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It may be too early to proclaim Weera Thai the second best Thai restaurant in town, but when Lotus of Siam is backed up with customers and cabs of tourists, it is but a short trip west on Sahara to sample Siamese seafood and Issan fare the likes of which aren’t available in most tom yum parlors.

Weera’s dadd deaw (pork jerky) already puts most others to shame, and its Issan ped nom tok (sliced, boneless duck in chile paste and lime juice) would do Saipin Chutima proud. As we’ve mentioned before, they have a way with duck here, and if you’re a fan of roast duck curry with its creamy/hot/tart accents, you will love this kitchen’s fresh roasted version. (At too many other Thai joints, this curry, not to mention the meat, tastes like it’s been sitting around for days). If you’ve never had this curry lover’s delight, you will be immediately smitten by the interplay of sweet, spicy and sour for which this country’s food is so famous.

Fiery fish fans will be fortuitously fond of the spicy sea bass hot pot — big, boneless chunks bubbling in sour fish sauce emitting just the right amount of heat that complements, rather than overwhelms, your finny friend. The spicy trout comes lightly coated and deep-fried, and drizzled with a green apple sauce containing matchstick sliced apples. As perfectly prepared and tasty as we found it, the boniness of the fish is something non-Asians need to be warned about, and probably won’t like.

You will forget all about picking those bones from your teeth as soon as the mango with sticky rice shows up — as carefully prepared and presented as Lotus’ — and, in our book, the only way to end a Thai meal.

At our recent dinner, owner Peter proudly showed us a rough copy of his new menu which segregates the Issan specialties of this place so customers can find them more easily. Bravo Peter! And thanks for listening to ELV! (It took Lotus of Siam almost ten years before they made their award-winning specialties easier to locate the massive menu.)

As we’ve said before, Weera is one of those not-so-common, hole-in-the-wall Asian places that has gone out of its way to make the restaurant clean and comfortable. It’s cooking displays snap and freshness that gets your attention from the first bite and never lets up. It may not have Lotus’ cache, wine list, or hordes of customers, but it deserves to be a lot more crowded than it is.

Only six things (mostly seafood items) on the extensive, multi-page menu are over $10.

WEERA THAI

3839 West Sahara Ave. Suite 9

Las Vegas, NV 89102

702.727.1515