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Very friendly service, delicious/authentic food, reasonable prices. I like the lamps inside too - it's a vibe! I came with two friends on Saturday night for dinner around 7. They were able to accommodate us, walk-in, but it was poppin'! Everyone loved their food. Standouts were papaya salad, egg rolls, nam khao, drunken noodles. Wish I could eat more lol to try more but portions were great too. Gotta come back and try more of the menu! I have nothing bad to say besides there's only one bathroom stall per gender. Highly recommend if you're in the area craving Lao/Thai food.
Wow, i heard the rumors but finally got to try this place out!! If you eat around the Bay Area, everybody knows of Bhan Mae Vane! Only took me so long to finally try it out! The inside is busy busy busy! Lots of people like to come by for lunch and it can get pretty loud inside. It's not really big inside, but luckily we were able to grab a table when we came by. Not sure how busy they get at night time, but I came during a Sunday lunch time and was able to be seated and there were plenty of seats. Parking isn't the easiest to find though, it's only street parking from what I could see and not too much of it. I had the chance to try out the Tom Yum, Green Curry, Laab Seen, Mok Pla, Pad Kee Mao, and Lao Sausages. I felt a bit split about the food, i think some dishes were VERY good but a few could have been a bit better flavor wise for the price point. -The Tom yum soup was good but a little on the saltier side, the bowl was sizable emougj for about 5 people with seconds for all. -Green Curry was pretty good! Hot and yummy, I really likes the veggie variety inside -Laab Seen was pretttyy good, i definitely don't think many places have the different beef cuts in the same laab -Mok Pla was very good! I wish there was more vegetable variety, the amount of veggies you get kind of overwhelm the amount of fish you get. It was very good but it can be hard to ratio the meat to veggies -Pad Kee Mao(Drunken Noodles) yummyyyy!! I honestly think this was probably my favorite kf the dishes i got. I think the serving size was smaller than I had hoped for but it tasted really good nonetheless. -Lao Sausages were really packed on the plate!! You get a lot for what you pay for, most places only give you a few pieces and charge you an entree price. I wish there was more tomato sauce (jaew) but the flavor of the sausages were decent, i think they could have been more savory Overall, the food was all great! Alameda has a lot of great food options but even with all those options, Bhan Mae Vane dominates the food list! Even outside of Alameda, it is one of the more popular Thai/Lao places for a reason. The service is good, most of the food came out relatively fast like 10-15 minutes. The Mok Pla took the longest, probably around 30 minutes but not sure if that is standard. Anyways, for the most part I really enjoyed the experience here. I think anyone who is a hardcore Thai/Laotian food fan would be satisfied coming here :)
August 2026 Wow even before they opened there were people waiting outside. On this strip of abandoned and sad restaurants this is a gem. Really good Thai food with good service. Really enjoyed my eggplant calamari and my coworker liked their garlic noodles. FYI: Thai Iced Tea etc is expensive at $6 for a small glass, and there's a list to write your name to check in. Seems like a big place, but they fill up quickly.
For my birthday dinner, I requested Bhan Mae Vane. I had heard wonderful things, and as a fan of Laotian food, I wanted to come with my family to see the hype. We came on a weekday evening, and it was packed! The sound travels here so that it can get really loud and busy. The inside is super casual with seating for large or smaller groups. The service by the staff was good. Our food came out quickly, and everyone was friendly and checked in on us. We ordered the Tom Kha, Nam Khao, Fried Clear Rice Paper Roll Wraps, Pineapple Khao Pad, and Geng Ka Ree. Everything was fabulous! Lots of great flavors and spices. The portion sizes were spot on. My favorite was the Nam Khao and the Fried Clear Rice Paper Roll Wraps. I love the bite-sized and sharing family-style. My companion and family also enjoyed it. If you like Laotian food, Bhan Mae Vane is a must-try in the East Bay! Find them off Webster Street with street and neighborhood parking. I look forward to going back!
My daughter suggested this place that I would be interested as having served in southeast states during the Vietnam war. I love the food over there and I had the advantage of tasting it homemade so when I go to restaurants here I have a little bit more of an educated pallet. The menu is offering quite a few things that I would've liked to have tried, but there will be more visits in the future. So I got my order. I looked at it. The presentation was very nice. Everyone at the table shared with they were eating and I really enjoyed my experience here. I recommend this place to all who appreciate food from this part of the world. I'd like to return here soon.
I dined at Bhan Mae Vane with a group of 8 and had the opportunity to try out a large variety of dishes. Between our group, we got Sakoo, Nam Khao, Fried Clear Rice Roll Wraps, Sai Oua (Lao Sausages), Crispy Pork Belly, Pad Kee Mao, and a large side of Sticky Rice. Of the dishes, the Nam Khao was a standout favorite for me. I loved how crispy and crunchy the fried rice was in the dish. There were so many layers of flavors and textures from the fish sauce, the peanuts, and the fermented sour pork. If there's one dish you must order when you stop by here, it's this one. Another dish I really enjoyed was the Sai Oua; I get this dish whenever I see it at restaurants. Although I've had Lao sausages which were very heavy in lemongrass flavor, the ones here did not have the same flavor profile. Instead, the ones here leaned more towards the spicy side. The crispy pork belly was another standout dish for me. If you enjoy Filipino lechon or Cantonese siu yuk, this is another must-order dish. The pork is well seasoned and has the perfect ratio of lean to fatty parts. Overall, I had wonderfully delicious meal. I would certainly recommend coming as a large group so you're able to order a wide variety of dishes. If you're looking for something to really excite your taste buds, head over to Bhan Mae Vane.
It is a spacious restaurant with a loud atmosphere. The tables are spaced closely together so it feels a little tight, but the high ceilings help. Nam khao - the flavors are nice and doesn't feel too heavy. The fermented pork is light and the peanuts and rice make up a lot of the texture. the rice is crispy, but it is the type of crispy where it sticks together. - pork rinds were fluffy crispy - juicy wings - fresh flavorful sausage - crispy and juicy pork belly Service:3.8 Ambiance:3.5 Food:4.5 The food came out quickly, but the service was slow. They were slow to refill waters.
Do you like the funk? Our server explained to us the Lao version is more funky and fermented, while the Thai version is more mellow. We went with the Lao version. The Thai iced coffee was delicious and strong! As it should be. It did give me the jitters though because I'm a weak sauce. We were a party of ten and I was able to make rezzies via phone for a Friday evening at 6:30pm no problem about a week beforehand. The kiddos ordered à la carte, and five of us adults had the following: - BMV ultimate papaya platter with Lao sausage, angel wings and crispy pork. Crispy pork was legit, papaya salad definitely had that extra funk. The angel wings were crispy and meaty and my friends loved the Lao sausage. One even said "it's like tom yum soup in a sausage". It was very lemongrass forward which is not my thing, but that's my problem. I feel we could have ordered à la carte and that would have been a better deal than $75 for the platter. Some of it was fluff like the cabbage, rice and pork rinds. - Khao soy soup: Fiancé thought it would be creamy and coconut-y like the Thai version but it wasn't. I did enjoy the flat noodles but they were all stuck together. - Pia pla ka pow (fish with basil): Good one. The fish was moist and flavorful. The veggies were al dente and delicious too. - Sakoo: Unique! I enjoyed the chewy mochi exterior and the savory ground pork filling. It needed a sauce. I just used the chili sauce that was on the party platter. - Laab Gai: This fell flat for me. I'm not a huge fan of organs though. - Nam khao fried rice: One of our favorites! The crispy pieces really made this dish. Would definitely order this again. - Mango sticky rice: Served warm. Very sweet mango! - Purple rice with egg custard: Also served warm. This was ok. - Side of rice: HUGE serving! Unfortunately it was clumpy and hard, which means old. Street parking only. Get the nam khao and mango sticky rice!
I've been on a tear lately. I've been finding really good eats. This is only my 2nd-3rd time eating Laotian food so I'm still getting used to it. I like how this place also serves Thai. Here's my take and my favorites: Food (5 stars) + Laos sausage is excellent. It has a hint of sweetness and lots of interesting spices that I cannot make out. Herby in a good way. + Nam Khao is a crispy coconut rice dish. It takes some getting used to as I was just meh the first time having it, but I'm loving it now. I likened this dish to a coconut fried rice with bits of meat. + Chicken curry is a typical Thai dish. I love how it stays piping hot even at the end of our meal. ~ Chicken wings are standard here. I can skip it next time. ~ Seen Lod is a dried beef dish that I thought was just mid. ~ Larb is a Thai salad with lots of meat. It has a hint of sour flavors likely from fish sauce and lime. It's OK for my buds, but not a favorite. Service/Ambiance (4+ stars) + We were a party of 6 and we were seated promptly on a Sunday evening + Storefront is welcoming with its bright double doors with contrasting gray walls + No problem parking in the back since the spa next door is already closed by dinner time
My favorite dish when I go back home is khao piak so I had to try it here. Broth was flavored well, but it did not have too much noodles with chicken slices. It was mainly all soup. Thai iced coffee tasted similar to Vietnamese iced coffee. The crispy pork belly was yums and I usually have it with sticky rice and Thai chili pepper. Loved that they had a Thai chili pepper mixed fish sauce option. Parking is street parking so a little difficult. No wifi and clean bathroom that looks like a stock room. Will be back to try saku sai moo :) Thanks!
Previously a Chinese restaurant, now serves dishes with options in Laotian or Thai style. The food was delicious and portions hearty. Food came out quick too! On the main drag in Alameda.
Really enjoyed the well-executed and authentic food here! The portions are also so huge! 10/10: green curry 10/10: crispy rice entree Would definitely come back to try the rest of their entrees and appetizers. Everything looks delicious.
Good food, nice place, and very fast service! The place is nice and spacious too. It is good for groups, I saw multiple large groups.
1 year ago
We visited BMV on a Saturday evening for a casual dinner date night. Thai is my favorite cuisine, but with being a vegetarian come some restrictions with how food is prepared and can be made equally tasty, so we were nervous. But to my surprise, everything was just right. The flavors, spices, consistency and taste - excellent! We ordered spicy fried rice, pad kee mao, egg rolls and string beans and tofu and they were all great! Service was slightly busy, but we were attended with a big smile, always. Such great ambience, and I LOVE the YELLOW door! read more
It's worth dying for! I braved the notorious Oakland traffic to get to this Laotian restaurant tucked away on the street of Alamada. Upon entering the restaurant, I'm met with a modern interior filled with traditional Laotian decor. The servers greeted us kindly and set us down at our table, taking care of our needs immediately. We ordered the Bmv Ultimate Papaya Platter, and it was amazing!!! I mean look at the photo down below. We got the Lao-style papaya salad along with the crispy pork belly, angel wings, and Lao sausages (with sticky rice of course). For $70, the portions we got were so massive. The three of us were not able to finish it and had to take it home, so I would say this platter can easily be shared with four or five people. Easily a five-star dish and, most importantly, a five-star authentic Lao cuisine! read more
11 months ago
Food was really good. My favorite dish was the pad see ew. Super flavorful. Other dishes were good as well. Will definitely come back. read more
Really great fantastic food! We went before the lunch rush hit around 11:30 am on a Sunday and there was no wait and it was fairly empty. By the time 12-1 PM rolled around, most of the tables were filled! I really liked everything we tried. The khao soy noodle soup had good flavor, but I wish it was slightly spicier with more noodles. I liked the acidity of the soup. I tried sakoo for the first time and liked the little lettuce wraps that you can make it into. The tapioca outside was perfectly soft and squishy. It was a great vehicle for the inside pork stuffing. The pineapple khao pad was my favorite dish. I think I could've eaten this all by myself! Rice was fried nicely with a little bit of sweetness and I loved the addition of cashews and raisins. The papaya platter was humongous and is a great way to try a variety of their meats if you have a group 3 to 4 people or larger. We chose the sausage, angel wings, and the barbecue pork ribs and all three were quite good. I would say my favorites were the barbecue pork ribs and the angel wings. The wings were nicely crispy on the outside and the barbecue pork ribs had a good flavor. It wasn't fall off the bone soft but was not dry either. It's been a while since I tried a new cuisine and I can't say I've ever had Laotian food! Definitely would return if in the area! read more
2 years ago
A must try in Alameda for Lao/Thai food! If you come on the weekend during dinner time be prepared to wait at least 30 minutes since it does get busy. Would highly recommend trying the sakoo (tapioca balls filled with pork) and the nam khao (crispy rice with sausage). Both are so delicious especially wrapped in the lettuce. Portions are big so definitely do family style so you can try more of the menu! read more
Just outside of the Bay Bridge and in a little college town in Alameda you'll be find yourself here. The price is large (spacious) with vibrant colors and fast service. Just like the place, the food comes large as well. You'll easily be able to share a plate with 1 or 2 extra people easily, unless you're like me with a huge appetite! I had the pho that came with sliced beef, meatball, and tripe. The broth was light and aromatic which gave me room to add in all my extra seasonings. The size of this bowl would typically be a large or extra large in other restaurants. The pork belly was a special order which they inform you at the menu that it will take some time to prepare, but make no mistake, it was definitely worth the wait! The pork belly was succulent and savory. The perfect cut of not to thin and not to thick. The marinate gave it an umami boost mixed with the super crispy skin on top, was perfect! Mix it with the chili lime sauce that they provide with it and you've got yourself a party in your mouth! read more
Delicious and very reasonably priced! I thoroughly enjoyed everything I ate here. All of the veggies were noticeably fresh, the food was so flavorful, and the prices were very fair. We also ordered pork belly (not pictured) and it was the crispiest pork belly I've ever had! The staff were all attentive and got our orders out quickly. We went on a Friday and there was lots of people for dinner but not a long wait because there is a lot of seating inside. Would definitely recommend this place. read more
1 year ago
The food and service are great. However, the price is steeper than expected. The rice for curry are charged separately and expensive. One rice bowl is not even enough for the curry. read more
3 months ago
2 years ago
Got togo food this time because we were in a rush but ate dine-in as well and the presentation is so pretty and represents Thai & Lao culture appropriately. My favorite dish is the Aou Nuer + Large sticky rice... it reminds me of my childhood and when I miss hm I go here to eat my mind off things. As a Lao american I feel so proud to eat here and hope I can order my go-to order forever 10/10 read more
This was a TikTok recommendation that we had to try as my partner and I heavily enjoy partaking in Thai cuisine. When we arrived it was 2:18 which is close to their lunch closing of 3pm. They servers didn't rush us but since we got there a bit late there was a sense or urgency to get out order , planning ahead and arriving at a good time is recommended. My partner and I already had an idea of what we wanted to eat so ordering was easy, and the first thing to arrive was the that coffee and tea which were both superb, definitely one of the better Thai iced teas I've had. Next was the clear rice noodle wraps which came in a nicely ordained wooden basket, this was our main dish and it did not disappoint, if you don't mind making your own wraps definitely try this! Next we got our veggieegg rolls which were very hot but once they cooled down it turned out amazing. Lastly we got the pad se ew which was very good but my partner and I are a bit of a tougher critic with the noodle dish and we had better elsewhere. This didn't take away from the quality of the dish which was superb! The ambiance was very well lit, beautiful set up lights but the door did slam loudly so keep in mind with people who have sensitive hearing. Once we were done we weren't rushed out which was nice because there were other tables who had just gotten their food and started eating. Overall we will be back with friends in the future! read more
2 years ago
Food: I would like to start off saying that the fried rice roll wraps were absolutely delicious. I could probably eat 20 of these little things and not feel bad at all. The pork ribs were savory, and my bf and I loved wrapping different pieces of what you see pictured in the long fresh lettuce pieces. I do have to mention that the regular Pad Thai (didn't get a picture of it, sorry y'all) wasn't exactly what I had in mind. The taste was very different than what I'm used to, so it might just be that different Thai restaurants have different takes on it. I've only gone to two other Thai spots in the Valley, and none of them tasted like Tapatío. It was still good, just not the Pad Thai flavor I was expecting. Ambiance: if you're looking for a date night or hanging out with a couple friends at an authentic Thai restaurant, this is a spot to go to to get an amazing bite. I will say you must be aware of portions - they are quite large. I would choose a couple things off the menu and just share with your friends or family. My boyfriend and I went here on a Saturday evening, so it was quite busy, however the service was very quick. I only mentioned how busy it was because it was quite loud due to the echoing walls, and the loud party next to us. Not the restaurants' fault! Just keep in mind if you're sensitive to that kind of thing. Overall, I'd go again, skip the Pad Thai and go full grub on what you see pictured here. And get some egg rolls of course. read more
2 years ago
This place was soooooo good! The service was really great. It was our first time at the restaurant, and we came here for my birthday! We asked for a few recommendations and they listed the items from the specialty menu and the pork belly. First of all the nam khao was a 11/10. It was so amazing! It was crispy due to the rice, crunchy from the peanuts, and also a bit spicy from the chili. We loved the seasoning as well. There were also cured pork bits in the rice, everything combined was so good. It was definitely so tasty. We also got the Tom kha soup! This is definitely a staple. To describe the taste, it tasted like Tom yum soup but with coconut milk. 10/10. There was a lot ingredients, such as mushrooms, onions, and chicken in the soup. They did not skim out! Lastly for the pork belly, it was a bit dry and cold on our end, we liked it but it was hard to chew on since it was dry. However, it was nice that there wasn't too much fat so we were getting a lot of protein from the cut we received. Overall, we gave this a 7/10. Additionally, the restaurant definitely is a spot of a casual or date night event. It's really well decorated inside and has a lot of space. Overall, my experience was a 4.5/5 for the food. Which I rounded up to 5 stars because the service was great! definitely will be coming back again. read more
3 years ago
This is a lonnnng overdue review, but I absolutely need to talk about what I would consider my best meal of 2023! I was out in Alameda with my husband and cousin, and randomly found BMV on Yelp. We didn't really have a specific craving, but once we saw "Lao Food," we were like ABSOLUTELY YES! We were the first in line for dinner service that night. When the owners opened up their doors, we were greeted with a modern yet cozy dining space. A steady flow of people followed in right after us, and we were all seated one by one, until before we knew it, the restaurant seemed to be at max capacity, with so many more in line outside the door. Our mouths were watering from simply reading the menu. They had classic dishes we were familiar with, and plenty of enticing new dishes we were excited to expose our tastebuds to. After a long bout of indecisiveness, we made our final decisions: Sakoo -- A dish my cousin longed for after not having it since living in SoCal. These steamed, meat-filled tapioca dumplings were delicate, flavor-packed, and so texturally satisfying. 10/10. BMV Papaya Platter -- We chose the Thai style papaya salad, Lao sausage, crispy pork belly, and fried chicken wings. Adding the Lao roasted tomato sauce elevated this dish to its most optimal level, bringing sweet, spicy, and pungent savoriness to each protein. Out of this world delicious! 1,000/10 Pad Thai -- My husband's go-to dish. He devoured a good portion to himself while my cousin and I feasted on everything else. 8.5/10. Drinks -- Thai tea, 10/10. Hibiscus iced tea, 7/10. Again, my best meal of 2023. Please come visit if you haven't already! I will definitely be back again soon! read more
3 months ago
2 years ago
This spot is an absolute gem--Laotian comfort food with soul, heart, and a serious flavor punch. We started with the Sai Oua (Lao sausage) and it came out sizzling, packed with herbs and just enough heat. Dip it in the jeow som (spicy lime chili dip) and you're in flavor heaven. The sticky rice comes in those classic little bamboo baskets, and yes--you'll want one per person because you're going to be scooping up everything with it. The real MVP was the khao poon--a coconut curry noodle soup that's rich, warming, and layered with lemongrass, lime, and chili. It's one of those dishes that makes you stop mid-bite just to process how good it is. Also tried the Lao papaya salad, which brings the funk, spice, and crunch in all the right ways. Fair warning: they don't hold back on the spice, so order accordingly (or lean into it and sweat happily like I did). The space is casual, friendly, and feels like you've been welcomed into someone's home kitchen. Service is warm, and they're happy to walk you through the menu if you're not familiar with Lao dishes. Bhan Mae Vane is the kind of place you root for--family-run, full of love, and serving food that tells a story. Can't wait to come back and try more. read more
2 years ago
This restaurant has lovely decor and quick, efficient service. The food is good and prices are reasonable. My partner and I ordered the sakoo, nam kao (crispy rice ball) salad and mok pla (fish with herbs steamed in banana leaves). The sakoo consists of tapioca balls stuffed with ground pork and peanuts. I liked the bouncy texture and how it's served with lettuce, mint and cilantro that you use it wrap it in. The crispy rice ball salad was a nice mix of textures. The mok pla was very aromatic and flavorful. I'd definitely come again and try other dishes as well. read more
2 years ago
This place has been on my radar for a bit now, finally got to try it and it was smackin! The portions are big here so it is great for large groups sharing. We ordered 4 dishes with 2 heads and it was def too much, but we wanted to try a few new things recommend by the super friendly server. Papaya salad, Lao sausage, pineapple friend rice and these stuffed tapioca balls (recommended). Everything was so bomb and the leftovers were still . Will for sure be back to try more dishes and bringing back up (more friends) read more
2 years ago
Generous portions of tasty food that's reasonably priced. Lots of diners on a Wednesday night so rather noisy for conversation read more
7 months ago
Food was authentic with generous portions and presented beautifully. Heard their fish sauce is made in house and you can tell by their amazing Lao papaya salad. Nice, warm ambience. Can't wait to go back to try more dishes. Their service could be more attentive, but maybe they were busy closing for break. read more
First time here coming with friends and parking can be found on the side streets. We got here around 12:30 pm on a Saturday and the place was getting busy. We ordered Thai iced tea and coffee as well as entrees to share: papaya salad, angel wings, pad see ew with pork, appetizer sampler and garlic noodles with chicken. It took awhile for our order to come out, yet alone the drinks but I understand they were busy. Everything came out piping hot, including the papaya salad, which turned out to be a bit spicy for all of us. But everything else was tasty and delish. Good hearty portions to share and I liked the fried tofu on the appetizer sampler and the pad see ew was good! Best to come when it isn't so busy as we came during the lunch hour on a Saturday and it was a bit crazy and noisy. read more
1 year ago
11 months ago
Cute little restaurant! Struggle to get parking since its street parking. Staff was nice and approachable. Food was Delicious. I was there with a group of friends. Everyone order, we all share Nam Kao, Crispy Pork Belly, Sakook, Pad Thai, Pad Kee Mao, Khao Soi, and Kao piek. ( only got some pic of the food) read more
1 year ago
I surprised my BF with this pick since he's obsessed with papaya salad and always raves about Lao style. Street parking was relatively easy to find since it was a Wednesday evening. The area appeared to be very safe despite being in the Bay. We enter into the restaurant and found that every table was occupied, we were excited because we knew that was a great sign. We ordered the Lao papaya salad, Lao sausage and beef larb with sticky rice. We selected medium spice level, which was perfect. Any higher of a spice level I would have not been able to eat. Hands down one of the best meals I have ever had. Everything was absolutely delicious and all elements of salt, acidity and spice were so well balanced. read more
3 years ago
Recently tried out Bhan Mae Vane for the first time and I was very impressed! We opted for their pad see ew with tofu, nam kao (a crispy rice ball salad), Thai style papaya salad, and a Thai iced green tea and not only were the portions beyond generous, everything was also a delightful fusion of textures and flavors. Sure, parking might be a bit of a challenge with only street parking available, but I think it's worth the hassle. If you're in Alameda and craving Laotian/Thai cuisine with huge portions and friendly service, look no further! read more
2 years ago
We came around 6pm on a Saturday and there was a very long line, we waited maybe around 30 -45 minutes before we were able to get a seat. I'd say it's pretty worth the wait! - Crispy pork belly: good, standard, but nothing too mindblowing. I still prefer cantonese-style roast pork over this - Pla Ka Pow: first time trying this and the sauce was so refreshing and tasty! People say it was oversauced but I enjoyed dipping the steamed vegetables in the sauce after. The taste reminds me of Thai green curry. - Nam Khao: plsss get thissss if you come here, this was so yummy. Ask for more lettuce leaves if you run out. the mint ties the flavors together so well. This was my favorite dish. - Bbq short ribs: this was also very nicely marinated, my family loved this dish the most. tender and perfectly seasoned. I'd come back! read more
3 years ago
Celebrated birthday dinner with friends and we had so much fun! Everything we ordered was good but most worth mentioning is the chicken with string beans and fried chicken. We asked permission to bring in our cake and our own desert paper plates and didn't have an issue. It got so busy that it took a while to get second set of drinks. But all servers and staff members were really nice. Place is nice but it can get really loud and super hard to hear each other. Parking is challenging in Alameda. Restroom was well kept and clean which is always a plus. read more
Came on a Sunday night around 6pm, fairly busy but seated quickly for a party of 3. The restaurant is clean and a go to for my family. Food was flavorful, not too salty, and large portions for the price. Quick service as well. read more
4 months ago
8 months ago
Nicely decorated restaurant. Friendly service. We walked by and noticed there were lots of people eating here. Food was decent. Nothing exciting to Yelp about. Food was too salty for me. Definitely needed rice. Everything looked amazing from what we could see on other tables. We ordered: Tom Kha with Chicken - good flavor but I was hoping it would have more veggies than just mushrooms and sliced onions. Pad Thai - flavorful but I've had better Yellow Curry Chicken - Decent. Saucy. Mok Pla - a bit salty and overly sauced. The fish was gummy for being steamed. I was hoping the fish would be light and flaky. read more
My fiancé and I came on a Saturday and struggled a bit with parking since it's only street parking but luckily we stumbled upon a parking space near the farmers market nearby. We arrived around 11:30 AM and we were the first ones at the restaurant and you are welcome by the friendly staff. We opted for the Sakoo, Nam Khao, and Pad Kee Mao with chicken. Sakoo (5/5) I was taken here previously for dinner, and was blown away by the Sakoo so I knew we had to order it again. I would describe it as a mochi with a meat filling with a little bit of crispy bites. It was full of flavor and went perfectly with the lettuce wrap and herbs that the dish came with. Nam Khao (5/5) - this dish was full of flavor, and the rice was perfectly crispy We also wrapped the rice in a lettuce wrap with herbs. PRO TIP: my fiancé and I had quite a bit of leftovers and the next day we decided to wrap the leftover lettuce, herbs rice in a rice paper to make a spring roll. Pad Kee Mao (4/5) - they definitely make the noodles much more saucer than I've had and the flavor isn't the same as other restaurants but I'm curious if it's because they have more of a lao influence? however, I do love the different types of vegetables that came with this dish, such as broccoli, bell peppers, and carrots. Overall, I love to take friends and family here because of their unique dishes. If I were to order two dishes, I would order the Sakoo and Nam Khao. The restaurant is quite big and looks like it'd be great for a get together! read more
1 year ago
Clean place, well lit and nicely decorated. Everything I'd expect from a super celebrated place like this. Food was delicious and staff was very nice. Grew up earing Lao food my entire life & these were the flavors I was used to having. Highly recommended for people who want to impress their date or a guest with them. read more
Met up with our friends who live in Alameda here. It was their recommendation and let me tell you, everything we had totally hit the spot. Cute main entrance with dark grey walls and bright yellow double doors. The place was charming and I loved the assorted chandelier lighting. Clean and pretty modern. We ordered a variety of menu items: fried tofu, pad se ew, fried clear rice paper wraps and the BMV ultimate papaya platter with beef short ribs, crispy pork belly and wings. What a lovely assortment of dishes we had. Everything we had was damnnnnnn good!!! The BMV ultimate papaya platter was BOMB!!! The presentation is so nice and the food was phenomenal. The papaya salad was fresh and spicy and I loved it, the sauce was so good! All the meats were on point. Our tummies were so happy after this meal. I wish we had a spot like this close to us! Soooooo GOOD!!! Highly recommended. Keep doing what you're doing Than Mae Vane. read more
Another update, just to get my Yelp pictures connected. I still can't figure out how to link my pictures without writing an update... We took our best friends here approximately 6 months ago and had a feast, but what happened to those Yelp pictures? Did I not post? Quality/Quantity - Thai Iced Green Tea - Good, my daughter craved this. Sakoo - A family favorite, a must try. We get it whenever we are here. Plus we were entertaining, so again, a must share. Chicken Eggplant, Pad Mak Kuer - Good, trying to eat healthier. The sauce is amazing, took leftovers (like one piece) home. Really, so I could pour it over my rice and have it for another meal, LOL. Pla aka Pla Ka Pow, Fish - Again, trying to eat healthier. And did the same thing, took a few pieces of leftovers home just so I can use the sauce over my rice, LOL. Beef Pad Se Ew - My daughter's favorite, but you would know that if you are following. We get this every time, and I mean EVERY time. Atmosphere - Small local restaurant done well. Open 6 days a week from 11am to 9pm, see picture, Yelp, or website. Huge clean bathrooms. Street metered parking, free if you are willing to walk a few blocks. Service - Got here just in time, right before the rush. After we got seated, they took our order, it was hard to get them to come back. Even just to refill our water. Almost resorted to jumping jacks. Price - $92+ tip. Owner Suggestion - Wishing continued success to sisters, Bebe Lach (Chef-Owner) and Thip Tran (Owner) and the rest of the family. read more
2 years ago
Cute family style place with a lot of seating in Alameda, the place was packed when we got there on a Friday night but we were able to sit our party of 3 quickly within 5 minutes. The food here is really, really good. We ordered the papaya platter with angel wings (sweet chili wings), sausages, and crispy pork belly -- you choose the meats you want; it comes with papaya salad - thai or lao style with more fish sauce - and sticky rice. We also ordered the fried rice rolls. Everything was really solid & super delicious & I'd recommend and reorder the dishes we ordered except our crispy pork belly was a little dry for me. The papaya salad (we ordered Lao style) the platter comes with is great. The papaya platter at around $70 is more than enough for 3 people, and we took home leftovers that fed another 3 people. It's a pretty good deal for coming in with a family. I'm definitely coming back here regularly. read more
This place is pretty busy and loud but they give you a good amount of food. We waited about 10 minutes to be seated. We had the crispy pork, Beef pad Thai, larb, yellow chicken curry. The crispy pork was crispy but hard I think it was a tad over cooked. We would order the chicken yellow curry again and pad Thai out of the four dishes we ordered. read more
I've had my eye on this local spot for awhile due to a few dishes that piqued my interest. I haven't had lao food much and so I was excited to try this place out. I placed an order to go and it was honestly the way to go because there was such a big wait when I went to pick it up! It definitely got me excited that the food should be good though. I ended up ordering sakoo, mok pla, and crispy pork belly. Sakoo has a tapioca exterior, soft and chewy, and is filled with meat and vegetables. Each order comes with 12 balls. I was pretty surprised with how much I liked this. They were pretty small and so I was thinking that there wouldn't be much filling but I was wrong. There's a good ratio of meat and everything combined was delicious. My favorite of the bunch had to be the mok pla, which is fish and curry steamed in banana leaves with vegetables on the side. I had no idea what to expect, especially since it's hard to tell from photos of this dish. But I couldn't stop eating the fish, and boy was it packed. Some places don't give you a lot of fish for $18 but this was definitely worth the price. The fish was perfectly cooked and sauced. And they give you a lot of vegetables to pair with it too. I would say the crispy pork belly was nothing special. The pieces are thin cut and some had a bit too much fat vs meat. The dipping sauce added extra flavor though. All in all, I enjoyed this food quite a bit. I had no issues with ordering to go and everything was packed well. There are so many other dishes that are new to me still, so I hope to come back to try out more! read more
More info about Bhan Mae Vane
1511 Webster St
Alameda, CA 94501
Directions
(510) 227-5197
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https://www.bhanmaevane.com
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Ask the Community - Bhan Mae Vane
Do you accept reservations for lunch?
We only take reservations for groups of 8 or more. Please contact the restaurant for reservations. Thank you.
Is there an outdoor area?
Nope, only indoor seating. It's spacious though and can definitely accommodate groups. Maybe call ahead?
Do you guys have vegan dishes?
How many people does the BMV Papaya Platter serve?
If you’re a big eaters I would assume it will feed 2-3. Average eaters I would say it will serve 4-5 people.
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