Where to Get A Taste of Laos in Rhode Island

Champa serves an incredible array of Thai and Laotian food. Photography by Angel Tucker

CHAMPA

While buzzy James Beard-recognized restaurants Persimmon and Dolores command most of the attention at the intersection of John and Hope streets on Providence’s East Side, don’t sleep on Champa, a tiny eatery with big flavor. Champa is not exactly a secret; regular waits affirm its if-you-know-you-know status. Start with Laotian-style soft spring rolls (naim chao). On cooler days, Tom Yum soup, a tangy hot and sour soup, will satiate your craving for cozy eats with just one slurp. But the must-have dish is Champa’s beef salad. Laab, as it’s called here, is the national dish of Laos. Minced beef absorbs the flavors of fresh herbs and seasonings with roasted rice throughout. Get sticky rice on the side for an authentic experience, and you’ll likely come home with leftovers. 93 Hope St., Providence, 414-7854, richampa.com

HAUS DE LA VIE

In its newly renovated modern industrial space, Haus de la Vie’s name and aesthetic differs greatly from many local Southeast Asian eateries, but flavors here are the real deal. The substantial menu seems to leave no Laotian, Thai or Cambodian dish behind — plus you’ll find wings, fries, bao buns, crispy Brussels sprouts, calamari and more. The restaurant’s “charcuterie platter” is a fresh take on the hot trend, trading prosciutto and salami for an assortment of favorites: nime chow shrimp (Cambodian spring rolls), Lao sausages, lemongrass beef, papaya salad, moo ping (Thai grilled pork skewers), sticky rice and more. 1342 Douglas Ave., Unit 4, North Providence, 537-7180, hausdelavie.com 

PHO ZAP ZAP 

One might mistake Pho Zap Zap for a Del’s Lemonade; its snug Smith Hill storefront sports a perky green and white striped awning. But the restaurant with unmistakable “Bourdain would love this place” vibes feels a world away when the wafting aroma of ginger, garlic and lemongrass greets you. Named for one of its signature dishes, the pho zap zap here is a departure from better-known pho (though they have that, too). You’ll find two types of popular papaya salad here, Thai and Lao, mostly sharing the same main ingredients but the latter with a spicier fermented fish sauce intensity. Aloun Pathammavong, who owns the restaurant with his wife, centers generations-old family recipes on the menu, many of which were favorites of his mother, who was a street food vendor in his native Laos. 389 Smith St., Providence, 563-8507, phozapzap.com

NAM KHONG 

Don’t let the strip mall surrounding dissuade you — Nam Khong is serious about Southeast Asian dishes in South County. The wildly vibrant lao khao soi is an Instagram dream with its bright yellow curry, plus noodles, ground peanuts and a choice of meat. Don’t miss the drunken noodles, a Thai dish made up of extra wide rice noodles, chicken, egg, onion, carrots, green pepper, scallion and holy basil. It earned its Westernized name after gaining a reputation as the go-to dish after a few too many potent potables. (Pad kee mao is the Thai name and be forewarned: The heat levels are no joke). 105 Franklin St., Unit #31, Westerly, 596-0155, namkhongwesterly.com

THAI GARDEN

The debate may rage on how to spell it, but everyone in Rhode Island can agree that Thai Garden in Woonsocket is the place to find larb — the minced meat salad seasoned with lime, fish sauce, chili and herbs that’s the national dish of Laos. This Lao-owned eatery serves up authentic Southeast Asian dishes, from spicy papaya salad to Thai sausages and sticky rice. Not feeling the heat? Milder classics like pad Thai and lad na can appease even the pickiest palates, with a cold glass of Thai iced tea to wash it all down. Add in four types of curry and a bowl of pho with thick-sliced beef and meatballs, and you’ve got a tour of Southeast Asia, minus the backpack. Takeout only. 280 Main St., Woonsocket, 765-7010, thaigardenri.net

THAI LAN XANG

Thai Lan Xang is an unassuming roadside mom-and-pop business on a busy stretch of Plainfield Pike, but loyalists know the restaurant is big on flavor-forward Thai and Laotian dishes. For those new to Southeast Asian cuisine, trade the more commonly ordered pad Thai for the restaurant’s pad see ew (which roughly translated means “stir-fried soy sauce noodles”), a less spicy, sweeter dish with chewy, wide noodles woven amid egg, broccoli, carrots and baby corn in a sweet soy sauce with a just hint of umami. Conversely, the hot basil fried rice seriously brings the heat. Though takeout comprises a majority of Thai Lan Xang’s business, the restaurant has a welcoming dining room with authentic Thai and Laotian decor. 1573 Plainfield Pike, Johnston, 854-7696