Chris V.
Yelp
This is where a moon can be a star.
LaMoon is a Thai restaurant with some Japanese dishes and cafe-like beverages and decor. I went with a group of friends, one of whom is Thai and ranks this as one of the best of not the very best in town. We lightly challenged her / requested her to order for us, and the results were stellar.
If that idea isn't meme-y enough for you, they actually have a beverage pronounced Meme ($7). This is similar to a Taiwanese drink and is made with black sugar, milk, and boba. The black sugar syrup was somewhat deficient for the total volume of beverage, and the boba wasn't "mini" as advertised (and tended toward too al dente), but the milk was my salvation from the capsaicin in the meal.
Crispy Catfish with Mango Salad ($24) was the first dish to arrive, and it was a refreshing start given the summer heat. It was sweet and acidic, with perfectly crispy catfish bites. Definitely wouldn't mind having this again.
Grilled Pork Jowl ($12) came next, and it was the lone dish which I strongly suggested in our order. The pork was juicy and tender, while the "spicy fish sauce" was actually more lime-forward than anything. Order it for sure if you like acidic food.
"Flying to the Moon" ($8) is a 4-piece crispy chicken wing, and our table went with the spicy tom yum topping. The chicken is perfectly crispy and juicy, while the tom yum topping is a dry, granulated covering on the outside that was surprisingly intense (but not in a salty way).
Yen Ta Fo ($15) is a noodle soup with soft flat noodles and a mix of chicken, shrimp, and calamari. The broth is more on the subtle side, with an unfamiliar flavor which I suppose may be the red bean which I saw after googling some recipes. I haven't had this before, but I enjoyed it a lot.
Coco Tom Yum ($15) is the more commonly ordered spicy and sour soup, although this one was thankfully a little more mild in both aspects. The coconut was also subtle but very welcome. The shrimp was cooked perfectly here and in the prior soup.
Kang Lamoon ($18) is a spiced beef stew. The beef was tender and the spices were appreciable, but I found it to be a little salty.
Roasted Duck Curry ($26) wasn't so salty, thankfully, and the roasted duck was perfectly tender and rich. The spice was more mild too. If you're gonna splurge on a protein, pick this one.
Pad Se Ew w/ chicken ($15) was a rendition which I was so thankful for after trying some disgraceful versions in Henderson with insufficient sauce and/or the wrong type of broccoli. This one had plenty of dark soy sauce and Chinese broccoli. The chicken may have had a light char, which is perfectly fine with me.
Yellow Chicken Curry ($14) was another delicious curry which we tacked toward the end since we were sharing a lot of the entrees multiple ways. I seemed to miss the potatoes by the time the bowl reached me, but I loved the juicy onion and the broth enough.
Coco Cup ($7), aka Khanom Krok, is a can't-miss dessert (and requires advance notice due to prep time, FYI). It's like a mini crispy coconut tart with creamy coconut milk in the middle. They have varied toppings on top, and while I missed the ones with taro, the corn was fun and the green onion was surprisingly excellent.
Whether it was because of the relatively sparse crowd tonight or for appreciation of a Thai speaker, service was very attentive, with constant water refills. Our chairs were quite comfy. The ambiance was nice too, with fairly quiet French and jazz music disappearing in the background if table conversation is consistently maintained. The lighting in the dining area is nice if you like a dim, intimate environment, but miserable if you're trying to take food photos; I would've probably tried to borrow the brighter tables in the lounge area if I weren't with a large group of hungry folks.
LaMoon definitely punches in the high-end Thai category and holds its own, so come here for a special occasion and expect to enjoy it. I'll have to bring my family and friends here for sure.