Las Vegas has a number of great Thai joints you can try any day of the week, and if Downtown’s D E Thai Kitchen isn’t on your radar, it should be. Owner and chef Jompon Chotikamars, better known as Boy, was born in Thailand and spent time in both the southern and northern regions, where he learned how to cook different Thai cuisines. The result is a restaurant that harkens back to his family’s roots in more ways than one. (The D and E stand for Chotikamars’ children’s names, for example).
The space itself is small—just under 1,000 square feet—but cute and modern with a black-and-white mural on the north-facing wall. D E’s menu features well-known street foods like larb (typically made with ground pork or chicken, onion, cilantro, mint leaves and chili and rice powder), pad Thai, drunken noodles and more. And while the chicken curry puffs ($7) embrace autumnal flavors (think pumpkin curry), they’re a must any time of the year. Curries include green, red, yellow and panang, and all carry a hefty kick of spice (if your palate is on the milder side, a spice level of one or two is all you need).
Per our waitress’ suggestion, you’d be remiss not to try the chicken or beef kao soi. That northern Thai/Laotian curry noodle soup is made with egg noodles, coconut milk, lime, chili and shallots and topped with crispy pork rind chunks and pickled radish. The chicken version even comes with a whole chicken leg. For $13, it’s easily dinner for two.
D E Thai KITCHEN 1108 S. 3rd St., 702-979-9121. Daily, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
