Spicy Lao Kitchen
Asian restaurant · San Diego ·
Authentic Lao & Thai recipes, homemade desserts, drinks & JL Jerky
Authentic Lao & Thai recipes, homemade desserts, drinks & JL Jerky
"Finding its footing in Kearny Mesa is this family-owned Southeast Asian restaurant centered around Lao cuisine, with standouts that include lemongrass-studded Lao sausage, Lao-style papaya salad, a crispy rice dish called nam khao, and khao piek sen, a lesser-seen Lao noodle soup. A spice level of five is powerfully, properly Lao spicy but dishes can also be ordered with less heat." - Helen I. Hwang, Candice Woo, Eater Staff
"Among the more fiery dishes at this Southeast Asian restaurant is the milder but still aromatic tom yum chicken wings. Dusted with a seasoning mix that evokes the flavors of the hot and sour soup, the wings are fried to a piping-hot, greaseless crisp. The restaurant dining room is mercifully casual; get these to go or dine in with friends and family." - Eater Staff
"The arrival of Lao cuisine in Kearny Mesa has been a revelation thanks to owners Linda and Joe Lou, who already ran a successful jerky business called JL Jerky’s and stock bags of the habit-forming spiced beef and excellent pork cracklings near the casual restaurant’s register. They cook a menu of Lao specialties, from homemade sausages bursting with flavors of lemongrass and makhrut lime to a fish laab of tuna that tosses cubes of raw fish in a fragrant mix of chili, mint, and toasted rice powder. This spot is a great reminder that thrilling dishes can be found in the most modest of strip-malls." - Candice Woo
"Meals here are fiery, fragrant, and downright fun, with a mix of familiar Thai favorites and less frequently seen Lao dishes; one of the restaurant’s most successful specialties is nam khao, a crispy rice salad. It begins with patties of cooked rice seasoned with coconut and red curry paste and fried until golden, then crumbled and tossed with slightly sour fermented pork sausage, tendrils of pork skin, roasted peanuts, shallots, cilantro, and dried chilies, and is served with lettuce leaf wraps — a seriously addictive starter." - Eater Staff
"I found a just-opened restaurant in the Spectrum Village Shopping Mall delivering Southeast Asian flavors that spotlight traditional Laotian cuisine alongside some Thai dishes. Spicy Lao Kitchen, opened by the owners of JL Jerkys and operated by the Lou family—Linda runs the front of house while Joe cooks—currently operates Monday through Saturday from noon to 8 p.m., with hours set to expand next month. Most dishes can be ordered on a heat scale of one to five (five is properly “Lao spicy” and served with extra fresh Thai chilies); starters include Lao and Thai-style papaya salads, Laotian fish larb made with raw tuna, Lao sausage served with a tomato-and-chili dipping sauce called jeow mak len, and fried chicken wings with tom yum seasoning. Other Lao specialties noted are nam khao, a crispy rice dish with cured pork, shallots, coconut, and peanuts, and khao piek sen, a comforting shredded chicken soup featuring thick noodles, chicken feet, chicken skin, and cubes of pork blood. While tables will offer full-service dining, they plan to facilitate takeout via a cafeteria-style counter, expand the menu, and add beer and wine soon." - Candice Woo