Le Thai

Le Thai was truly a game-changer for downtown Las Vegas, says Esther’s Kitchen chef/owner James Trees.

“Le Thai is not only great, but it was the first restaurant to make an impact on Fremont East,” Trees said. “I love their green curry the most, and anything Dan (chef/owner Dan Coughlin) does as a special is great.”

Coughlin comes to Thai cuisine naturally, through his native-born mother and grandmother. His first Las Vegas restaurant (originally Mix Zone Cafe, now the mostly-takeout Le Thai 2) opened in the Medical District in 2006. Le Thai on Fremont East opened in 2011 as a tiny spot, later enlarged with the enclosure of a rear patio.

Specialties include short rib fried rice, with Coughlin’s famed spicy/sour/salty waterfall sauce. The sauce also stars in the Waterfall Beef starter: sliced meat stir-fried in garlic soy sauce and served with sticky rice (also available as a side). Another signature is 3 Color Curry, which blends Le Thai’s red, yellow and green curries, all of which are available separately with chicken, beef, tofu, pork or shrimp. Those five proteins also come in stir-fried dishes such as spicy eggplant and pad prik king.