"Chef Seng Luangrath and family garnered acclaim for their Laotian cooking at Columbia Heights’s Thip Khao, and now they’re letting loose at Hanumanh, a fun Shaw newcomer that experiments with tradition. Two must-order starters: an Outback-inspired blooming mushroom and a thinly sliced banana-blossom salad. The compact menu rotates frequently—fresh, funky dishes meant for sharing include vermicelli noodles with fermented fish-pork sauce, steamed Cornish game hens, beef meatballs with sticky rice, and red crab curry. The fiery food here goes hand-in-hand with fruity tiki drinks; try the restaurant’s eponymous cocktail, with banana-flavored Lao-style whisky, brown butter condensed milk, passion fruit, mango, and vanilla." - Adele Chapin