Lac Thai is not the easiest restaurant in town to find, but it's right there in the middle of District 1. Tucked down a small alleyway off Mac Thi Buoi Street, it's worth the extra minute you'll spend looking for it. One of Saigon's hidden treasures, Lac Thai serves excellent Thai food in a truly gorgeous atmosphere. Starting on the second floor, there are low wooden tables, colorful cushions to sit on, and a slanting attic ceiling that gives the room its cozy feeling. Down a spiral staircase are two more floors, walled in exposed brick, hung with paintings and decorated with an elegant flair of The Lost Art, one of Saigon's most popular art and antiques shops, that The Guide has voted “Best Wood Furniture”.
The usual Thai specialties like pad thai, roasted duck curry, tom yum soup and grilled beef salad are all menu mainstays, along with the chef's recommendations, which change monthly. Plenty of salads are also available, some with seafood, beef and fish, others suitable for vegetarians. Other popular dishes include the pineapple fried rice (served in a hollowed-out pineapple), seafood curry in a banana leaf and a whole sea bass with three-flavor sauce.
An excellent wine list, with a dozen bottles each of red and white, pairs well with the spicy food, but if you're more of a beer drinker you'll find that as well. Service is always professional and prompt, but the staff are happy to let you linger over your romantic dinner for two, or business lunch, if that's what you prefer.
The usual Thai specialties like pad thai, roasted duck curry, tom yum soup and grilled beef salad are all menu mainstays, along with the chef's recommendations, which change monthly. Plenty of salads are also available, some with seafood, beef and fish, others suitable for vegetarians. Other popular dishes include the pineapple fried rice (served in a hollowed-out pineapple), seafood curry in a banana leaf and a whole sea bass with three-flavor sauce.
An excellent wine list, with a dozen bottles each of red and white, pairs well with the spicy food, but if you're more of a beer drinker you'll find that as well. Service is always professional and prompt, but the staff are happy to let you linger over your romantic dinner for two, or business lunch, if that's what you prefer.
