A touch of Laos in London

I have had my fair share of soup noodles and salads by Celebrity and model Laotian Chef Justin but Pad Mee Lao was new to me hence the visit to Lao Cafe in London.
Laotian noodles are described as intensely sweet and salty.
The flavours were interesting and for me it was love and hate at the same time.
They are moreish and delicious because they literally taste like rice noodles tossed in undiluted bovril complimented by the aromatic caramelized onions but then you have this annoying intense sweetness to follow.
Somehow, that intense taste like bovril keeps you going and then the sweetness tells you to stop!!
I found the noodles a bit too al dente for my liking but you get used to it.

The pork in the noodles was some sort of roast pork belly or pork neck with crispy bits.
You can choose from a choice of pork, vegetables or prawn but strangely beef is not offered.
There are meant to be beansprouts / bean shoots and carrots but I opted without because I don't like them.

For the adventurous, why not add ant eggs to your Laotian Curry.

The Laotian curry was the star of the show because I love the strong dill and Thai basil along with the mixed mushroom medley like wood ear fungas.

The ant eggs were interesting, not my cup of tea but I tried.

You could see some of the developed ants which looked like wasps but it turns out that they use the weaver ant species.

Unfortunately, I visited this restaurant again a year later and the noodles have gone downhill, there was no longer this love/hate sensation and it tasted just like those noodles you get from the Chinese Restaurants.

60 Chandos Pl, London WC2N 4HG