Zab Restaurant Sukhumvit 39

I hadn’t been here before, but a friend kept mentioning how crowded it always gets, so I finally gave it a try. Pretty quickly, I understood the appeal: straightforward Isan food that’s done well. The sticky rice was excellent, and the larb was tasty enough to keep me going back for another bite.

At first I thought the crowd might be exaggerated, but nope — it really does get packed. The Isan food is solid, especially the sticky rice, which was soft and not dry at all. The larb had a good amount of flavor and was the sort of dish that disappears fast.

It was busy with mostly local customers, which usually says enough on its own. The food was good, plain and simple. Also, it’s the kind of place that might inspire you to brush up on your Thai a little.

I’d heard about this place for a while because it always seemed packed, and now I get why. The sticky rice was really well done — soft, fluffy, and easy to keep eating. The larb was the standout for me: nicely balanced and full of flavor without going overboard.