Weera Thai (Multiple Locations)

Melinda Sheckells, writer/editor for Offthestrip.com, was introduced to Weera by a vegetarian friend, and likes that it offers lots of options for just about anyone.

“In the vast Las Vegas world of Thai food, there’s a lot of mediocre and only a few good-to-excellent,” Sheckells says. “So this quickly ascended the ranks of both my dine-in and takeout lists. Plus, it’s consistent, which I’ve also found to be a challenge!”

Weera Thai, an outgrowth of a restaurant in Chiang Mai that dates to 1978, is a celebration of Thai street cuisine. The owners define that as “a taste of modern contradictions,” adding, “our restaurant is anything but traditional.”

The menu draws from recipes of Thai grandmothers, merged with modern sensibilities. That plays out in such street-food favorites as Lard Na Ka Pow Kai (ground chicken with noodles in Thai Holy Basil Gravy) and Thai-style stewed duck noodles. Specialties include Yum Pla Tod (fried tilapia with apple salad) and Issan-style dishes such as Larb Plar (ground fish with spices, herbs, lime juice and chili), plus curries, fried rice, noodles and more.