A couple weeks ago, I joined some Yelpers at Bangkok Golden for their Lao tastings menu.  I go there pretty often, and I am Lao, so I know what the food is like, but I figured it would be fun to go with people that has never had it. Lao food is not Thai food. Yes its similar..but no, not really. It was really good to be around other adventurous eaters, not afraid to get down and dirty with the food.

Is it weird to start off with the alcohol? Not when it’s BeerLao. The pride of Laos, this beer is easily a lager drinker’s fave. It might be a little difficult to find for casual drinking around here (though I hear some Shopper’s Food Warehouses may carry it), you can definitely quench your thirst with one here.

Started the meal off with Crispy Rice Salad, or as its called in Lao, Nam.

Spicy Lao Sausages, fingers and sticky rice are a must.

Pork neck and papaya salad (spicy).

Fish Curry Noodle Soup

Chicken Larb

Steamed Fish in a banana leaf

Khao Mao, Avocado sticky rice

Having this restaurant accessible makes me really happy, and sad at the same time. A lot of these dishes my mom made for me. Now that she’s not around, I can go there when I am craving something. But also some of these dishes just make me so sad because they remind me of her. Like the steamed fish in banana leaf? I can’t even smell it without tears swelling up in my eyes. One time during chemo, I packed her that with rice. And she was hungry while she was getting her treatment, so I was spooning some out to feed her, but all of a sudden, she was embarrassed by the smell and didn’t want to eat it. It literally broke my heart to see her refuse to eat. My strong mother, who was never ashamed of anything in regards to her culture was this different person when was sick and going through treatment.

So yeah, I guess you could say it’s bittersweet for me. Sorry to go on in a tangent. Definitely check this place out!

Bangkok Golden
6395 Seven Corners Center
Falls Church, VA 22044

Tasting Menu, 7 courses for $25 a person.