even told me I had a brake light out which deserved a buckgood people those cracky addictsnnAs you enter through what I can only imagine is akin to walking through the entryway of a Western Union in Compton you have suddenly matrixed into a crowded tiny vestibule that is indicative of the original size of the restaurant In fact it is recently gone trough an expansion and when you have managed to squeeze past the herd the room on the right is the expansion while directly in front of you is the original dining room And the interior although updated has the exact the same finishes green carpeting dark mahogany wood chair rails brass railings and oddly scaled glass drop chandeliersit is like a time machine into retrowithout the chic which I have grown to absolutely love like visiting grandmas house in the not so nice neighborhood during the HolidaysnnApart from your typical Thai Apps Shrimp Toast Stuffed Chicken Wings The Moo Dad Deaw is an awesome starter akin to a Bar snack item to be eaten with a nice cold beer These succulent juicy tender pieces of pork are the precursor to chicken fingers you can easily pop these suckers one after one in your mouth as a good accompaniment have some Sticky Rice to go with it go ahead wreck your diet you were not serious about those New Years resolutions anywaysnnMy favorite curry dish on the menu which is not you normal curry dish the Braised Short Rib with Penang Curry this luxurious dish has all the depth and richness laid into it is protein not usually paired with Thai cuisine but definitely makes sense The hearty Short Rib goes so well with Penang which is so good Chef Saipin add Cognac into the Curry which elevates it to whole different level I bypass all the other curries cuz I know this one has the best flavor profile out of all of themnnLotus of Siam has made me a Pad See Ew snob ever since that first time I ate here the quality and technique that is executed here is so superb I honestly have to remind myself that it is not supposed to be this good First the Noodles have that perfect texture mochi chewiness but firm enough to achieve maximum noodle satisfaction Combine it with the Egg Beef Broccoli and sweet Soy it is such an addictive dish that is light yet savory with just a hint of Black Pepper to tighten the palatejust yumnnAnother all time favorite of mine Crab Fried Rice The way that Lotus makes this dish is pretty unbelievable the rice is incredibly fluffy with a light infusion of crab broth I love finding morsels of Crab and Egg as if it is a treasure hunt and there is always a big hunk of Tomato wedge that is seems so out of scale with everything else that is on the plate But as I have ordered this dish consecutively on numerous occasions it is become a endearing and integral component that adds acidity to an otherwise aromatic subtle dish It is a mustget item on the menu but be warned it is not an all out powerhouse of strong flavors so you may want to order it as an earlier course before the heavier dishes arrive to your table nnAs dining experiences go it is all over the place except for the food And in the end with moderate prices I cannot really say that anything else affect the fact that Lotus has the best Thai food I have ever had nnRatings Out of Five StarsnFood nAmbience much improved hole in the wallnService they are always so busy it cannot be helped