An adventure of delicious dining at Lao Food Market

There are many Asian countries represented in the local food community such as Vietnam, Thailand, China, and Korean. But how about Lao food? If you’re wanting to try it, I highly recommend visiting Lao Food Market. The southside grocery store also has a kitchen that’s been putting out all sorts of Lao food for years.

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3141 S. Hillside St., Wichita, KS 67216
316-686-4166

Monday – Saturday: 9am – 9pm
Sunday: 9am – 8pm

Cash/Card Accepted
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I’ll be honest, I’m not well-versed in Lao food. Growing up in a primary Vietnamese household, we didn’t branch out too much in other Asian cultures regarding food. Fortunately, who I believed to be the owners were incredibly helpful in talking me through the food and making suggestions. They gave me little tidbits on what makes their food different from something like Thai, which is similar yet different.

Chienta (I probably butchered the spelling of her name) was a joy to speak with. I learned a lot, much of which I’ve forgotten because I’m old, but I plan to return because I need a refresher course on Lao food. She made many recommendations to me and I purchased everything she said.

For my main entree, I had the pork labb. I’ve seen it spelled larb and laab, but their menu had the labb spelling. The minced pork had so much going on. It was spicy, sweet, salty, and sometimes bitter all at once. It had an incredible flavor profile that hit on all your senses. I haven’t had anything like it before. That was paired with some sweet sticky rice along with one of my favorites, papaya salad. It wasn’t as sour as some of the papaya salads I’ve had at Thai restaurants. The Lao version was a blend of sweet and sour.

Up next, I had some beef jerky. This was probably my least liked dish. It all came down to personal preference though, as I found the beef jerky to be very tough, but I wasn’t certain if that was intentional.

I was told their baked eggs were one of the most popular items. It was basically like a hard-boiled egg, but softer in texture and prepared with seasonings to give it a green color. It came with a sweet sauce that made for a delicious combination. Makes me wonder if Dr. Seuss would have enjoyed these green eggs, with ham, of course.

And lastly, my meal ended on a fantastic high note. The griddled cup cakes were like very spongy soft donuts cut in half and layered with coconut and tapioca. They were delicious; I ate them in seconds.

For a video visual, here you go!

@wichitabyeb Do you love Lao food? If so, what do you suggest? I recently checked out a local Lao food market to immerse myself in the food and loved it! #fyp #vlog #laofood #foodies #letseat ♬ Say So (Instrumental Version) [Originally Performed by Doja Cat] – Elliot Van Coup

I intend on going back soon, so expect a revisited review.

Here’s the menu:

Happy Dining,
Eddy

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