Laotian food is not something we have a lot of in Orlando. To my knowledge we only have two dining establishments that serve Lao inspired food, this place and Mae Tao and Sons. If you’ve browsed my blog at all you know I eat mostly Asian cuisine, so having a place that caters to the lesser known foods of Southeast Asia is very appealing to me.
Mok Naw Mai Interesting
We started with an off menu specialty item called mok naw mai, the first time I’ve ever tried this dish. It’s a combo of bamboo and pork belly steamed inside a banana leaf. This dish was super flavorful and savory, cooked down a lot. I wish there was more meat since it mostly just tasted like bamboo, which has a bit of a slimy, slippery texture. I feel like this dish would pair well with rice.
Kapoon Nam Gai Good
For my main dish I got the kapoon nam gai, a bowl of vermicelli noodles in a chicken coconut broth. It was herbaceous and flavorful, the kind of dish that’ll make you sweat in the already sweltering Florida sun. The soup was well balanced between meatiness and coconut flavor without the coconut being too overbearing or rich. The herbs added a nice aroma and freshness, and the little ground chicken pieces in it were surprisingly tender, I’m used to ground chicken having a drier texture. This was the best dish I got from Sticky Rice.
Khao Piek Sen
My wife ordered the khao piek sen, a clear broth chicken noodle soup with homemade noodles. The broth is light and soothing, the kind of thing that feels healing to eat if you were under the weather. It’s not ultra flavorful, but the chicken flavor is understated in a good way, and homemade noodles are always a plus. My main complaint is that this dish is kind of plain and tastes like mom’s cooking rather than something you’d pay $16 at a restaurant for. It needs more substance.
Beef Meatball Skewers Skip
This is something I’d skip ordering. It tastes like a more tender, bigger version of the beef balls you’d find in pho. It was very bland on its own, and I don’t think the sweet chili sauce paired well with it. While most of the meatballs were tender, some bites weren’t mixed very well and were chewy like gristle. Overall this dish just needs more flavor, either in the meatballs themselves or in a sauce that can give some boldness.
Final Thoughts
This may be a controversial claim, but this is the kind of restaurant where you shouldn’t tip, or be expected to tip, the usual 20% anymore. We ordered at the counter, got our own water and tissues (just a roll of the brown paper towels you’d find at public schools), and cleaned the table and put away our own dishes ourselves. The only service was them bringing our food to us. I’d say it’s fair to tip a smaller amount here.
As a place that brands itself as street food, the interior seating area is basically big wooden benches and backless stools. This is a very casual place you’d eat and leave rather than sit and chill for a while, not the most comfortable setup for a longer meal.
- ✓Comforting bowls of noodle soups.
- ✗Expensive for should be simple street food.
- ✗Meatballs were bland.
- ✗Real napkins.
Tips for Visiting
- Order the kapoon nam gai the standout dish and the best representation of what this place can do
- Ask about off menu items like the mok naw mai if you want something more unique
- Skip the beef meatball skewers inconsistent texture and not enough flavor to justify ordering
- The khao piek sen is comforting but basic temper your expectations for $16
- Tip smaller than usual since this is a counter service, self-bussing setup
- Come for a quick casual meal not a long sit-down experience given the bench seating
- One of only two Lao options in Orlando so worth trying if you want to expand beyond the usual Southeast Asian staples
