Photo from Facebook.
There’s nothing like national attention to make Texans beam, and we are proudly basking in the spotlight.
Eater, the Vox Media website dedicated to restaurants, posted its 2019 list of best restaurants in America. Three Texas establishments earned spots on the list, including East Dallas’ own Khao Noodle Shop.
Restaurant editor Hillary Dixler Canavan spent four months traveling across the country to find the best restaurants. She described what made each of the eateries worthy.
“As Eater editors across the country dined at restaurants that opened between May 2018 and May of this year, what moved us wasn’t merely virtuoso cooking or totally of-the-moment interior design,” she wrote. “It was the feeling that a restaurant…. was the right place at the right time — right now.”
Photo from Facebook.
Khao Noodle Shop opened in November 2018 and quickly became a favored spot for locals. The casual atmosphere, coupled with creative and nuanced twists on classic Laotian dishes, have made the restaurant a Dallas favorite.
The menu boasts a wide array of spicy Laotian food, including handmade boat noodles, fried shrimp balls and more. The modern take on the classic fare earned chef and owner Donny Sirisavath a nomination for Rising Star Chef of the Year, and keeps local fans coming.
The food is served family style with small dishes allowing everyone to try something new. The smell of fish and fresh lime waft through the air, and the boat noodles, the most iconic dish, provide a complex and surprisingly delicate flavor.
If you come, don’t expect the same dishes on your table. The endlessly changing menu will keep visitors on their toes. The new summer menu, which boasts dishes like fried chicken feet and squid skewers, is sure to bring in even the most picky eaters. It will perhaps rid the country of the notion that Texas’ only culinary offering is that of steak and fried Frito pie.
