Lotus of Siam - Sahara Ave. — Restaurant in Winchester

So one quibble, right off the bat, this place is $$ according to yelp, and I feel like it's more like $$ and 1/2 in order to try some of the best stuff they have to offer.

So I know a lot of us are trying to cut back on sugar and soda to be healthier, but if you like fruity soft drinks (like I do) you must try either their Raspberry Soda or their Mango Soda.

I feel like a lot of soft drinks do the Mango thing and it's just slightly sweeter Orange soda or something, but this tastes like the real fruit. Because of that it is in on the SWEET side of things so be prepared for that. I ordered that one and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

However my cousin got the Raspberry (have you ever thought about how that word has P in it?) soda, and that one is so refreshing and light. You still get the great fruit flavor, but it doesn't hit you with the sweetness like the Mango does. Also Lotus of Siam, if you're reading this (you're probably not) don't change the mango. I know I'm emphasizing it's sweetness but the mango flavor is so pure I wouldn't want you turning it down at all.

FOOD

I'm going to emphasize what everybody else is telling you. The $30 garlic prawn and the $30 Crispy Duck Panang are totally worth it. (hence my $$ and a half comment earlier - 30 might not be perfectly accurate but it's up there).

The prawn is a generous portion, enough for 3-4 to share. And it's super tasty, and the way they cook it is so brilliant. I may be noob, but I can't recall the last time that I saw the flesh of the shrimp separated from the shell of the shrimp so expertly. Both the meat of the shrimp AND the shell of the shrimp were fuggin delicious.

The Crispy Duck Panang made me appreciate getting a 9 on the spice. I'm used to spicy food. I could have enjoyed 10. The spice was there but it didn't over power the dish. It was VERY tasty. I would recommend an order of this for two people with hearty appetites or if you're a group of four, order it and know that you're not going to get full off of the crispy duck. Also you don't have to do the Panang. Do some research ahead of time and maybe you'll find a different curry appeals to your pallet more. Just DO do (haha doodoo) DO do the crispy duck.

Khao Soi (i hope I spelled this right) - we got the short rib version and it was quite good. Short rib was melt-in-your-mouth soft. Great flavor. Portion size is okay. It's not very pricey but it gave me the impression that it was meant to be enjoyed solo. It's something I'd strongly consider ordering again, but I'll be prowling other people's reviews for noodles they loved here.

Spicy chicken wings - I mean they're good, especially for less adventurous eaters, but for some reason I chafe at the prospect of paying $11 for 7 wings 1) because of the price and 2) because the menu has so much to offer that I'd rather make a bolder protein choice.

I feel similarly about the pineapple fried rice. It was tasty, and surprisingly had a good amount of spice, but it was a relatively small portion, and it didn't knock my socks off. Instead of ordering the wings and the fried rice, I would have put that money towards another appealing protein. Noodles and steamed rice are carb enough.

The En Tuan got mixed reviews. I mean...basic tip, if you come here with a group of four, go with the hot pot serving size. Besides being the best bang for your buck, the presentation is pretty cool too. Now, I liked the En Tuan but it was very sweet and others complained of it having a medicine-y taste to it. I can appreciate that criticism. It was quite Herb-y, but maybe ask what herbs they use to season it before you order it. Next time I'd like to try one of the Tom Kha's (idk if i spelled that correctly or just made up...

This is our second visit, first visit to the new location on Flamingo. We tried all new things except the garlic prawns which will probably stay on permanent repeat should be be so fortunate to return again. Also, Tom Kha Kai hotpot (beautiful, complex flavor, scrumptious), Mee Krob (basically like a rice crispy treat before it's shaped in a pan, only made with crispy vermicelli, sweet and sour sauce, and shrimp and chicken - try this and tell me I'm wrong!), Salmon Love (off the menu, totally special, the sauce is to die for!), Green Curry (ours was ordered with level 5 spice but served with level spice - despite this it was still good and the person who ordered it in our group said they would order it again, personally, I wouldn't), Shrimp Pork & Chicken Fried Rice (stick with the steamed rice), and Coconut Ice Cream with Sticky Rice. Since reservations are so difficult to come by I asked if we could come back, sit at the bar and order coconut ice cream with sticky rice? Absolutely! The food is fantastic here, it's hard to believe anyone could be disappointed in it. I found the people watching to be nearly as enticing (a retired rocker and his family, beautiful couples, Thai families, people from all over the globe). The service was attentive. We had the only reservation I could get 6 weeks out for the week of Thanksgiving - 9 p.m. on a Tuesday, apparently this is the last seating of the night. At 10 p.m. when we were waiting for that amazing dessert, the staff was vacuuming right next to us - a small disappointment but worth mentioning, I think. Also, one item I remember from the old restaurant is something I read on their menu, they were very proud of the fact that they stayed so busy they were able to provide health insurance for all of their employees, something I truly admired and always remembered. This current visit, when the check was presented, a note was attached to say a 3% tax was added to the bill to provide health insurance to the employees. The note indicated you could ask for that to be removed if you wished. Of course, you'd be asking your server, the very person being provided the benefit. Under the former plan, was the customer ultimately paying for the insurance too? Sure. But somehow this new plan didn't feel so good to us. Maybe it's just us. We didn't ask for it to be removed, it didn't affect our tipping, but it did leave us with rather a negative reaction, a shame after such...

Critically acclaimed Thai eatery in a strip mall. Obviously this is a super popular place, and I’ve been eyeing this spot after seeing Anthony Bourdain eat here. As other people have noted, order off the Northern Thai menu and make a reservation online. Parking is free and available in the lot. Credit cards are accepted, and they’re open for dine-in/takeout during covid (masks a required). Here’s a breakdown of what we ate:

Khao Soi with crispy duck: yes it’s more expensive than the rest of the menu, but it’s well worth it. The sauce is creamy and the noodles are nicely chewy, but the duck is the true standout. I loved how crispy the skin still stayed even after being soaked in the sauce. You must order this.

Northern Larb: another standout dish. It’s spicy and comes with rice (which you should definitely eat to temper down the spiciness).

Nam Prik Noom: I’d describe this as like a Thai salsa verde that you eat with veggies/chicharon. The medium spicy still had all our tongues burning. It’s more of an appetizer than a meal, but a good option for any vegetarians (ignoring the pork rinds of course).

Sai Oua: Honestly, I was a bit disappointed by this. The sausage was dry and has a strong ginger flavor. It came with veggies on the side.

Sticky Rice with Mango: just like the sticky rice you’d get in Thailand, with a wonderfully chewy texture and some crunchy things on the top. The mango was also appropriately ripe.

The restaurant is a lot bigger than it appears from the outside. While there weren’t any outdoor seating options, the tables are spaced far apart and the waiters are all wearing masks. Service seemed a bit stretched thin, but the restaurant seemed constantly bustling, so it’s all good. Overall, I’m glad I had the chance to eat here, as I’m sure many...