The moment I stepped into Laos in Town, I knew I was in for an experience the likes of which I'd never had before. Walking in, I was drawn to the walls adorned with bamboo and trinkets from the restaurant owners' 12 trips to Laos. Fishing baskets from the roof, sake boxes yet to be unpacked, bottles of unopened fish sauce, freshly ground coffee beans, and even a drawing of the Buddha greeted me as I sat down. It was a time machine to 1960s Laos. Before the chaos of an American secret war led by three audacious CIA officers. That was until I looked at the menu; there, you could see the influence of the west on Laos. And that is not a bad thing; it is an adaptation suited for broader pallets and done damn masterfully. It's a humbling experience ordering in a different tongue.
"Can I have the Pla tong- yeah, that crispy rockfish." Nonetheless, the order came. An appetizer to start. Moo ke min or crispy pork belly marinated in crispy garlic. The sauce truly made the dish. It was a far cry from anything I'd tried before, and it complimented the thin slices of meat perfectly. Then crispy spring rolls, crispy calamari, crispy chive cake. Yeah. Everything is crispy here, or at least a lot of it, but no complaints from me. What else can I say about the appetizers other than they're delicious? It was familiar yet done in what I imagine a fashion only Laotians can bring. The light frying on the dishes allows you to appreciate the meat itself. And the vegetable toppings on the calamari are almost better than the calamari itself. Now for the entrees. Although not meant to be shared, I suggest it. Aside from the larger than expected servings, you'll regret not ordering what your partner ordered, and vice versa. The Pla Tong Na (crispy rockfish) was indeed crispy. The peanut sauce pairs perfectly, and you'll be scraping the bone for scraps of meat.
Don't forget to eat the eyeball either. The suki (glass noodles with shrimp squid nabba cabbage and Asian watercress) was perhaps the magnum opus of all I tried. The flavors blend to create a fusion of South Asia. When you've almost swallowed, the intense ginger stalks hidden throughout hit you. Topping off the entrees is the Khao yum gai tod. Stir fry with chicken. Impossible to get wrong, hard to improve upon, yet somehow they did. The chicken was perfectly grilled, the lime added the perfect zest to the dish, and the vegetables were more than backup dancers in this performance.
The dessert menu at Laos in Town is painfully simple, but simplicity is not a bad thing. The menu reflects Laos, and the simplicity goes to show the socio-economic conditions of Laos. How beautiful desserts to satisfy a sweet tooth can come from limited access to ingredients. Sangkaya. An egg custard accompanied with sticky rice and a coconut crème topping. It subverted expectations. A cold egg custard and hot sticky rice. The sweet and salty blend well when you get past the battle between heat and cold in your mouth. The food, in my eyes, is a representation of Laos itself. Blistering hot jungles and cold mountains. Rich and poor. And yes, sweet and salty.
Laos in Town is kind of a bar, all restaurant, and a plane ticket to Laos from the comfort of DC. If you're craving South Asian food but tired of Thai, then Laos in Town is the place for you. 4.7/5
