Two familiar faces have brought a taste of Laos to Toronto.
Owners Jason Jiang and Seng Luong are widely known in the city’s restaurant scene as previous owners of the beloved Sabai Sabai, alongside Jeff and Nuit Regular. The new restaurant, which had its soft opening on the evening of Feb. 16, is an ode to the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia, which is sandwiched between Thailand and Vietnam.
“We were inspired to create Lao Lao Bar to showcase the food that we’re most passionate about since we are both of Lao heritage,” says Luong. “The name Lao Lao Bar is a nod to Lao Lao, a high proof spirit distilled from rice wine. It captures the essence of the backpacker and bar culture that made this drink iconic across Laos.”
Lao Lao Bar is a 110-seat restaurant that includes a lower-level lounge with a speakeasy vibe, a private dining room on the main floor, and a 20-seat patio. Natural woven textures, hand-painted motifs, and rich walnut hues surround an impactful installation of hand-made, fringed jute lamps, creating an intimate atmosphere full of playful lighting patterns.
The expansive bar, whose menu fixates on fine wines and elevated cocktails, is a standout feature, completely tiled in expressive patterning that draws from traditional Lao textiles complimented by a towering back bar display of walnut and cane cabinets that frame tall cathedral windows. "We're very proud of the aesthetic - it's a culmination of our travels, our personal stories and of course, we wanted it to be inviting and special for our guests," Luong says. "We both love entertaining and the opening of Lao Lao Bar feels like we're coming back home. We are excited to welcome back our eclectic extended family and continue building our community."
The menu will predominantly be traditional Lao food. "We encourage our guests to share everything, family style, and to eat lots of sticky rice with their hands," Jiang says. Don't miss the crispy fried rice balls with cured pork, which is savoury, tangy, and full of fresh herbs. Stuffed tapioca ball is another classic Lao snack food, eaten as a lettuce wrap and loaded with herbs. Lao Lao Bar's version uses shitake mushrooms instead of ground pork. Another staple dish is Jeow Bong, originating from Luang Prabang. It's made with sun-dried chilies, galangal, garlic, shallots, tamarind, and fish sauce.
Lao Lao Bar is located at 5 St. Joseph St. and is open from 4:30 to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 4:30 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
