"Open for: Lunch and dinnerPrice range: $$$Long-standing restaurateurs Jason Jiang and Seng Luong used to run the now-shuttered Sabai Sabai, which offered Thai dishes and dabbled in Laotian flavors. At Lao Lao, they reverse the equation, offering unwavering creations from their homeland. Sticky rice, a staple of Laotian cuisine, is served with hallmarks like tum mak hoong (papaya salad), in which tangy crab paste is tossed with green papaya, laotian fish sauce, and a crunchy heap of pork rinds. It also shows up with sakoo yat sai (tapioca dumplings) — squishy, gummy spheres stuffed with minced shiitake mushrooms and peanuts — and with juicy ping gai (Lao barbecue chicken), infused with the infectious energy of lemongrass, galangal, coriander, and chile. Best for: A meal with vegans and vegetarians; Lao Lao Bar has a specialty plant-based menu featuring vegan barbecue pork and vegan drunken noodles." - Tiffany Leigh
