Budsi’s Authentic Thai

Budsi’s began as a side hustle run out of a local bar’s kitchen and quickly grew into one of the city’s best Thai restaurants. When the husband and wife team opened their brick-and-mortar locale in the Bywater in 2021, it was greeted with much fanfare. All well-deserved.

Whereas most Thai restaurants in the area are all too willing to customize to local tastes, invariably toning down the spice and leaning on cloyingly sweet sauces, Budsi’s brings to New Orleans the tangible, earthy flavors of Isan, known for its pungent, fermented sauces, balanced with spicy chiles and fresh herbs.

Budsaba, or Budsi, hails from this northeastern heartland of Thai cuisine, and thanks to her no-compromise approach to the cuisine of her home, the food here bridges a perfect gap between familiarity and inventiveness. Menu standouts include the moo nam tok, or “waterfall pork,” which is grilled and served with lime, mint, and toasted rice powder. There’s also an herbaceous mushroom laarb and a puckery, spicy papaya salad made with fermented fish sauce and pickled crabs, alongside the more usual suspects like pad Thai, pad krapao, and khao soi.

Inside, the space is large and welcoming, with wooden tables and roof beams warming up the room, always full with customers. Sitting down here just feels right, with the din of the dining room, the food and its full, vibrant flavors utterly transportive. You can tell Budsi carries her home with her everywhere she goes, and is all too willing to share it with you too.