Nestled in The Glade shopping center of Johnson City, Zaap Lai Thai and Lao Cuisine has quickly earned a reputation as a must-visit destination for enthusiasts of legitimate Southeast Asian culinary traditions. This compact and cozy eatery seamlessly balances a dual menu of Thai staples and authentic Laotian classics, welcoming local diners and regional travelers into a casual, trendy space defined by its vibrant, deep flavors and incredibly attentive service.
Casual, Cozy, Quiet, Trendy, Restroom, Booth seating, Indoor dining area
Parking
Free parking lot, Free street parking
Payments Accepted
Credit cards, Debit cards, NFC mobile payments
Children & Crowd
Good for kids, High chairs available, Popular for tourists and solo dining
Why Visit? Key Highlights
Uncompromising Culinary Authenticity: Overseen by an owner originally from Laos, the kitchen crafts dishes that stay true to traditional roots, featuring depth of flavor and home-style cooking techniques that draw praise from well-traveled food lovers.
Standout Pho Broth: The restaurant has achieved legendary status for its highly customizable Pho, recognized by patrons as offering some of the most deeply flavored, savory broth found anywhere in the region.
Extensive Celiac-Friendly Customization: A major draw for diners with dietary restrictions is the kitchen’s ability to prepare almost the entire menu gluten-free while strictly preserving the bold seasoning and complex sauces.
The Ultimate Crab Rangoon: Recurring feedback highlights their crab rangoons as a golden, crispy, and exceptionally flavorful appetizer that consistently ranks as a crowd favorite.
Tailored Spice Adjustments: Guests can seamlessly navigate their preferred heat comfort levels using an authentic 1-to-5 spice tier system alongside a dedicated house sauce and spice rack.
Menu and Offerings
Appetizers
Item Name
Description
Chicken Satay (3)
Skewered, marinated grilled chicken
Fresh Spring Rolls (2)
Non-deep-fried rolls packed with lettuce, carrots, and noodles; optional tofu or shrimp add-ons available
Egg Rolls (3)
Deep-fried crispy vegetable rolls served with a light sweet and sour sauce
Deep Fried Tofu
Golden crispy tofu squares
Crab Rangoon (6)
Creamy, seasoned crab filling inside a fried, crispy wonton wrapper
Fried Wonton (6)
Crispy fried wontons filled with seasoned ingredients
Lightly battered and fried fresh seasonal vegetables
Deep Fried Dumplings (6 pc)
Classic savory dumplings served deep-fried or steamed
Lao Authentic & Lao Dishes
All Lao dishes are served alongside traditional sticky rice.
Item Name
Description
Laab (Beef, Pork, Chicken, or Tofu)
Tossed with green onions, onions, cilantro, lime juice, and toasted ground rice powder
Laab Shrimp
Fresh shrimp tossed with onions, cilantro, lime juice, and toasted rice powder
Ping Siin Haeng (Beef Jerky)
Sun-dried beef marinated in garlic, black pepper, and sugar; served with dipping sauce
Ping Siin Moo (Pork BBQ)
Grilled pork marinated with garlic, black pepper, and sugar
Ping Siin (BBQ Beef)
Grilled beef marinated with garlic, black pepper, and sugar
Ping Kai (Half Chicken)
Half chicken marinated with salt, black pepper, lemongrass, and curry
Lao Sausage
Flavorful, seasoned traditional sausage
Naem Khao
Crispy coconut rice salad mixed with peanut, sour pork, lime, cilantro, scallion, and onion; served with lettuce wraps
Papaya Salad
Item Name
Description
Thai Papaya Salad
Shredded green papaya with tomatoes, lime, peanuts, crispy tiny shrimp, green beans, and carrots
Lao Papaya Salad
Shredded green papaya with tomatoes, lime, fermented fish sauce or Padaek, and traditional marinated crab
Thai Soup
Item Name
Description
Pho (Chicken, Pork, or Tofu)
Traditional noodle soup with green onions and cilantro
Pho (Steak or Meatball)
Hearty noodle soup with choice of tender steak or savory meatballs
Pho Veggies
Vegetarian noodle soup with a light, aromatic broth and mixed vegetables
Pho Shrimp
Savory noodle soup topped with tender, perfectly cooked shrimp
Pho Seafood
Clear, rich noodle soup loaded with a variety of fresh seafood options
Tom Kha Kai (Chicken)
Creamy coconut soup infused with onion, cilantro, lemongrass, and mushrooms; served with steamed rice
Tom Yum Goong (Shrimp)
Classic sour and spicy Thai soup with tomato, onion, and mushrooms; served with steamed rice
Tom Zaap Lai Pork
House-special spicy and sour pork soup with tomato, cilantro, basil, and mushrooms; served with steamed rice
Wonton Soup
Comforting clear broth with delicate wontons, bok choy, onion, carrot, and celery
Tom Yum Seafood
Zesty, aromatic spicy and sour seafood soup; served with steamed rice
Thai Curry Dishes
Curry meals are prepared with a choice of vegetable, tofu, chicken, beef, pork, salmon, shrimp, or a mixed seafood combo.
Item Name
Description
Yellow Curry
Creamy curry base simmered with bell pepper, onion, potatoes, and carrots
Red Curry
Vibrant, fragrant curry cooked with bamboo, bell pepper, eggplant, and fresh basil
Green Curry
Spicy and rich herb curry base cooked with bamboo, bell pepper, eggplant, and basil
Pa Nang
Thick, savory curry featuring green beans, bell pepper, zucchini, and basil
Massamun
Savory and slightly sweet curry prepared with potatoes, carrots, onion, and plentiful peanuts
Thai Noodle Dishes
Noodle courses are prepared with a choice of vegetable, tofu, chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, or a mixed seafood combo.
Item Name
Description
Pad Thai
Rice noodles stir-fried with onions, bean sprouts, egg, and crushed peanuts
Pad Seeew
Wide rice noodles stir-fried with egg, broccoli, carrots, and Chinese broccoli
Pad Kee Mow
Spicy drunken noodles tossed with onions, egg, bell pepper, basil, and broccoli
Pad Kai (Chicken)
Stir-fried noodles with chicken, onions, carrots, mushrooms, tomato, egg, and bok choy
Pad Clear Noodle
Delicate glass noodles wok-tossed with onions, carrots, broccoli, tomato, cabbage, and egg
Thai Chow Mein
Classic stir-fried egg noodles with onions, carrots, cabbage, and broccoli
Lard Nad
Wide rice noodles topped with Chinese broccoli, egg, carrots, and broccoli in a thick, savory gravy sauce
Thai Fried Rice
Fried rice variations are prepared with a choice of vegetable, tofu, chicken, beef, pork, salmon, shrimp, or a seafood combo consisting of shrimp, squid, mussel, and scallop.
Item Name
Description
Curry Fried Rice
Wok-tossed with yellow onion, carrots, peas, egg, bell pepper, broccoli, bok choy, coconut milk, and curry powder
Pineapple Fried Rice
Sweet and savory rice fried with onion, peas, carrots, egg, and crunchy cashews
Classic savory stir-fried rice with broccoli, egg, onion, carrots, and Chinese broccoli
Crab Fried Rice
Premium fried rice folded with tender crab meat, egg, peas, onion, carrots, and scallions
Salads
Item Name
Description
Yumnean (Beef)
Savory sliced beef tossed with onion, carrots, cilantro, lime juice, tomatoes, and a sweet-sour lettuce dressing
Yum-Goong (Shrimp)
Plump shrimp combined with green onion, cilantro, lime juice, tomatoes, lettuce, and sweet-sour dressing
Yum-Squid
Tender squid tossed with fresh herbs, lime, tomatoes, and spicy-sour dressing
Yum-Tofu
Crispy tofu squares tossed with onion, cilantro, lime juice, and crisp carrots
Yum-Seafood Mix
A combination of seafood tossed with onions, tomatoes, celery, cilantro, green onion, and sweet-sour dressing
Thai Stir Fried Dishes
Stir-fried items are accompanied by steamed white rice and feature a choice of vegetable, tofu, chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, or a comprehensive seafood combo.
Item Name
Description
Mixed Vegetable
A healthy combination of broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, celery, bell pepper, zucchini, onion, and cabbage
Pad Phet
Spicy stir-fry featuring bamboo, bell pepper, onion, fresh basil, and eggplant
Pad Pek King
Wok-tossed stir-fry with bell pepper, basil, and crisp green beans
Pad Khing
Ginger-forward stir-fry containing fresh onion, bell pepper, and earthy mushrooms
Pad Asparagus
Light stir-fry centering on fresh asparagus spears, onion, bell pepper, carrots, and mushrooms
Pad Katiem (Garlic)
Rich garlic-sauced stir-fry with onion, bell pepper, and carrots
Pad Cashew Nut
Savory dish tossed with onion, bell pepper, carrots, crunchy cashews, and zucchini
Orange Chicken
Crispy chicken pieces tossed in a sweet, vibrant citrus glaze
Pad Kaprow
Traditional holy basil stir-fry featuring bamboo, mushrooms, bell pepper, and basil; option to add a Thai-style fried egg
Desserts and Sides
Item Name (Desserts)
Item Name (Sides)
Mango Sticky Rice (Seasonal)
Broth (Tom Yum, Wonton, or Pho) – Small or Big
Sweet Sticky Rice
Steam Rice / Sticky Rice / Rice Noodle
Roti (Asian Crepe with Nutella or Condensed Milk)
Chow Mein / Chow Mein with Protein
Fried Bananas
Fried Rice / Fried Rice with Protein
(Table continued below)
Pad Siew Side / Sour Pork
(Table continued below)
Steam Veggies / Steam Broccoli
Drinks
Item Name
Description
Thai Tea (No Refill)
Traditional sweet spiced iced tea with cream
Thai Ice Coffee (No Refill)
Rich, sweetened traditional iced coffee
Hot Tea
Choice of brewed Green, Jasmine, or Black tea
Sweet Tea / Unsweet Tea
Classic Southern-style brewed iced tea
Coke Products
Selection of carbonated sodas including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Dr Pepper, Mello Yello, and Barq’s Root Beer
