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My girlfriend and I came here for a casual lunch, and casual is a good way to describe this restaurant. We were immediately told after being seated that they "do things differently here." They don't have physical menus, and we were asked to order our own food through their digital website with the QR code on each table. They did tell us we could order with a waiter if we wanted though. We shared the tiger cry steak and the crack belly. The steak was fairly tender with some great flavor. The sauce that came with it was nicely balanced unlike some other ones I've tried that were too sour. The crack belly was a nice portion of crunchy pork belly in a sweet and spicy sauce. The exterior was crunchy, although slightly on the dense side, and the inside was moist and tender with a good amount of fat. Overall, there were some minor nitpicks, and the service style might or might not appeal to some, but the food was fantastically flavorful.
As newcomers to the area, we were craving papaya salad and were excited to find Lao'd District on Yelp. We noticed the restaurant had many positive reviews, but we also came across several comments regarding the service and payment process. After our visit, I can understand why those concerns were mentioned. We were genuinely excited to support a Lao-owned restaurant, and overall, we enjoyed most of the food. Nam Khao (4/5): Crispy, well-presented, and flavorful. I would have liked a bit more pickled pork, but it was still very enjoyable. Chicken Laab (5/5): A favorite for our family wherever we go, and this version did not disappoint. The kids especially enjoyed it. Jerky & Lao Sausage (5/5): Both were delicious and paired well with their accompanying dipping sauces, which really enhanced the flavors. The jerky had a bit more fat than I prefer, but it was still very good. Egg Rolls (5/5): Crispy and exactly what you'd expect from a well-made egg roll. Papaya Salad with Noodles (5/5): This was one of the highlights of the meal. We requested a medium spice level, and they got it just right. We also liked the way the papaya was sliced, and the balance of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors was excellent. Mango Sticky Rice (2/5): Unfortunately, this was the biggest disappointment. It was served in a to-go container even though we were dining in. The sticky rice was cold and firm, and the coconut sauce was quite thin, resulting in a dessert that lacked the texture and richness we were expecting. The restaurant itself is beautifully decorated, and it's great to see a Lao-owned business in the community. Where the experience fell short was the service. Guests are required to pay, including gratuity, before receiving their food. While I understand this may be part of their business model, it sets expectations for attentive service that, unfortunately, we did not experience. Our dishes arrived without serving utensils, we had to request water refills ourselves, and no one checked on our table during the meal. In addition, all of our dishes were placed on one end of the table next to the baby rather than being distributed where they could be easily shared. If the restaurant is aiming for a street food or fast-casual concept, adjusting the dining experience and expectations accordingly might make more sense. However, if gratuity is collected upfront, I believe the level of service should reflect that. The food was generally very good, and I truly wanted to love this place. Unfortunately, the service overshadowed an otherwise enjoyable meal. I hope the restaurant invests in additional staff training because the food deserves it. If the service improves, I would certainly consider giving it another try.
I finally made it to Lao'd District and it did not disappoint! I started with the Lao'd Chicken Skins served with sticky rice. The chicken skins were fresh, crispy, and packed with flavor from the house seasoning. The fried basil and garlic took them to another level and added the perfect crunch. To drink, I ordered the Strawberry Mule Cocktail made with strawberry puree, lime juice, mint, fresh strawberries, and their in-house infused sake. It was refreshing, slightly bubbly, and had just the right balance of sweet and tart. For my entrée, I had the Steak Tiger Cry. The picanha steak was tender, juicy, and cooked beautifully with a flavorful fat cap that really enhanced the dish. The sweet and savory lime sauce paired perfectly with the steak, and the steamed rice soaked up all the goodness. One thing I thought was really cool was the contact-free dining experience. Simply scan the QR code, open a tab, order your food, and pay right from your phone. The staff still checks in to make sure you have everything you need, so you get the convenience of technology without losing the hospitality. Overall, the food was very tasty, the atmosphere was relaxed, and the service model was seamless. I'll definitely be back to try more items on the menu!
The food was good but I was hoping to really love it. The restaurant was clean and was neatly decorated. I wasn't a fan of the ordering through a QR code at the table. I went as a group with the intention of paying on one bill and having to take everyone's order really took away from the experience. I'd come back again for a solo meal or a small meetup.
Overall I would say it was a solid but not exceptional experience. I ordered the papaya salad (spicy), which I did thoroughly enjoy. I will absolutely admit that I am not an expert on papaya salads (this only being the second time I've had one), but it came out slightly more room temperature than I think was best for it. The taste and everything else was superb though and all the vegetables tasted fresh! The spice level was perfect for me specifically, any more spicy and I think I would've struggled eating it, and any less I would have been a bit disappointed. Definitely a lot more manageable than most other south East Asian places, so order based on how you feel like your spice tolerance is typically and you should be fine. I wasn't the biggest fan of the interior or the atmosphere in general (which is a bit ironic since they were straight up playing some of my favorite artists) but that could absolutely just be down to personal preference. Service was great, the person who brought our food was extremely receptive and was on top of refilling our waters, but due to how the restaurant works we only had a brief word with a different server when we sat down about how to order when I really wanted to ask for opinions on what to order and how spicy their dishes were. Overall still a great experience and would probably be down to try out more of their dishes in the future!
Solid food! I did make reservations via google and they had our table ready right when we arrived which was nice. Got the Lao'D Sausage (really flavorful and had a nice snap when you bite into it and came with some sticky rice), Papaya Salad (quite fresh and came with a nice serving of fresh papaya, long beans, tomatoes and other veggies), Nam Khao (crispy rice, loved the crunch and herbs, cured pork it came with) and the Steak Tiger Cry (great sear on the steak itself and enjoyed the marinate it was in and the dipping sauce). The waitresses were attentive and had great customer service. You can scan the QR code and order/pay everything that way its contactless. Plenty of seating indoors. Parking - within the plaza next to meet fresh/Le Kream
... Got some to-go Thai food. My Thai generally surrounds around Tofu fried rice, and a curry rice. This time it was green curry. Green curry has the sprouts, kaffir like greens, and some veggies. They gave red peppers on the side to add for that more spicy kick. Ate the curry with the fried rice instead of the regular jasmine rice, liked that combination a little. Also got the Papaya salad, which is also so typical to Thai restaurants and one of my favorites. Its crunchy and just the right spice. V yummy. Service was fast and good. Restaurant is pretty well maintained.
I came here after seeing a tiktok of their lunch specials which is available from 11am - 3pm. When we sat down our server let us know that ordering was all digital and you could just use your phone but of course I believe they have the option of ordering through them as well. I upgraded the lunch special for $4 or 8 extra dollars (can't exactly remember how much the upgrade was) to get the tiger cry steak and my boyfriend upgraded to get the pork belly for $2 extra dollars. The portion they give you for lunch was amazing! They give you a lot of meat, rice, and papaya salad. I wish the tiger cry steak had more flavor to it because it was kinda plain but the quality of meat was great. My favorite was the crispy pork belly that my boyfriend had ordered though. The flavor was sweet, savory, and juicy. The papaya salad was super addictive to eat. I would definitely come again!
I came here for a late lunch with a few of my co workers. When you enter, you grab a table and there is a QR menu on the table. The QR menu allows parties to pay as one big bill or split based on what they ordered individually via phone. The lunch portion was decent sized . I ordered the lao'd jerky lunch that had a side of papaya salad, cheese roll, and sticky rice. The sticky rice is very dense, the papaya salad had a slight kick to it. The meat was sweet and not too tough. overall, the dish was good. The sticky rice was different. I had had the strawberry lycée drink. It was really good but maybe too much ice. Staff was nice and quick. The food came out very quickly too. There's free parking out front.
Soooo so good. Definitely go here! We got so many dishes and split them amongst a big group so I definitely recommend that so you can try more! My favorites were the crack belly and steak tiger cry. Absolutely do not skip those dishes! The only thing I wouldn't get next time is the curria tacos. They were still really good and made on fresh roti, but I'd just wanna try more next time! Everything came out so fast, and it wasn't busy at all. Super casual but super good. Will be back!
Came in for a quick lunch with some coworkers and was impressed! Well, first off, I'm visiting from SoCal so my standards for southeast Asian food are fairly high. That said, Lao'd District would easily survive and thrive in my hometown. This place has all the flavors of Lao and Thai food and more importantly THE SPICE. We only ordered medium level spice to cater to the table but I could tell the heat was there. We ordered the green curry, pad thai, nam Khao, crispy glazed pork belly, and papaya salad. Whatever glazed they put on that pork belly, they should bottle and sell separately. It was so complimentary to the crispy pork skin without making it become soggy. The pad thai was a perfectly balance of tangy and slightly sweet. Only giving it 4 stars because the papaya salad came out a little salty but I would come back to give it another shot. The restaurant itself was open and inviting. It was noon so not too packed but I can see this place getting full for dinner. Super easy ordering and checkout with the QR code. Staff was quick and attentive. Definitely a spot to try if you're craving Lao and Thai food!
Ambiance -good Order process - scan to order -good and easy- no wait for server and no pressure to order or add order Food 2/10 all 3 dishes taste were off from what we like ( or used to) - too sweet for all 3, food are dry and hard- noodle was sticky and hard, rice was dry, basil chicken was dry. Food temperature was not hot enough either they let it sit for a long time or they premade. Even the fish sauce on the side was sweet. Parking- small very tight and crowded.
On a blustery winter day after a trip to the dentist, I was craving some spicy foods both to warm myself up and reawaken my taste buds. Taking advantage of lunch time timing to avoid the crowds at Bellaire Food Street, Mom and I hit up Lao'd District for some good eats - here's what we tried: Khao Poon - This beautiful curry noodle soup revived me from the first sip - you can imagine it as somewhere on a spectrum between laksa and khao soi, with a focus on the fresh herbs and cabbage crowning the bowl to add texture and zest to the rich, warm soup base. The portion itself was large enough to feed both of us, but YMMV. Nam Khao - This delightfully crispy and savory dish is well balanced here, encompassing nutty morsels of browned rice, salty specks of sausage, and green herbs. Do note that temperature-wise it is more akin to a salad than a fried rice - the the lettuce leaves to wrap up spoonfuls of the rice, then chow down! Papaya salad - A side portion of papaya salad accompanies all lunch specials, balancing heavier meat dishes with much needed fiber and acidity. I loved the sweet, tangy dressing and the sharp crunch of green papaya, though a customization choice to up the spiciness would be nice. Thai Cafe - Similar to cà phê sữa dá, this delectably sweet and highly caffeinated beverage is a smooth yet bold salve to any spice you might encounter during your meal. It also comes with your lunch special! Ordering is quite efficient through the QR code on each table, but don't sleep on the service staff here - we were frequently attended to with drinks, napkins, and to-go containers as we needed. In a city with a glut of great Southeast Asian restaurants, I'm proud of Lao'd for staying true and standing out - I'm already looking forward to my next visit so I can try the khao piak sen, "curria" tacos, and sticky basil fried rice! read more
There's a place in Seattle that serves the best Laos food. I have yet to find a place that serves dishes like that in Houston. I was hoping Lao'd District would, as it's one of very few true Laos places in Houston but I was disappointed to see they didn't have the specifics I was looking for. Their papaya salad was more Thai style than the brown shrimp paste Laos type papaya salad I was looking for - though I know they also have a crab papaya salad. The fried fish was battered and I was looking for a true fried fish with a spicy basil sauce with sticky rice. Now for the dishes I did try - papaya salad was a bit sweet and not my favorite. I was hoping for a more funky shrimp paste Laos style papaya salad, The Khao Poon had amazing flavor, but it was lacking protein! I literally got a bowl of just noodle, greens and soup! The chicken was barely present, maybe just small scraps. I think this dish could use some meat, quail egg, just something! But I would order it again for the flavor of the soup! The chicken soup on the other hand was salty and actual lacked much flavor on its own - the noodles I got for a to-go order was overcooked and stuck together in one piece. It was hard to break up, even in the soup, and ended up being little scraps of noodles afterwards. The chicken was there but just dry. I would like to maybe give dine in a try here.. maybe it'll be a better experience being presented the meal as it's suppose to look, and maybe the khao poon would have more substance played at the restaurant. Overall, I liked it but there's room for improvements! read more
2 years ago
My friend and I tried going to mensho on Sunday for lunch but we didn't realize that they only open for dinner lol. She recommended we go to Lao'd district instead. Ordering here may be confusing but there is a QR code on the table and you order from your phone. We got the tiger cry, red curry, lao'd jerky, and roti canai. I originally wasn't going to get the tiger cry but then I saw that it was a sous vide picanha cut steak. I remembered how good picanha was at Brazilian steakhouses and just had to try it. It was soo soo tender and if you like fatty pieces of meat as well then this is for you. It comes with a sweet and savory like sauce that adds a little tang to the steak. My friend really liked their green curry but they were sold out of it so we got the red curry instead. It was made with bell peppers, coconut milk, onions, Thai basil bamboo shoots, and chicken. It had a good coconut flavor and goes so well with the rice. At first I thought the slice wasn't that bad but then it eventually hit me and was lingering as well. The laod jerky came with jeow bong sauce and sticky rice. The jerky was tender and sweet and savory. The jeow bong sauce didn't taste like what I expected, it is a spicy and sweet tamarind sauce but I didn't think it was that spicy. The roti canai was pretty solid as well. The roti wasn't as flaky as others I've had but it was solid and the house red curry sauce it came with was Soo Soo good, I loved the coconut flavor. read more
2 years ago
I was excited to see a lao restaurant in Houston! However, it wasn't that good. Not like what I grew up on. The server was nice. I did not see any Laos people at all in the restaurant. We shared the Laos chicken noodle soup lacking depth and chicken flavor. The papaya salad was fresh and good. But the Laos sausage so so. I was expecting more and bold flavors like moms. But not here. The ambiance was young and hip. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
Lao'd District is a cute eatery situated in a busy shopping center in Bellaire. It is neighbor to one of my favorite, pop up dessert bars - Pop Fancy! Parking in the shopping center can be pretty horrendous, especially on the weekends so plan to spend a little extra time hunting down a parking spot. Something unique about Lao'd District (that I loved) was their ordering system. Patrons can scan a QR code that allows you to order and pay directly through your phone, which makes splitting bills a breeze! The service was quick and friendly. The food was pretty good. None of these dishes struck me as exceptional, but everything was prepared well and had great flavor. The Pad Thai was good but, honestly, it was nothing special (I've had way better). The steak tiger cry was very flavorful but a little overcooked for my taste. The laab was quite tasty and very fresh - plus the portion size was very generous! Lastly, the roti was incredible - flaky, buttery, soft but with a crisp and served with an amazing curry sauce. YUM! I will definitely order the roti again. Overall, my experience at Lao'd District was a great one, and I would absolutely return! read more
The food was great and the service was quick. I love how the restaurant uses Toast Tab for order input. Customer can just scan the QR on the table and pay for what they order, without having to ask the employee can we split the check. The restaurant was spacious and chill. Highly recommend for this place for group gatherings. My Table Order - Thai Roti Canai: Very Fragrant with coconut, but unfortunately more on the sweeter side. 6/10 - Pad Thai: Basic and could hardly go wrong. 7/10 - Chicken Laab: Delicious, light and refreshing. 9/10 - Steak Tiger Cry: Deliciously cut into nice size slices, but more cooked than I like. Wish it was medium rare, instead of medium. 8/10 Tips for improvement: Serve the Chicken Laab with Shrimp Chips for a 10/10. Overall, I love this place and would come back again soon, if I'm in the area. read more
I had high expectations for this spot due to a high rating on Yelp & Google, unfortunately the food was just okay. It definitely was good enough to finish but I didn't leave satisfied. The service was good & the owner checked on us a few times so that's why I'm giving them a 3 instead of a 2. The ordering system is easy, you scan the QR code, order & pay on there. I don't think we should've given a 20 percent tip but we did. I say that because it wasn't really full service. We decided to order a few items to try out. We got their Thai roti canai, Lao'd Pho, Sticky basil fried rice & Lao'd sausage. I'll start with the roti, it was pretty good. It came out warm. The texture was nice, it was soft & fluffy. The dipping sauce was very boring because the curry flavor was weak. Visually the pho looked good and flavorful but it tasted pretty basic to me, it really lacked in savoriness & richness's. What I can say is that the meat was tendered. The sticky basil fried rice was also okay. The rice came out kind of cold & dry, but flavor wise it was not bad. The sausage was my least favorite, I do think they make their filling in house but it was just alright to me. For $12 I wouldn't order that again. Overall, the food was subpar but the service was good. I will come back another time & try their other items. Maybe there's something on the menu that'll satisfy my taste buds. The decor is nice & the restaurant is clean. I'll give them another chance. read more
The food was really good! I think they cooked the Steak Tiger Cry well and the basil fried rice. I enjoyed the roti canai but I had better before. I thought the sticky basil fried rice was interesting in a good way. It was sweeter than I thought it would be but worked with the dish. The restaurant had QR codes on the tables, and you could order yourself and pay there. So the waiter did not come around to our table as much, which makes sense. read more
3 months ago
This restaurant was surprisingly delicious! The ordering and payment process were so easy. You scan the QR code at the table, order in the clover app, and pay in the Toast app. You can close out your tab or keep it open. It makes it so easy to split checks as well. The jasmine green tea was good but a bit too sweet for my taste. Same with the strawberry lychee mocktail, The Thai roti was warm and flavorful. The cheese rolls were burning hot. They had cabbage and other veggies in them which was unexpected for cheese rolls so I didn't love them. The red curry was one of the best I've had. It was so full of flavor. The crack belly and steak tiger cry were also so good. The morning glory was tasty as well. The drunken noodles were a bit disappointing for me. The beef was not very tender and the noodles weren't as soft as I like. The service here was great. The server was attentive and friendly. There is a nice mural on one side of the restaurant. It's weird that all 4 tv monitors are on one wall. The restaurant is very bright and clean. Will definitely be back again. read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
I finally stopped by for dinner one day after months of bookmarking this spot. This restaurant is located in one of the busier strip malls in Bellaire that I usually like to avoid during peak times but I think this plaza has gotten a little less busy in general. Roti canai: 4/5 soft and pillowy, sauce was solid. Would eat while it's hot Khao piak sen (chicken noodle): 3.5/5 decent chicken noodle soup but nothing that blew me away. I would probably get it again if it's super cold outside Tiger cry steak: 4.5/5 well priced and good portion of steak that was cooked perfectly. Drunken noodles: 4.5/5 very flavorful, no complaints Crack belly: 5/5 the pork belly is sooo good and juicy, reheats well in the air fryer but you probably won't have any leftovers Thai basil steak: 4/5 a solid stir fry dish, meat was tender Thai green tea: 5/5 not too sweet w a good tea taste, not watered down Jackfruit ice cream: 3/5 I don't love durian and it tasted like durian to us Overall, this is a very solid spot for Lao/Thai food. The flavors are great and they have multiple dishes that I really enjoyed as opposed to some places that only have a few good dishes. I have basically enjoyed every dish that I've tried here. They are also priced well and have great service which you can't always find in Bellaire. read more
I've been sleeping on this place y'all... I always drive past here and never thought to try it until now. Very authentic Southeast Asian experience here! The roti canai was what you'd expect, the roti was buttery and flaky while the curry dip was full of flavor. I tried the crispy rice salad (nam khao) for the first time and I quite liked it. It was very limey and fresh. I think if it was crispier it'd be perfect! The crying tiger steak was solid. The steak had a nice sear and was tender. I loved the sour dipping sauce. The papaya salad with raw crab was my favorite. There was a generous amount of crab and sauce. The crab was so tender and sweet while the papaya was spicy and limey! Every dish I had was amazing and I love seeing Lao food being showcased in this area of town! read more
4 months ago
Decided to check this place out after seeing some good reviews and I'm glad I did! I looove thai curry and their red curry ($12) did not disappoint! It hit the spot with the rich flavor, abundance of rice, and the perfect amount of heat (I got medium spicy). The chicken in the red curry was a wee bit bland but honestly I'm here for the curry more than the chicken. We also got the Mekong Wings and they were crispy, had good flavor, and had a good amount of meat on them. I'm always so hesitant to get wings at restaurants because sometimes the wings are tiny, but these met the price expectation ($12). For dessert, we got to try the Thai Tea Flan and it was decent - I think the thai tea flavor could be stronger, but the texture of the flan was great. Smooth and creamy as opposed to more jello-like. Our server, Ricky, was awesome - great energy and informative. Would love to come back sometime and try their other menu items! read more
1 year ago
Food was excellent but ordering can be a little challenging. You're unable to see the list of the dishes until your first order goes through or you put your payment info. Other than that, we enjoyed everything we ordered from Lao'd District. read more
8 months ago
You can order and pay online through the QR code placed on each table. Service was a bit inattentive if you need anything during your meal. But the food definitely made up for it! Food was great! Especially the Tiger Steak so tender and perfectly cooked to medium! Really loved their Drunken Noodles & Lao'd Sausage too!! Chicken wings were really bland though so not recommended. read more
2 years ago
Food and services... are the best . I love most everything I was tried. Specially the Crabs Salad read more
3 years ago
Glad to have this Thai/Lao spot in the hip new Bellaire food street plaza (Parking can be pretty busy and you may have to go to the upper level of garage during the plaza's busier times) Place looks very clean, a more modern décor. QR code menu and pre-paying is an interesting concept, pretty much a self-service experience. I liked the selections of traditional Lao/Thai dishes and the pictures with detailed descriptions on the menu. (you can get anything from the traditional Papaya salad to curry to various noodle/rice dishes) The food came out promptly. Got to try out the Khao Poon (curry) and my friend had the Pad Thai. I thought the curry was decent, very generous portions and doesn't have a strong spice which was fine. It could be a bit more bold in the flavor part but I was happy with it. Ordered a mocktail as well and a overall good experience for my first time. Would love to try some other dishes like the pork belly and Tiger steak next time. read more
Good service. Good, authentic food. Clean. This place is great for when you're craving Laos food. If you look at the photos, you'll see that we tried (almost) everything! First thing I'll say is that if everything I ordered was mild, you better BYOM (bring your own milk) if you opt for spicy! It was the perfect amount of kick for me (non-Laos), but you might want to try it before you feed it to the kiddos! My favorites were probably the Tiger Cry and beef jerky w/ sticky rice, and my least fave was was maybe the fish. I didn't get to try the chicken wings bc we had so much food, but keep in mind these aren't your BW3 sized wings. The noods, sticky basil rice, crack belly... were all delish too. read more
Located in the street food strip on Bellaire, Chinatown. Not much in the way of ambiance. The seating isn't the most comfortable but does the work. Scan to order, pay and tip all at the beginning at your table before you receive the food. So if you don't like something then you can't get a refund or ask to be taken off. Service is prompt, and they come by with regular water refills. We ordered the following: Pad Thai with chicken: opted for medium spicy. Great portions and delicious. Spicy flavour was just right, and the chicken was not overcooked. 5/5 Lao sausage: my favourite Lao sausage in Houston from any Thai restaurant. The lemongrass flavour is fresh, and the sausage wasn't served cold. Comes with Thai sticky rice. 5/5 Tiger cry: the first time we ordered, came out perfect. Medium rare. Seasoning was fantastic and portion was nice. The second time it was medium, and the portion was a little thinner. Flavour was still good. Would request more consistency with this. 4.5/5 Crispy pork belly: delicious flavour, and the crispy texture was great. Pairs well with some steamed rice. Thai basil beef stir fry: it was nothing special. Regular stir fry. 4/5 Chicken noodle soup: great comforting broth. Noodles were al dente. Shredded chicken with crispy shallots and spicy sauce on the side. I'd get this again. 5/5 Roti canai: undercooked roti, and sauce was bland and forgettable. 0/5 Fried chicken wings: would prefer the sauce to be on the side or reduce the amount of sauce used to toss the wings in. Made the wings soggy. 2/5 Crispy fried rice: really hard crispy rice. The ham used in it was sour. After a few spoons it was hurting our mouth. 0/5 Overall, would go back again for the food that we really liked, but quality needs to stay consistent. read more
1 year ago
Horrible!!!! I did NOT receive what I ordered!! I ordered the crab papaya salad, beef pho and drunken noodles. What I got was just a basic papaya salad and the crispy pork. I hope the correct this and reimburse me. read more
Exceeded my expectations for sure. I had been hearing about it since opening and wasn't sure if it was good or just the hype...Funny enough, I met a fellow Yelp elite at "office hours", we hit it off and i befriended her and saw she had been here and reviewed so I asked her about it. She raved about it and that was my push to finally check it out. Hi Huyen C! We came around 6pm on a Sunday and sat under the coldest table ever. (Closest in the middle section when you walk in) LOL Our server came over with good energy. You order through the app/QR code and typically you'd pay and it would come out. But, my mom is a cash only lady so I asked if they accepted card only? When we were ready to order he just came and took our order and put it in to the kitchen. And we paid at the end of our meal. The food was wowza. Spicy! which is what I want when I'm eating lao food. We got the papaya salad, crack belly, nam khao and drunken noodles. They were out of the jerky otherwise I maybe would've gotten that. Everything was so flavorful! I ended up ordering a dessert and they brought it to me and told me it was on the house. Gem. I appreciated seeing people coming in and the staff were super welcoming, sitting down with some even and just so friendly. He came over at the end to ask how everything was and I did telll him I have a Thai/lao place that I typically go to that i rave about.. but that I was very pleased with this experience. Happy to have you, Lao'd District! read more
Located in the Bellaire food street plaza, we decided to check out this place for dinner. On a weekday night, it was a full house. This is more of a self-served place. Get your own utensils and water. You can order by scanning the code on the table. You order and pay through the link and they will bring the food to you. We ordered: Steak tiger cry: meat was cooked well but it was simply a steak, serving was quite small Lao'd sausage: a good appetizer, good flavor. It also came with sticky rice. Thai roti canai: good texture, recommend to eat it while hot. It came with a coconut sauce Laab chicken: did not looked like the pictures on the menu, the shredded chicken was kind of dry, the flavor fell flat. I wish it had a more citrus flavor to it. Nam khao - crispy rice: Portion was small. The rice wasn't as crispy as I expected Thai basil chicken: it was pretty good with a nice amount of spice. On the other hand, the service was quick and friendly. The price didn't quite justify the quantity given or the quality. read more
Absolutely LOVED coming here. My husband is Laotian and he has APPROVED of my following message, lol. First, parking is okay. There are so many places around this restaurant, but luckily they have a garage for parking. We came on a Friday around 7:10pm and it was packed. Very popular. The owner, Ricky welcomed us and was super upbeat. There was about a 30 minute wait and he took our number so he can call us when a table was ready. We went to a nearby shop to wait, and we didn't wait longer than about 20 minutes, which was not bad. When we came back, it was still so busy, still the "soft opening" ish too. They have a QR code to scan to order and pay as you go vibe. The system was down, so Ricky took our order. We got so many things! Also, just want to say that all the portion sizes were perfect for us and we shared the food between 4 people. Small Plates: - Lao'd Jerky- I have to give it more than 5 starts, lol, so it's a 10! Wow! Super good. Cooked perfectly and the jeow bong sauce was spectacular. Reminded me of Thailand and my mother in law's cooking. - Lao'd Sausage- 5/5, I actually prefer Lao Sausage a bit more spicy, but it was get to eat with sticky rice. Ricky said him and his mother make these HOMEMADE. Super special. - Lao'd Toasted Spare Ribs- 4/5, good but not my favorite. I liked the sweet/spicy thai chilli sauce. Main plates: - Papaya Salad- 5/5, Perfect amount, sauces, flavor, all of it was there. I wish I could have tried their spicier version, but my husband can't eat that spicy LOL. - Nam Khao (Crispy Rice) - 5/5, My favorite Lao dish ever. My mother in law makes it every time we visit because it's my favorite, and here, it's wonderful and worth it! I saw some previous comments about it not being served super hot, and it's supposed to be served that way. Excellent. Wish they added more lettuce cause I love wrapping it in it. MUST TRY. - Steak Tiger Cry- 5/5 Honestly, super good. Cooked perfectly. Tender, well flavored and a must try! - Crack Belly- 4.5/5, it was good. Definitely crack, crispy and yummy! Dessert: - Nam Vaan, 4/5, I wasn't a fan cause I'm weird about lychee and coconut, but my husband and friends destroyed it so they'd probably give it 10/10! COST, honestly super reasonable. The price for all the food was $102. We loved chatting with Ricky and hearing his story. He also gave us some free sticky rice which we are so grateful for! He works really hard as well as his staff. Lovely environment to eat on a Friday/Saturday night. Definitely will be back! read more
Y'all, come support this business now!!! I was in Chinatown and wanted to see what was new and Lao'd District popped up. It was just me for lunch and I was promptly sat. You start off by scanning the QR code on the table and placing your order. It must be paid for before your food comes out, which I think is a convenient and great idea! I started off with the Lao sausage, which was fantastic with the sticky rice! A must get appetizer. Super flavorful and def recommend dabbing it in the chili paste they bring out. For my entree, I got the khao poon. The broth was full of flavor. There was a good amount of vermicelli noodles with shredded chicken and veggies (cabbage, bean sprouts, and cilantro). It's a big bowl so I ate all the noods and chicken, left the veggies behind since I was staring to get full haha I also got the strawberry lychee drink to wash it all down and it was SO refreshing and good. The restaurant was clean and inviting. Employees were also so kind and answered any and every question you could possibly have! The service was excellent. I can't wait to come back to try their other menu items! read more
We got Lao'd! Finally, a Lao spot. And in Chinatown! Met the bestie for an early weekday dinner and I was so happy with the decision. As soon as I heard this spot was opening, I knew we were going. The decor was clean and I love the wall mural. Representing. (Chinese but my parents moved around a lot, if you an immigrant kid, you know - both my brothers were born in Laos) The menu is QR code. And since they are still new, there were some items that were unavailable. Everything I wanted was. Win! Ordered: nam, som tum and khao poon + sticky rice of course (I was the only one in the spot for a minute so the staff offered me a complimentary Thai tea) Nam - crispy, crunch and soft. If you know, then you know. Really nice textures. Som tum (papaya salad) - mild but Lao mild so spicy lol - this was sooo good and a nice portion Khao poon - perfectly made, this is one of my fave soups if made right; and outside of my bestie's mom, I haven't found many spots that can do it but this was delicious Sticky rice - decent portion (a lot of places don't give enough and charge $$$ and it's not even fresh - this was warm and soft) The staff was amazing. Very attentive and communicative. Once you scan the QR, you also order and pay via the site. The only thing is the tipping is on the site so kinda weird to tip before getting the food. We had cash so we opted out of that and left dollar bills ya'll lol. My bestie enjoyed it too and said she would bring her mom to try. Her mom grew up in Laos and we measure all food by her standards so we know she'd like it. Overall, def a spot I plan on frequenting. I need my som tum and sticky rice fix. Don't walk, run people... Oh and the music was on point. I knew all the words. And kept the energy up. read more
Lao'd District greatly exceeded expectations! We came here on a whim because we were at Bellaire Food Street studying at a place next door. Dinner time rolls around and we decided to give this place a shot not knowing what to expect. Walking in, this place has a nice, more modern feel to it. There was a very lively energy going around, and the smells coming from the kitchen were mesmerizing. We kinda ordered family style to share because we wanted to try everything: Steak tiger cry - by far our favorite dish! Perfectly cooked, tender, and the dipping sauce is super flavorful. Nam Khao (crispy sticky rice) - very fragrant from all the fresh herbs, good flavor, but I wish the rice came out crispier. Red curry chicken - very rich tasting red curry, the chicken was tender, and a good amount of vegetables. Perfect with freshly steamed white rice. Thai basil chicken - big basil flavor, juicy chicken ground pieces, and a fried egg to top it off. Overall we were very pleased with Lao'd District. They have an interesting concept of using QR code menus only, where you order and pay online before you get your food. The waiters are really only there to bring the food to your table, refill drinks, and bus the dirty tables. For the most part it's "self service" ish. I'll definitely come back again to try more of their food, and their Thai tea looked refreshing. Cheers! read more
This place was popping on a Friday night. They great music playing and just cool vibes. We had a group of 4 and had to wait about 30 minutes for a table. Once we got seated, we were suppose to order from our phone but their online menu service was down so our host Ricky took care of us. We ordered lao'd sausage, Lao'd jerky and the spare ribs as starters. The Lao'd sausage was fire. It could've been a bit spicier but the texture and flavor was there. The jerky was good. I thought it could've been fried longer for a crispier texture. Spare ribs were also good but the ribs were on the smaller side. Each were served with their own sauce but the jeow bong was amazing. For our main dishes we had papaya salad, nam khao, steak tiger cry and the crack belly. Man oh man idk what to say but it was all great! The papaya salad got the umami dank to it. They didn't have the lil crabs in it like traditional but Ricky said they are experimenting with another version that will have blue crab in it so we definitely got to come back for that. The steak was marinated very well and the jeow som was a perfect match. Highly recommend! Nam Khao and the crack belly were also great. Portion size was good for the price. Overall, probably one of the best Lao restaurants I've tried in Houston. Great value! We'll be back again. read more
1 year ago
Their crack belly dish is absolutely amazing. Wonderful service and super authentic Thai food! read more
2 years ago
This place is amazing. Will definitely go again. I just wish that the laab would come with more lettuce. read more
1 year ago
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