Larb Thai-Isan

"We haven’t found a better Thai restaurant in all of South Florida than Larb Thai-Isan. This narrow, colorful Fort Lauderdale restaurant is making the best versions we’ve ever had of Thai dishes like khao soi, larb, and som tum in an area that’s dense with corporate chain restaurants. Every ingredient in every dish—from each spicy strand of papaya to the tender drumstick that floats in the khao soi—tastes like the perfect form of itself. And it’s also just a pleasure to eat here. Service is friendly, quick, and most tables have a view of the kitchen, where you’ll watch cooks pound, chop, and prepare the most delicious things you’ll find in a 20-mile radius.   " - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo

"We haven’t found a better Thai restaurant in all of South Florida than Fort Lauderdale's Larb Thai-Isan. This narrow, colorful restaurant is making the best versions we’ve ever had of Thai dishes like khao soi, larb, and som tum in an area that’s dense with corporate chain restaurants. Every ingredient in every dish—from each spicy strand of papaya to the tender drumstick that floats in the khao soi—tastes like the perfect form of itself. And it’s also just a pleasure to eat here. Service is friendly and most tables have a view of the kitchen, where you’ll watch cooks pound and chop away. There will probably be a wait, but you can drink beer outside and stare at the Outback Steakhouse across the street to kill time. " - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo, mariana trabanino

"For Northeastern Thai fare, Larb Thai-Isan is the king in Broward County and perhaps well beyond. Highlights include perfectly crispy kra pao with a basil sauce, green papaya salad topped with salted cram (tum pu), and pork spareribs bedazzled in three different tangy sauces." - Jesse Scott

"We haven’t found a better Thai restaurant in all of South Florida than Larb Thai-Isan. This narrow, colorful Fort Lauderdale restaurant is making the best versions we’ve ever had of Thai dishes like khao soi, larb, and som tum in an area that’s dense with corporate chain restaurants. Every ingredient in every dish—from each spicy strand of papaya to the tender drumstick that floats in the khao soi—tastes like the perfect form of itself. And it’s also just a pleasure to eat here. Service is incredibly friendly, quick, and most tables have a view of the kitchen, where you’ll watch cooks pound, chop, and prepare the most delicious things you’ll find in a 20-mile radius. photo credit: Cleveland Jennings Food Rundown photo credit: CLEVELAND JENNINGS / @EATTHECANVASLLC Tum Pu & Pla-Ra There's an entire chunk of the menu dedicated to som tum, and our favorite is this mash-up, which tosses salted crab and fermented fish sauce into the crunchy papaya. If you really want it spicy, don't hesitate to say so. They’ll ask, and if you say medium, you won't get much of a kick. photo credit: CLEVELAND JENNINGS / @EATTHECANVASLLC Larb The larb is tender, flavorful, and (like pretty much everything here) the best version we've had in South Florida. Go for the pork over the chicken. photo credit: CLEVELAND JENNINGS / @EATTHECANVASLLC Khao Soi Every noodle dish on the menu deserves a little noodle-shaped trophy engraved with, like, 400 exclamation points. But even infinity exclamation points doesn’t do the khao soi justice. It’s that rare dish that truly deserves the word perfect. And the chicken leg that juts from the bowl has meat so tender the breeze from the air conditioner could knock it off the bone." - Ryan Pfeffer