LeDu Thai

From the outside, LeDu Thai is unassuming. The white stucco building sits back from the sidewalk, with an Edison-bulb-strewn patio lighting the way. Inside, this new downtown Phoenix eatery pops, from its vibrant decor to its bold dishes. The name LeDu comes from a Thai word that means “season.” The owners aim to celebrate family recipes using a rotating array of ingredients. The menu includes well-known southern Thai dishes, such as green papaya salad, pad thai and mango sticky rice, as well as less well-tread options. LeDu’s vegetarian riff on larb serves meaty oyster mushrooms in place of ground pork. The mushrooms are the ideal vehicle to take on the dish’s fiery chile-lime dressing. Among larger plates, try LeDu’s rendition of the comforting, zesty northern Thai curry noodle soup kao soi.