Le Thai
Noodles are the house specialty at this intimate restaurant in the Fremont East district of Downtown. Although most of the dishes are Thai (try the Awesome Noodles; the name isn't hyperbole), others lean more toward Chinese and Japanese influences. Also worth trying: the three-color curry, and the decadent Short Rib Fried Rice. Whatever you order, request "spicy" dishes at your own risk; chefs here spice things up the way they'd like to eat them, not the way you'd like to eat them. The restaurant itself is truly tiny, with only a handful of tables and seating at the bar, but a large patio with pergola covering is complete with misters for summer and heaters for winter. The patio hosts a DJ and serves a late-night menu Thursday through Sunday. (Le Thai's success led to Chef Dan Coughlin opening a sister restaurant, 8 East, inside the new Circa Resort & Casino.)