**** Ban Lao Cuisine has closed
Ban Lao opened up a couple of months back. Located next to Que Huong, I believe this used to be a taco shop if I'm not mistaken. Anyway, the place sure took its sweet ol' time opening up. Since their opening I've visited about 6-7 times.
The interior is bright and clean….and nicely air-conditioned; a big plus over the last couple of months.
On one of my visits, I looked up…..and noticed that they'd built a little platform for their offerings and such. Interesting.
The menu is diverse; with all the usual suspects.
So of course on my first visit I ordered the Nem Khao ($8.95) and Lao Sausage.
The Nem Khao was decent; better than the version at Mekong Cuisine in my opinion. Though it was a bit more chewy than I enjoy; I could actually make out the hints of coconut in this, there was also a good amount of sour sausage as well. Strangely, the dish was served on the cold side and there were only two leaves of lettuce provided.
The Lao Sausage ($6.95) was decent, nicely charred.
The sausage had a nice chew, though it didn't quite have enough lemongrass and herb flavors. So in this case, I think Mekong Cuisines version is better. That jaew; the dipping sauce had a nice citrus kick to it.
I really liked the folks working here, they were mellow and friendly. So, I ended up coming back quite a few more times. Here's a rundown on some other dishes.
Kha Pao Thousand Year Old Eggs ($9.95).
This really had me wistfully thinking of Yai Cuisine, as the eggs weren't fried right, the batter had turned gummy and the eggs were rubbery and still slightly cold inside. Not enough basil to really give this umph.
Sour Sausage Fried Rice ($9.95).
The rice was a bit more "wet" than I prefer, but man; there was a ton of sour sausage in this. Nice flavors, though some of the chunks of sausage were on the large side and could have been chopped a bit better and more evenly incorporated into the fried rice. Not bad though.
I'm on the fence with regards to the Crying Tiger ($9.95).
At this price point I don't expect a really good cut of beef, but this was better than I expected; a bit toothsome, but not too bad. The beef, while still lacking in a good amount of seasoning (I'm looking for sweet-savory flavors), had a nice crust. And darn if this didn't go real well with a dip in the jaew and a ball of sticky rice.
Lao Style Papaya Salad ($7.95) was cut much too thick.
Man, this was pretty heady stuff; even more pungent than the version at Thai Papaya. It was bit too rustic for my tastes and wasn't very spicy (I ordered spicy). Strangely, I find the pungent flavors from whatever they use for Padek here in the states to be mainly pungent, sometimes almost bitter and lacking in the savory nuances like what we've had in Laos. Of course at the markets in Laos, there are many different versions on Padek available; at different stages of "fermentation". There was a good amount of preserved blue crab in this as well.
The Chicken Wings ($7.95) was another dish that came close.
The wings were nicely fried; though there was a good amount of blackening around the bone, the meat was tender, the skin fairly crisp. Seasoned "salt and pepper" style. I really didn't care for the bitter fried lemongrass that topped the wings.
The Beef Jerky ($7.95) though, was good.
The Sien Savanh, though not totally dried, which might have been a good thing, was pleasantly chewy, the flavors had permeated the meat nicely. This was delicious with sticky rice…and it didn't even need the jaew.
The Stir Fried Pak Bong with Garlic (Ong Choi/Water Spinach) looked over-cooked, but it was not.
Nice and crunchy; with the perfect amount of salty-savory notes and a light hint of sweetness.
By now, I thought it was time to just go for it. I went ahead and ordered the Beef Larb ($10.95). The really friendly woman working was shocked when I said "Lao style" and nodded yes, when she asked me if I wanted it "rare".
As you can see; by "rare" she basically meant raw. There was a good amount of nutty rice powder on this, though I wish it was more spicy. What really made this "Lao" for me was that it had no citrus, but a good amount of puckery-bitterness, which goes really well with the mint and other herbs. I'd learned of the importance of beef (water buffalo) bile in koy and larb during my cooking class in Luang Prabang. Though no one else in the class would even try the stuff, I found the flavor quite interesting. Here, I could have used a touch of citrus as well; I'll have that done the next time I have the dish. As for the bitterness? Well, I had a nice discussion with the woman working and was told they pick up fresh beef bile from a specific farmer once or twice a week. 
In the end I enjoyed several dishes from Ban Lao and will gladly have them again. when the weather turns cooler, I'll try some of their soups as well. While it's not quite on the level of Vientiane in Garden Grove, it'll do in a pinch.
And sometimes, because I try not to do "just one visit", things turn out well for me.
Ban Lao Cuisine
4126 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105
Open Daily
11am – 930pm
It was the place with the literal 'hole in the wall' for ordering…had been there since the 1980's (when The Mister and I frequented the inexpensive take out establishment), which closed about five months ago. 
You don't have to order at the window any more, there are 14 seats with tabletops as well as an area to wait if you order or are picking up 'to go'. 
We were given complimentary Thai iced tea, since they are still in their opening phase (regular $2.50). It was not too sweet, and the tea portion had a pleasant, spiced flavor. 
We also were given small cups of vegetable tom kha soup, which was very good. I might just order a bowl on one of our wintery-cool days. 
The Thai sausages appetizer ($7.95) was wonderful! The coarse grind pork sausages are made here, have a skin with a snap and has the wonderful bit of sour taste. They are different than other house made Thai sausage (the ones made at Supanne House of Thai which are herb filled), yet delicious on their own, served with ginger, cabbage, cucumber and peanuts. 
Thai Style papaya salad ($7.95) was fresh made (I heard shredding in the kitchen), at a level of "2", which was just enough chili pepper/heat to still be able to taste the green beans, tomatoes, garlic and dried shrimp along with the peanuts. It was really good. I am eager to try the Lao style of this salad on my next visit- made with fish sauce and the 50 cent optional addition of salted crab. 
The larb ($8.95, chicken) wasn't quite what we are used to- there were no crunchy (roasted rice) bits, so the texture was not as interesting; thinking it was forgotten. The lime juice, onions, cilantro and mint were all very good and fresh.
