Lotus Of Siam Sued By Lotus Of Siam – Sort Of
Well this is confusing. Kind of like the Spiderman pointing at Spiderman meme. But it appears as though Lotus Of Siam sued… itself. The confusing lawsuit is making headlines and…
Lotus Of Siam is a culinary institution in Las Vegas. Well, Lotus Of Siam sued Lotus Of Siam and now all we want to eat is popcorn.
Shawn Tempesta via BMG Las VegasWell this is confusing. Kind of like the Spiderman pointing at Spiderman meme. But it appears as though Lotus Of Siam sued... itself. The confusing lawsuit is making headlines and we are going to try and unpack everything here.
Introducing The Characters Of The Lotus Of Siam Fight
We'll go slow, because it gets confusing. Because lets face it, we've all seen Lotus Of Siam spread from one location on East Sahara that had to temporarily close due to a roof collapse to three locations throughout the valley. We raved about how beautiful Lotus Of Siam at Red Rock is! They are all related right?
Well, sorta.
Saipin and Suchay Chutima (aka the OG's) are the founders of the original location on East Sahara. The one visited by Anthony Bourdain. The one with the highest ratings in the valley. Is it pretty? No. But is it among the best Thai restaurants in America? Easily.
Now introducing their daughter Penny. She, along with a family friend, got permission from her parents (and their company) to allow them to open a secondary location of Lotus Of Siam. That's the one on East Flamingo, taking the place of the former Roy's Restaurant.
Hey, with the original location closed for a while for repairs, why not cater to customers craving their food?
So technically, while the owners are related, the owners of Lotus East Sahara and Lotus East Flamingo are not, indeed, the same. Worth noting, however the reviews have held in there, with the Sahara location (which is still closed 7 years later) stuck at 4.5 stars on Google compared to East Flamingo's 4.3 stars. Not too shabby.
Lotus Of Siam Sued Over What, Exactly?
Their agreement with the daughter was she had permission to use the Lotus Of Siam name for the Flamingo location and if she wanted to open elsewhere she'd need permission again. According to the RJ, that is exactly what she got before getting into business with Lou Abin and Red Rock Resort to open the Summerlin location.
What follows next? The parents holding company for Lotus Of Siam sued over trademark rights, which the parents hold and have granted to the daughter and her two separate companies that operate the two additional locations.
Lou Abin, a former Tao Group employee, says the daughter has kind of vanished, as has the chef that was supposed to work hand in hand with the swanky Red Rock location on menus and the like. He claims the daughter is playing both sides of the coin.
Long story short, this could result in Lotus Of Siam at Red Rock (which has the lowest Google rating at 3.5) losing their trademark license to operate with that name.
All we know is Thanksgiving is going to be awkward in the Chutima residence.
5 Places Locals Go For The Best New York Pizza In Vegas
When it comes to good pizza in Vegas, locals have their choice of different eateries that serve all manner of pizza styles. But when it comes specifically to the best New York pizza in Vegas, you can’t just ask the locals. You have to ask the locals from New York. And that's just what we did.
Asking Locals Where The Best New York Pizza In Vegas Is
We recently turned to our favorite Las Vegas locals app, Nextdoor, to see which restaurant our neighbors thought serve the best New York pizza in Vegas. And boy did we get some tasty insight. Some pizza places had unanimous votes from multiple patrons. Others were mentioned by just one person, but with the promise it really is the best New York pizza in Vegas. And these suggestions coming from people in Vegas who come from the Big Apple.
Before we get into the list, let’s just mention why the type of pizza you’re looking for matters. And what people say is superior about New York style. According to GoldBelly.com, you can spot a New York pizza about a mile away. You’ll know it by the huge crust that’s thin and cut into slices about a foot long.
Ranta Images via Getty Images<sup>This guy knows the right way to eat a piece of New York pizza. He's folding it in half. There's no other way to eat Brooklyn-style pizza, especially in front of a New Yorker!</sup>
The New York pizza is the one you’ll see people folding in half and eating like a taco. An easy thing to do with how big and thin the slices are. Some people who prefer thicker crusts or their pie cut into square pieces will say their pizza is superior to the New York style. But there’s at least one thing you have to admit when it comes to pizza from the Big Apple. It’s a great conversation piece. In fact, those large crusts are meant to bring people together to eat and mingle.
5 Places Locals Go For The Best New York Pizza In Vegas
You can’t argue with food that brings people together. And pretty much any pizza is going to do that because it’s just the ultimate “comfort with friends” food. But if you’re specifically looking for the best New York pizza in Vegas, here are the places locals from the East Coast swear by.
Disclaimer: Vegas locals know there are way too many New York pizza places in town to narrow it down to just five. These are just five places you can try when you're craving that style, where you won't be disappointed.
1. Dom DeMarco’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar
One New York neighbor said this is the absolute best place in Vegas for New York style pizza. In fact, he said eating at Dom DeMarco’s in Vegas is just like being in a pizzeria on the East Coast. Hard to beat that! But we can beat it, because these guys also scored the Gold in "Best of Las Vegas" 2023.
Dom Demarco’s is located at 9785 West Charleston Blvd in the Lakes in Summerlin. They offer online ordering, catering and a happy hour.
2. Anna Marie’s Italian Cuisine
If you want a true New York pizza from a New Yorker, check out Anna Marie’s. The owner is from Brooklyn. As the name says, they serve more than just pizza. They have a variety of Italian dishes made Neapolitan-style. Keep in mind locals say it’s not the cheapest place, but they also say it’s worth the price.
Anna Marie’s offers online ordering, catering, a happy hour, Vegan menu and gluten-free pizza options. They are located at 10170 West Tropicana Avenue on the corner at Hualapai. They’re closed Mondays and open late (til 9 p.m. on school nights and 10 p.m. weekends) the rest of the week.
3. Carmine’s Pizza Kitchen
Locals seem pretty unanimous about how good this place is for Brooklyn-style pizza. They say it’s foldable and that the cheese is the right texture, which is something New Yorkers are picky about when it comes to their pie. Carmine’s fans say this pie is true New York pizza.
Not to be confused with the Carmine’s in the Forum Shoppes, Carmine's Pizza Kitchen is located at Fort Apache and Sunset. They also have locations on Horizon Ridge, American Pacific and Raiders Way. Stop by during lunch and try their pizza by the slice!
4. Brooklyn’s Best
Here's another place that locals from New York say feel like home. Brooklyn's Best is owned by a guy actually from Brooklyn (if you heard his accent, you'd have no doubt) who is committed to making some seriously tasty food. Another "Best of Las Vegas" winner, these guys do more than just pizza. You can also get pasta, salads, wings, sandwiches and more.
Brooklyn's Best has two locations in Vegas. One on Tropicana and Fort Apache and another at Charleston and Industrial Road.
5. Good Pie
If you're in the Arts District in Downtown Vegas, you have to stop by Good Pie. It's a Brooklyn-style pizza shop that was founded by award-winning pizzaiolo Vincent Rotolo. They specialize in Grandma's Pizza and honor old New York traditions when it comes to their food. But these guys are also open to visitors, as they have a Detroit-style option on their menu as well. Gluten-free or Vegan? They've got options for you too.
Good Pie is located at 1212 South Main Street in the Arts District. Open seven days a week at 11 a.m.
