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Restaurant Ratings

The ratings are based mostly on the degree to which the food excites us, and a little on environment, service, and other considerations. I rate restaurants relative to all other restaurants in the New Orleans area. Here's what the stars mean to me:

starstarstarstarstar
Among the best locally.

starstarstarstar
Excellent and ambitious.

starstarstar
Worth crossing town for.

starstar
Recommended.

*
Acceptable.

No star
Unacceptable.

Cost Ratings
Each dollar sign indicates a ten-dollar range, including a normal meal for the restaurant (dinner, if they serve other meals), not including drinks, or tips. So, for example. . .

1$--$5-15
2$--$15-25
3$--$25-35

. . . and so on, with no upper limit. While this scheme may suggest mathematical precision, know that perception of price varies from diner to diner as much as the star ratings do. So consider this an estimate.

All reviews are based entirely on meals I have personally taken at the restaurant and paid for from my own pocket. I don't take free review meals, nor am I reimbursed by anybody for my restaurant expenditures.

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Siamese

Thai.
Metairie: 6601 Veterans Blvd. #29. 504-454-8752. Map.
Lunch and dinner continuously seven days.
Nice Casual
DS MC V
Website

WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY
The longest-operating Thai restaurant in the New Orleans area, Siamese keeps a low profile, largely because you have to know it's there to find it. The restaurant is just another space in a spartan strip mall near the TJ Maxx store on Veterans near I-10. But that's the only offputting aspect. These people cook an enormous menu of very good Thai food, with a bit more variety on the menu than most. A book of photographs of their food comes to the table, to make the point that they put as much effort into producing beautiful platters as they do in making it delicious.

WHY IT'S GOOD
Even if you're an inveterate fan of Thai cooking, you will encounter more than a few dishes here you've never had before. On the other hand, all of the familiar Thai classics are here--but, perhaps, in somewhat different forms than you may be used to. The ingredients are very good, something especially noticeable in the fresh herbs, whole fish, and duck. This is one of the few Thai restaurants still serving mee krob--the first Thai dish to make it big in America.

BACKSTORY
The Wan family--Thai natives--opened Siamese in 1993. It has quietly carried on with few changes ever since, in its well-hidden space in the mall. Like Thai people the world over, they're almost too nice.

DINING ROOM
The starkness of the exterior is not found inside, where the surroundings are not rich but colorful and comfortable.

ESSENTIAL DISHES
Chicken, beef or pork satay (kebabs)
Honey ribs
Mee krob (fried noodles with shrimp and chicken)
Egg rolls
Karee pup (fried chicken dumplings)
Golden wings (stuffed with ground chicken and bean threads)
Kung ka borg (fried wonton-wrapped shrimp with garlic sauce)
War wonton soup
Spicy and sour Thai soups (several varieties)
Kang som seafood curry
Thai salads (several varieties, duck is best)
Silver noodle salad (glass noodles with shrimp, chicken, and mushrooms)
*Stir-fries of various vegetables
*Kang ka ree (a stew with potatoes and green onions)
Chicken on fire (Thai barbecue chicken)
*Thai curries (red, green, panang, musaman)
*Thai fried rice
*Pad Thai (rice noodles with sprouts, egg, and peanuts)
*Pad see you (flat noodles with broccoli)
*Pad kee mow (drunken noodles--flat, spicy)
Steamed or fried whole fish, with a variety of sauces
Muk kung prik (seafood stew in oyster sauce)
Honey duckling
House-made coconut ice cream
*-Denotes available with choice of chicken, shrimp, beef, pork, seafood, or duck

FOR BEST RESULTS
If you're familiar with Thai cooking, make a meal of dishes you've never heard of before. It's easy to do that here. The consistency across the menu makes this unrisky. If you're accustomed to getting mountains of food in Thai restaurants, know that the portions are a bit more restrained here. (So are the prices.)

OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
I'd love to see this restaurant in a more auspicious location, but staying here has kept the prices low even by Thai standards.

FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD
Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter.

SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES

This review was updated with new information on 6/22/2010.

A list of over 350 full, current reviews is here.