An old friend moved to my neighborhood a few months back, and we’ve been spending lots of time together. I head over to hang out after work, on weekends and even during my lunch break, since our relationship centers on food. And I can truly say, having Lamaii close by has made my life better.
For those unfamiliar, Lamaii is an upscale Thai restaurant that opened on Spring Mountain in 2019 and recently expanded to Henderson, near the curve where St. Rose Parkway becomes Pecos Road. My love of this food actually dates back much further, to owner Bank Atcharawan’s days operating twin Chinatown powers Chada Thai and Chada Street. Those spots are gone now, but Lamaii scratches my same itch for elevated Thai cuisine, in part because much of the old menus’ best stuff has survived and moved over.
That means I can now get the killer panang duck ($28), loaded crab fried rice ($18) and my favorite papaya salad anywhere ($14), without driving across town. Being close means I can also experiment more, with the super-fresh loui suan (ground pork and herbs wrapped in green leaves and rice paper, $11), the spicy kua gling (ground pork with Southern Thai curry paste, $15) and the complex kao soi (egg noodles and braised beef in Northern Thai curry, $22).
The new Lamaii has an inviting interior, set behind a glass wine wall (the place has a lengthy wine list, like its Chada ancestors) and hung with imported light fixtures. But when the weather cools down, the covered patio, home to several tables and half of the double-sided bar, will be the prime place to gather. Like Chada Street before it, Lamaii works best with a hungry group, so you can pass around plates of ceviche ($15), garlic green beans ($11) and the show-stopping filet mignon steak tartare with chili lime dressing ($25) as you decide what comes next.
But don’t be afraid to do it solo, too. I certainly have, with a beer and a dish or two … or three. Welcome to the neighborhood, Lamaii.
LAMAII 2645 St. Rose Parkway #150, 702-405-0086, lamaiilv.com. Daily, noon-10 p.m.
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