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    4.7 (12 reviews)
    ModerateImported Food
    Closed 8:30 am - 6:30 pm

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Love local businesses. Very friendly owners and just enough of everything! I would definitely return for their fresh products!

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    8 years ago

    This store is terrific! Fantastic fresh veggies and cheap. Friendly and helpful cashiers. Delicious hot meals. Can't beat the prices.

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    Review Highlights - Smart Save

    They have great hot food for cheap, and it's better quality and they give you more food than the other Asian stores.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    The Papaya Lady

    The Papaya Lady

    4.8
    (164 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $

    When my sister went to school in Merced, we always made sure to stop by Papaya Lady whenever we're…read morein town. Since she has graduated, I won't be in town anytime soon, but I highly recommend them for some good Thai and Laotian bites if you're ever in Merced! They have a selection of delicious dishes and I have loved everything that I've tried. My go-to orders are the Papaya Salad and Khao Poon. The papaya salad is a must and the spice level was the perfect amount. The Khao Poon is a coconut curry based noodle soup that is so flavorful. I've also come to really enjoy the Nam Khao (Laotian crispy rice salad), each bite is crunchy and absolutely delish. Your Asian comfort food cravings will definitely be satisfied here. Wishing The Papaya Lady continued success!

    I had the Papaya Lady bookmarked for a long time when I finally had the opportunity to try them on…read moremy way home from Merced. Located off on the corner of 16th Street and G (same plaza as Little Caesars), the Papaya Lady is actually tucked away inside a carniceria. The aisles of the market nearly block the counter to this little kitchen. It's the neon sign of "The Papaya Lady" buzzing that guides you to the back. We came in the late afternoon on a Saturday and they were already out of the fried chicken and sticky rice (next time!). We ended up ordering: Papaya Salad (extra spicy) - The little peppers in this gave the dish a nice kick. Super refreshing on a hot day. Nam Khao (crispy rice lettuce wrap with pork skin) - I highly enjoyed this one with all the crunchy textures and flavors. Will 100% get again. Khao Poon (noodle soup) - This broth had a subtle peanut flavor which was delicious. Wished it had more toppings. Nam Vanh (tapioca drink) - My drink seemed to lack the other jellies that I saw in other pictures and only had the lil tapioca balls, sweetener and coconut milk. It felt like it was missing something for sure. The owner is so nice and friendly. I don't know if it's a psychological thing, but every time he acknowledged or spoke to me, he used my name. It just felt automatically more warm and welcoming lol The price per portion is also legit. You get so much for what you pay. Our order kept me and the SO fed for almost 3 days. So nice to have some good Asian food in the Central Valley. Will definitely be back!

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    Still the best Nam Wan around!
    Still the best Nam Wan around!
    The Papaya Lady
    Mmmm...Spicy Papaya Salad!

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    Mmmm...Spicy Papaya Salad!

    Smart Save - importedfood - Updated July 2026

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