Laos Thai Restaurant

4520 South 24th Street (near South High, between J and K Streets)

Omaha, NE 68107

(402) 733-0579

Open for lunch and dinner, Monday thru Saturday, closes early

Basil Fried Rice with Chicken

My ma was a workin' ma. Most nights she got home early enough to make us one of those home-cooked square meals. I'm talking a protein, veg, and starch, ultra-American and dare I say bland. Other nights I made a mean Kraft mac and cheese. Once a week it was pizza or cheesesteaks. As a grown up with my own disposable income, I have hyper-compensated for this lack of ethnic foods during my youth (see: the Rest of This Blog), and have grown to love all things spiced, rice'd, and with veggies that are diced. (Dork.) 

Indian cuisine would be the winner, followed closely by Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Thai (pronounced "thigh"). My maiden voyage to find good Thai in Omaha need not go further than Laos Thai Market. I say good--and not great--because my Basil Fried Rice with Chicken was not the burst of flavor on my tongue that I wanted. Diners request their spiciness level on each dish, and I went with "6," afraid anything higher would be too ballsy. Next time I think I'll crank it up to 11, if they'll let me. Bites with actual basil were few, but tasty when I could find them. The oily quality made the whole thing a little mushy, but with enough onion and green pepper crunch to keep it afloat. 

Regarding the interior, the south wall is adorned with a cluster of kitschy crap, mostly small figurines a flea market granny would die for, and the server had a playful, curt sense of humor. With most dishes at $9.99 and up, I felt the price didn't quite match the atmosphere, but maybe I'm just a big giant snob. Hey, at least we got a gratis spring roll, which I was able to down in one bite. 

One roll, one gulp

I'll admit I may have chosen a dud of an entree, so I'll be back to try the Pad Thai, the Papaya Salad, or the curries, which are recommended by others. Speaking of fellow eaters, if you've got something to say about a place you love (or hate), write a guest entry with photos, send it here, and I'll post it. My taste buds might be the best, but yours are probably pretty all right too. 

"Poor Man Noodles" with Tofu