Laos Asia Market

This is a small hole in the wall store that have many of our Thai specialties, I or my mom usually need for our Thai Laos fix. It also serves as a little «dive» as I would call it, with the best papaya salad I’ve had in a while amongst other items on their menu. This coming from a Thai person who’s traveled to Thailand and had awesome street food. Not much on the item but delicious. You have to try the beef noodle soup… The customer service here is also great. They greet you right away and is always willing to help you look for things if needed. They also treat you like family. They remember what I or my mom order and is always courteous and ask about our family. You don’t really find a lot of places like this anymore. Some people might get turned off by the fact that it’s also a grocery store but I feel like that’s the authenticity of it all. So I recommend this to people who is looking for an authentic taste and experience. They also have Thai desserts and snacks that are to die for.

Since discovering this place 2 weeks ago, I’ve been addicted to the Lao style Papaya Salad and the chicken noodle soup.
The papaya salad which is $ 6, a good helping and for a dollar more they can add the crab.
Chicken Noodle soup– $ 7 also a good size helping. The noodles were perfectly cooked, chewy. Broth was super tasty.
We love their pork jerry too. That about $ 6 or $ 7 per pack.
Larb– $ 10, it was ok
Sticky rice is $ 1 per bag.
The only thing I don’t like is they kind of skimp out on you if your not Lao or Thai. As many times as I’ve gone here, they never give me all the extra items for either my larb, the soup or salad. I’m missing the cabage for the papaya salad, missing the extra veggies for the larb, missing the fried garlic or shallots for the soup. Some times they add no garnish to any of the dishes. I constantly have to ask for the items.
We order our food and then we see other people order their food. And it’s completely different but the same items. Lol. It’s funny but also sad becuase it makes us not want to come back. Which is probably what’s going to happen.

Good prices for Chinese and Thai items

Not sure why my friends love this place so much. It sucked. The thom khem was bad, soup was bland and clear. It needed lots more flavor.
The beef larb was bad. It tasted really bitter. I wanted chicken but they were out and shouldn’t have even given the beef a chance.
The roasted chicken was bad. It was kind of a BBQ style where it was cut into pieces. Very dry… Probably cause it’s sitting out on the table! lol
The good things: The papaya salad, the nam kao was different but was good too. The kow piack was good as well. But I don’t think think I would recommend this place to my friends.
I’m always down for a good hole in the wall restaurant but this was not up to par. And the place smelled a bit cause of all the produce.

One word «phenomenal». I looooove this place. They have lao and thai food!!! Food that you can’t find anywhere else in Vegas. From dessert to appetizers to the main course. You won’t regret coming here!!!

I’m going to be really basic here because my wife’s family own this place and we’ve been accustomed to having these dishes for years. so here you go.
Larb with sticky rice (fave)
papaya salad
kow piek sen (noodles in a chicken ginger broth with blood) (fave)
phở
sai gob (laos sausage my fave)
also check the desserts out they are top notch laos/​Thai desserts
lod chong
sangkaya
kanom chan
lomit
sakoo
one more thing if you see pork jerky on sale don’t sleep on it is probably the best pork jerky I’ve ever had.
also this is a market as well and if you need to cook Asian you can pretty much find the ingredients you need here. happy eating guys

I love this place for my shopping and their papaya salad. Although, everything they cook in that kitchen is pure magic. My family is from Cambodia and I was raised in Providence, RI while living in Connecticut. There was a heavy Southeast Asian influence in the part of Providence we often frequented. When we moved here about 8 years ago, it quickly vanished from my vision and my mother would go searching to no avail. Finally we found this wonderful gem and felt right at home with the food and the small family business appeal we were use to. I love being able to talk to the owner as i check out. They are nice and the food is authentic to the region. It reminds me of everything I grew up with.

This place deserves more reviews! I came here because the bf had laos friends who lived in Vegas while we were visiting. We now come here every time we go to Vegas, even taking taxi from the strip if we have to! It’s a market with basic necessities and a small togo area with little seating in the back (maybe 10 seats).
I’d never had Laotian food before this place, and I’ve tried one more after this place in Hawaii but it doesn’t top this place! I LOVE the beef larp dish and papaya salad here. So damn delicious and medium spicy is perfect for me. I recently tried the Nam Kuao dish and I’m in love… Their Thai iced coffee is also super yummy and perfectly sweet. I wish there were Laotian restaurants in San Jose!):

Fish Kapoon was okay… but it was great after I added more fish sauce, sugar, and red pepper :)
Roasted chicken leg was
Lao style papaya salad was also pretty good… I soaked up the sauce with some warm sticky rice. It was ohhhh so tasty.
Never been? Walk straight to the back, order your food, eat at the tables set up in the middle of the store, and pay at the register up front. But before you do check out, you gotta stop at the fridge section by the cashier to pick up some yummy desserts, that’s likely flavord with coconut milk :)
I only wish that the other parts of the menu were in English :(

Unilocal 365 CHALLENGE 2014−(340÷365) «The Little Laotian Mom & Pop Shop»
I’ve always wanted to come here to pop in and have a looksee, and the perfect time came after our breakfast at The 50’s Diner (Same Strip Mall). This is your smaller mom and pop type operation with not the hugest selection, but sufficient from cookware, to oodles of noodles, bottles of beverages, tons of tapioca cans of condiments and much much more.
Some of the more unique items I came across is there pickled items-​young grapes, gooseberries, tamarind leaves, but sadly, no pickled tea leaves which I was hoping to find so I could duplicate the Burmese Pickled Tea Leaf Salad, a dish which has been MIA for the last couple of years at the Chaiya Monastery Food Fair (Those who know about this tasty dish know what I’m talking about.) Unfortunately this item cannot be found in Vegas (yet.) I did however grab a bag of black sesame seeds for just $ 1.99 which will come in handy for Black Sesame Crème Brulee, Sesame Toffee, and Black Sesame Ice Cream if and when I get an ice cream maker!
There is also a table with grab and go prepared foods which I spied Sakoo (Steamed Tapioca Dumplings) and other tasty stuff too. I also learned that there is a third kind of taco, a Laotian coconut dessert… LAM also carries some fresh produce and also have a hot food station where you can order off the menu and sit down and dine in. Not too familiar with Laotian food, I’ll just refer to fellow Unilocalers Christopher S. and Debra W.‘s
reviews and pictures before I decide to dine in. Plastic is accepted with a $ 15 dollar minimum, otherwise you get charged a buckaroo for it. ALOHA!!!
Shaka Meter: \uuu/​\uuu/​\uuu/​\uuu/​4

Combination mini restaurant/​market. Many authentic choices very reasonably priced. They sell quality curry paste (Mae Anong, Maesri) and have multiple selections for most products. I can’t say the folks who work there are very friendly/​customer service oriented… however, when I did initiate a question about vegan options, one female employee that I approached was helpful and answered all of my questions. She definitely knew her inventory. Just an FYI — $ 15 minimum for credit card use (including debit cards) which for a local ethnic mom/​pop business, I think is fine. Definitely worth a visit.

I used to go to this store all the time when I lived on the east part of town now I live so far away but still go there sometimes because they have some produce or items that I need in Indonesian cooking but I can’t find it in china town or other Thai stores.
I love Thai dessert selection they have but never ordered anything on their hot food section yet, I don’t know how to order. The food smells good though

Would not be surprised if some people’s first impression of the existence of a Laotian grocery store in Las Vegas would play out like the following classic conversation from King of the Hill
Hank: So are you Chinese or Japanese?
Khan: No, we are Laotian.
Bill: The ocean? What ocean?
Khan: From Laos, stupid! It’s a landlocked country in South East Asia between Vietnam and Thailand, population approximately 4.7 million!
Hank: So are you Chinese or Japanese?
Kahn: D’oh!
There are hole in the walls, and then there are SECRET hole in the walls (the kind you would never stumble across unless you knew it was there), and Laos Asia Market falls under the latter. Located in a strip mall a few miles off The Strip, one finds a strip of counter space in the back end of a mom/​pop Asian grocery store serving up homemade Laotian classics stripped free of all pretense and artifice. Had it not been for the menu with the handful of offerings displayed on handwritten poster board and a few benches in front of the counter space, one could easily mistake this as simply a work station for prepared foods and miss out on this little oasis of freshly prepared Laotian cuisine.
With two sweet ladies manning the kitchen and patiently taking down orders, my friend and I felt like we were crashing some Laotian grandma’s house for a home-​cooked meal.
Green papaya salad comes in two styles, Thai and Lao, the latter being less sweet and sour and more savory and pungent due to heavier emphasis on the fish sauce and less on the lime juice/​palm sugar. With crisp yardlong beans, tomatoes, green papaya and peanuts, there is a slow escalation of spice that builds in the mouth due to the chilies but the cool temperature of the dish keeps it in check.
Another notable specialty to get is the Nam Khao. Not sure what that translates to, but I would surmise it would be something along the lines of «party in one’s mouth», where the RSVP guest list includes chunks of crispy rice, fermented pork sausage, grated coconut, peanuts, cilantro, green onion, shallots, lime juice, fish sauce, hot chilies, and perhaps a few closely guarded mystery guests (who wouldn’t want to host that party?). Grab a few spoonfuls and wrap them in lettuce, and your mouth will thank you over and over again.
Another solid dish is the Khao Piek Sen (Lao version of chicken noodle soup), and it uses a chewy tapioca udon in a well-​simmered chicken stock with crispy shallots, green onion, shredded chicken, and pork blood cubes upon request if you’re feeling a little adventurous (having had it in various soups in Asia, it functions more like a morbid form of tofu when it’s done properly although I wanted to prepare some of you for the «bloodcurdling» reaction some of you may have if they prompt you on this option).
Having struck up some conversation with a few regulars, I learned that one of the owners relatives used to run Thai Food to Go a few blocks down the street, so solid cooking definitely runs in the family. Observing their orders, it also appears that the larb served with sticky rice, deep fried fish, and the phở (slightly different seasoning in broth compared to the better known Vietnamese version) are on my list of things to try with future visits.
Avoid being trapped between Chinese and Japanese fare. This is an excellent primer on Laotian cuisine in a humble yet hospitable setting providing an authentic medley of flavors straddling between Thai and Vietnamese.
P. S. The store itself also offers some excellent produce, prepackaged sweet confections, and other hard-​to-​find ingredients for the home cooks.

What a great little hidden gem! When you walk in, the place looks like a tiny store with a long table that seats ten people. Placed the order and it was made on the spot. Maybe took about eight minutes per dish. Had chicken larb, Nam Kuao, curry noodle soup dish, Thai tea, tomato chili sauce, sticky rice, and a banana sticky rice dessert. Great experience and so glad I tried!

I had Somtam lao $ 6, Noodle soup $ 6, Mam kao Tod $ 7 OMG!!! I’m so happy to find this place. They also have fresh produce. reasonable price. I will be back and already recommended this market to my friends.

Best Lao food I’ve had by far at a restaurant. It tastes just like home made Lao food, and I say that out of confidence because I’ll always be bias about the Lao food I get at home. My friends and I actually came here twice, two days in a row (b/​c it was that good). They have a menu in Lao, Thai, and English. However, there are some things that they serve that is not on the menu (referring to English one). For example, kao nam, ka poon, larb, deep fried fish, sticky rice, long bean thum mak hoong, ect. It would be a good idea to ask the cook what else they serve. This place is also a grocery store so everything that you order is fresh. There was not one complaint about the food from my friends and I, and we were highly satisfied after finishing our meals.

Nothing beats a mom and pop store/​restaurant. It’s pretty far from where I live but whenever I get a chance to go eat some home cooked Laotian food, I’d like to come here. They have pretty much anything you can find in a local Asian groceries store. The prices are a bit higher but they have items like fresh kaffir lime leaves, Laotian cooking tools and a few other items you can not find at 168 or even SF Market.
If you go towards the back of the store, there’s a hot food items that they serve there or do a take-​out. One of the best Laotian food I’ve had there. A must have are their awesome papaya salad (Lao style) & chicken noodle soup! My personal favorite is the nam kaow (mixed rice wrapped) We literally just come for that!
If you have a little difficulties ordering, ask Eric to order for you (he is at the register).

This is my go to place for Asian ingredients. It’s the most fully stocked Laos/​Thai specialty market in town in my honest opinion. The store itself is large. They have all of the cooking equipment you need. They have all of the sauces and ingredients you need to make authentic Thai and Laos food at home.
I admit that Chinatown has a lot of the same things for cheaper, but I support the family owned places.
They also have a little restaurant in the back. You’ll find red chicken curry and even authentic Laos chicken noodle soup. You’d be hard pressed to find it anywhere unless you make it at home.

NOT FOR EVERYONE
Reminds me of eating street vendor food in Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. Authentic, wholesome fresh, fundamental foods for the ordinary folks. If you don’t mind sharing a bench table and dining inside a grocery store with the locals, this could a very rewarding epicurean adventure for some. If you don’t care to share a table, takeout might be a better alternative.
It’s a grocery store with a limited inventory of products, produce and dry goods for Southeast Asians especially Laos, Cambodians and Thais. In fact the people here speak all three languages plus English. In the back of the store on the right side, there’s simple kitchen and dish out counter of eight items. Majority are soups to add to the rice or rice noodles.
I ordered their beef noodle soup and Yu-​go chauffeur went for two items of chicken curry plus roasted chicken with rice. Of course everything was fresh from the grocery store’s inventory. Kinda convenient I would say. There were three women operating the kitchen. The one lady who assisted us was named «Air.» She was incredibly nice. Of course when they’re not busy, they would do other grocery related chores.
Our lunch cost just $ 12… talk about a bargain and a half. There’s lots of other goodies that I want to try. Half of the cooked items are vegetarian friendly. Every cooked item was so very tempting. So, another trip back is a must. Convenient large parking lot in front.

It is as good as it gets.
This small & quaint market is always my go to spot. Especially, If I am in the food for some Thai or Laos food. You cannot go wrong with anything here, especially the papaya salad and larb. And if you love soo moo (fermented pork sausage), they have some of the best here. And their soups, from the chicken noodle to curry soup.
Gael Kapi (fermented fish hot sauce) & Gael Bong (sweet & thick spicy paste) are two of my favorites sauces you can find here.
The quality and freshness of their prepared food & products is always consistent — fresh and superb.
Their prices are hard to beat as well when it comes to their fresh produce and food. You might pay a slight premium on other items such as canned or dry good but since this is closer to me and I don’t have to go to China town, I am okay with that.
Again, I cannot stress enough how awesome the staff is here.