Street smarts come in handy for foodies. You have to know where to look for the best bites. And in an era when seemingly every entity must have an Instagram account to be considered credible, it’s remarkable when a restaurant can attract customers organically, through word of mouth alone.
Laos Thai Street Food draws many Asian customers who are visiting Las Vegas and craving traditional and familiar foods. The menu offers a wide range of appetizers, salads, soups, noodles and curries.
Papaya salad ($12) comes in one of two styles: Lao, which has a darker, stronger fish sauce dressing, and Thai, which includes tomato, Thai eggplant, green beans and carrot shavings. Roasted peanuts and dehydrated shrimp add texture to the dish, which comes with crisp lettuce and cabbage “boats” to help deliver the umami papaya goodness to your mouth. Be cautious, as a typical spice-level five can feel like an eight or nine here.
Thick, crunchy wonton wrappers envelop creamy, crabby goodness inside the crab ragoon ($10). Tom kha soup ($12) comes served in a hot pot of tangy broth, and you can taste the infusion of lemongrass, kefir lime leaves and ginger with coconut milk, hearty mushrooms and a choice of chicken, pork, beef, shrimp or tofu. Yellow curry ($12) includes onion, carrot and potato in a comforting blend of spices, served with jasmine rice.
Other notable menu items include the sweet and savory pineapple fried rice ($13) with raisins, peanuts and green onions, and mango sticky rice ($7) for dessert—easy to find at other spots in town but difficult to get just right.
LAOS THAI STREET FOOD 860 E. Twain Ave. #121, 702-293-3551, laosthaistreetfoodlasvegas.com. Friday-Tuesday, noon-3 p.m. & 5-8:30 p.m.; Thursday, noon-3 p.m. & 4-8:30 p.m.
