Khao Niew Lao Food Cart

A true gem in a sea of southeast Asian eateries in war-torn Portland. Their crispy rice salad is bold, spicy, sour, tangy, and gives the ultimate satisfying crunch. Their homemade chili oil truly elevates the dish and is nothing like the jarred alternatives I've tasted. The owner running the show was incredibly kind and humble. Wish they were here when I was regularly on campus; will visit again.

Authentic and full of flavor. Great prices and great portions. Reminds me of home. The best Lao Ive tried in the pdx area.

If you are looking for authentic Lao food this is the place as I definitely ate at a lot of Lao people’s parties. I ordered the Nam Khao, chicken wings, and Thai iced tea and it was very flavorful and delicious. The owner is real nice and pleasant to talk to. I would highly recommend this place and I can’t wait for the next time on going back.

PSU scored big time to get this place nearby. Went today after the farmers market and got the Papaya Salad, the Laos Dog, and Crispy (crunchy?) Rice, along with a Thai tea to cool off the heat, which was a perfect medium spicy. Don't forget to get the jerky on the side. This was the perfect amount of food for two people, we will definitely be back soon.

Some of the best Lao food I've ever had in the US. prices are great and portions are great as well. I don't care to try any other Lao place in pdx after trying Khao Niew food cart. Flavors are bold and authentic. The chef was even kind enough to give us some samples of his chili oil. 10/10 through and through.

Laotian papaya salad with beef jerky and sticky rice WOW. 10/10. Can’t believe we waited this long to find our new favorite spot. Highly recommend.

This is currently my favorite place to eat on campus. Everything is both affordable and extremely delicious. They have the best sticky rice in Portland, and every single dish on their menu is packed with flavor. The gyoza and the house sauce that comes with it is fantastic, as are the calamari. If you want something sweet, the fried bananas are a guilty pleasure covered in chocolate and powdered sugar that anyone would enjoy. If you are on campus, there is no reason not to go here.

I love Lao food and they had a great selection of traditional Lao dishes. Khao piak sen is my favorite it’s cozy and I love how it reminded me of being in Laos. Nong I think is his name is super kind, friendly and hardworking! Glad to be able to stop on my last day in Portland

A rare 5-Star. I'm a connoisseur of Asian soups, particularly Vietnamese Pho, Chinese Rice Noodle, and Cambodian Pork Noodle. The Khao Piek Sen here is my favorite in the city. Of note, the thick noodles are easy to chew, they don't slide off your spoon. Wonderful overall flavor. And for $10 (April 2024) the price is about $8 less for an equal sized bowl of Pho in Portland. BONUS: their Crispy Rice Salad is probably my favorite salad in the city. Be sure to add tofu or pork for just a little extra, as the oils from mix scrumptiously with the rice. The Lao (Vietnamese?) eggrolls are delicious and a deal. The guy who runs the cart is super cool.

There's nothing negative about this place at all! I could eat here every day and every meal. Delicious food and amazing owner/chef with the heart of gold and kindness like no other. Really amazing food and service. If you want a fun and delicious experience, I promise you won't be disappointed visiting this food truck!

Amazing authentic lao food! We're from Kc and we were looking for some authentic Lao food for lunch and this happens to be the one we stumbled and fell in love with!! We ordered the khao piak and Lao sausage and it was sooo good! The khao piak was just like home made, the broth was such a comfort feeling. The Lao sausage was perfect, reminds me of the aunties making it lol. Make sure you ask for sticky rice to eat with the sausage! The owner told us to go check out his sister's restaurant, Cully Central- so you know what we did? Went straight over there for dinner -- posting my review there! ;) Highly recommended!! The owner was also so sweet and knew what he was doing, great experience!

This was my first time having Lao food and it was delicious! The flavor and seasonings were perfect! The texture of the Sien Hang was delightful! Service was fast and friendly and food was reasonably priced! We came a little after lunch time so our wait was maybe 5-10 minutes from ordering to food being ready!

MUST TRY!!!! On Portland State University. I got lost a couple times looking for this place, but finally on my last try I walked further onto campus and found it tucked in behind a wall alongside other carts. There were signs for it and I totally missed them, so that's my fault. I had the jerky and it was so flavorful. The lao sausage was perfectly spicy and salty. Loved the sauces that came with it too. Service was amazing. 5/5 would recommend.

Lettuce wraps were so good! Also had their friend rice and Thai tea. Everything met expectation and was a really nice way to say goodbye to the 70s weather before Portland got cold. Definitely going to go again when it gets warm and dry but if you live close, it's worth stopping by and taking it on the go.

Solid Laotian cart by PSU. Flavors and spices were on point. Their portion is good as well. Totally go for the Nam Khao. I love the crispy rice texture that go so well with fresh lettuce.

Service was excellent, food was incredibly fresh and the people take great care of the restaurant.

Oh man I'm still thinking about this place days later, I got the nam khao with tofu and a Thai iced tea. The rice and tofu were so crunchy and the lettuce wrap was so refreshing! The only thing that was missing was maybe some sauce, whether it'd be soy sauce based, Mayo/garlic based, was just missing a little creamy something. There might've honestly been some at the truck but I didn't ask so that's on me. Otherwise I'm planning my next visit already!!! as a side note this food truck is located behind PSU in a little parking lot, there are a couple tables here you can eat at if the weather is nice enough. But if it's raining expect to grab your food to go. Bon appetite!

Nice covered area with table to thoroughly enjoy your homemade noodle dish. Amazing #1 chicken noodle bowl with deliciously spiced hearty broth.

Our favorite meal in Portland. I got #1 hearty soup perfect chewy noodles and good chicken white pepper flavor. #3 Laotian sausage and especially sauce that came with it is really amazing and unique!

Amazing food! It was my first time trying it and I was amazed by how flavorful everything was. I highly recommend getting the Nam Khao(crispy rice) you can choose to add pork or tofu. I asked to add the beef jerky that is typically served with papaya salad. The owner was friendly and accommodating I'd give his food and service a 5/5. It's located behind the PSU library and near the field. Definitely coming back when I'm hungry on a study break.

My favorite food cart by far. Owner is very kind and food is phenomenal! I'm making it an effort to try everything on his menu but SO FAR my favorites are the soup(#1), The jerky which was unlike anything I've ever had before(#2) and #3, I forget what it's called but it's a classic Lao dish and just so delicious!

Great food and great owner! Papaya salad with jerky is incredible. The sausage is my next favorite thing. If I'm close to this food truck I always go.

Both the soup and the crispy rice salad with pork are superb! Also have very friendly service.

The food was amazing, I'm a big fan of the Nam Khao and the Khao Piek Sen. The homemade chili oil is a great addition to either.

Congratulations to owner Nong, his food cart just rated #7 of best new food trucks in Portland by The Oregonian: https://oregonlive.com/dining/2022/09/portlands-best-new-food-carts-of-2022.html Personal favorites: Khao Piek and Nam Khao. Comfort Food!

These two guys are very welcoming and friendly. Since this was my plant based eating day I asked them for a recommendation that was vegetarian. #3 with tofu...yes please! What I found was a crunchy / crisp rice mixture with lettuce leaves to wrap the offering. There were also some fried red chiles on the top. This was a treat because when I grew up before rice cookers (yes I am that old) you used a pot on the stove. After the rice was cooked and dished up you were left with a crunchy layer of toasted rice at the bottom. Then if you were lucky you could get a portion of this toasted treat with different flavors added. This transported me back to childhood and satisfied me till dinner. After reading the menu I want to come back and try the fish sauce chicken wings and salt pepper calamari. At $6 and $7, what a deal! Thanks for the eats!

So freaking good! I've only tried a couple of dishes so far, but man, much enjoyment has been had. Tastes so fresh and real. The owner is a really good guy and more than willing to make suggestions and discuss the dishes with you. I'm glad this cart in on PSU campus, but I'd be willing to make a trip just to eat here!