On the Streets: Lao Bar and Lanterns in the Rain

There’s a new Laotian restaurant on Capitol Hill called the Lao Bar Restaurant. I noticed it the other day when I was eating at the Kimchi Bistro. I used to live in DC and ate at Thip Khao a couple of times. That got me hooked on Laotian food, so I was eager to give this neighborhood spot a try. I took my XT2, 27mm pancake lens, and 35mm f/2 lens with me. (As usual, the folks at Capitol Hill Seattle beat me to it – here’s their article on Lao Bar Restaurant.)

I like the restaurant’s look and layout. It’s small. I didn’t count the tables, but I think I was sitting in the main dining area. There were 6 other people (3 groups of 2), and I think that was just about capacity for that section. There’s also a small bar area that might have a few more tables.

I ordered the Tamarind Yum Vegetarian dish. I asked the waiter if it would be enough for a meal. He said yes. I think in most cases that would be correct, but I hadn’t eaten much that day. I probably should have added an appetizer. Here’s the description from the menu:

I thought it was delicious, and I’m looking forward to going back. Before I do, though, I need to look into lemongrass, or what I think was lemongrass. Here’s a possibly stupid question – are you meant to take that out or eat around it? One of the ingredients, which I find in a lot of Asian soups, is too fibrous for me. I’m not suggesting that the restaurant left something in they shouldn’t have. Instead, I’m wondering if I’m doing something wrong. Regardless, it’s easy just to eat around that ingredient.

The Lao Bar Restaurant has its work cut out for it. It’s tucked towards the back of Broadway Alley, off street and hard to spot. Tacos Chukis and Kimchi Bistro have defied similar challenges in that space, though. Combined with Americana and Hana, that’s a lot of good food in one convenient location. (On the off chance that anyone visiting Seattle reads this, I recommend including at least one day and night on Capitol Hill into your itinerary.)

Here are a few more photos from the evening’s wandering.