Image: Seafood and noodles.
Last Updated: March 2024
Current Status:
Laos in Town is doing food that is both comforting and interesting in a fun spot. It is the kind of place that you wish your neighborhood had where you can hang out regularly, get take-out when the feeling hits, and yet it serves food that is far from standard. The dishes have a sophistication that goes beyond merely leaving a warm feeling. The effect is intentional. As the co-owners explained when the spot opened, they were going for food that was meant to be shared family style and that would accurately capture the details of the Lao dishes that inspired the place.
While the whole fish (currently rockfish) may be the most dramatic presentation, it is suki that stole show on a recent visit. A bowl of thin glass noodles with seafood in a sauce thickened with eggs and broken up with large pieces of Napa cabbage may be the most representative of the combination of hearty, shareable, and careful layering of flavors. As our special correspondent noted, you may wake up the next morning thinking about it.
To start, two salads get the nod, their take on the classic papaya and a crispy rice salad (the standard version includes bits of pork sausage, but can be done vegan). The chive cakes were cubes packed with flavor, a little doughy, and served with a sweet sauce.
The menu is deceptively deep with apps, soups, family style dishes, and a separate list of vegan variations. You can go heavy on beef and pork or light on salads and apps. The charred chicken is one of several dishes marked as not having much spice.
Desserts are equally rolling in options. It starts with three traditional Lao options, but then adds a plate of small French pastries (which could be done as a kind of tea service), and then adds slices from freshly-made cakes.
The owner of the underrated Soi 38 and a chef from the respected Esaan in Virginia (she also did some work at Thip Khao) opened this place a couple years ago in the developing NoMa neighborhood – across the street from the also locally-beloved Indigo. It has a large uncovered area out front for dining outdoors, and the bar opens to both the interior and exterior. You can run into crowds even on an off night. A couple blocks over from NOMA and a short walk north of H Street, it is a place to keep in mind when you are heading that way.
Other Guidance: Gluten free options clearly marked and as mentioned a vegan menu mean this place can accommodate a big group with many demands. It is located at street level, no steps.
Summary:
Cuisine: Other Asian (Lao)
Neighborhood: NoMa
Address: 250 K St NE, Washington, D.C. 20002
Website: https://www.laosintown.com/
Reservations: Request on website.
Other Critics/Voices:
Washington Post: Tom gave a positive 2 stars in before-times review.
Washingtonian: 2019 Cheap Eats
Michelin: Bib Gourmand
Covid-era takeout pics:
