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| - Would not be surprised if some people's first impression of the existence of a Laotian grocery store in Las Vegas would play out like the following classic conversation from King of the Hill
Hank: So are you Chinese or Japanese?
Khan: No, we are Laotian.
Bill: The ocean? What ocean?
Khan: From Laos, stupid! It's a landlocked country in South East Asia between Vietnam and Thailand, population approximately 4.7 million!
Hank: So are you Chinese or Japanese?
Kahn: D'oh!
There are hole in the walls, and then there are SECRET hole in the walls (the kind you would never stumble across unless you knew it was there), and Laos Asia Market falls under the latter. Located in a strip mall a few miles off The Strip, one finds a strip of counter space in the back end of a mom/pop Asian grocery store serving up homemade Laotian classics stripped free of all pretense and artifice. Had it not been for the menu with the handful of offerings displayed on handwritten poster board and a few benches in front of the counter space, one could easily mistake this as simply a work station for prepared foods and miss out on this little oasis of freshly prepared Laotian cuisine.
With two sweet ladies manning the kitchen and patiently taking down orders, my friend and I felt like we were crashing some Laotian grandma's house for a home-cooked meal.
Green papaya salad comes in two styles, Thai and Lao, the latter being less sweet and sour and more savory and pungent due to heavier emphasis on the fish sauce and less on the lime juice/palm sugar. With crisp yardlong beans, tomatoes, green papaya and peanuts, there is a slow escalation of spice that builds in the mouth due to the chilies but the cool temperature of the dish keeps it in check.
Another notable specialty to get is the Nam Khao. Not sure what that translates to, but I would surmise it would be something along the lines of "party in one's mouth", where the RSVP guest list includes chunks of crispy rice, fermented pork sausage, grated coconut, peanuts, cilantro, green onion, shallots, lime juice, fish sauce, hot chilies, and perhaps a few closely guarded mystery guests (who wouldn't want to host that party?) . Grab a few spoonfuls and wrap them in lettuce, and your mouth will thank you over and over again.
Another solid dish is the Khao Piek Sen (Lao version of chicken noodle soup), and it uses a chewy tapioca udon in a well-simmered chicken stock with crispy shallots, green onion, shredded chicken, and pork blood cubes upon request if you're feeling a little adventurous (having had it in various soups in Asia, it functions more like a morbid form of tofu when it's done properly although I wanted to prepare some of you for the "bloodcurdling" reaction some of you may have if they prompt you on this option).
Having struck up some conversation with a few regulars, I learned that one of the owners relatives used to run Thai Food to Go a few blocks down the street, so solid cooking definitely runs in the family. Observing their orders, it also appears that the larb served with sticky rice, deep fried fish, and the pho (slightly different seasoning in broth compared to the better known Vietnamese version) are on my list of things to try with future visits.
Avoid being trapped between Chinese and Japanese fare. This is an excellent primer on Laotian cuisine in a humble yet hospitable setting providing an authentic medley of flavors straddling between Thai and Vietnamese.
P.S. The store itself also offers some excellent produce, prepackaged sweet confections, and other hard-to-find ingredients for the home cooks.
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