Sao Lao Thai Café 5013 North Shepherd Drive, Houston, TX 77018

"Small, simple eatery serving Laotian and Thai food that’s pretty authentic. Portions are generous and the food is served fast by friendly staff. We ordered the Nam Khao crispy fried rice seasoned with curry paste. We swapped out the pork for tofu. Really enjoyed this dish. We tried the papaya salad, something we would eat almost daily during our visits to Thailand. It was OK but there was something about the seasoning that I didn’t like. My wife enjoyed it, though. Finally, we tried the Mushroom Laab, which had a nice minty flavor. I would definitely go back to the Sai Lao Thai Cafe."

"While it’s not much to look at outside, the inside is homey and comfortable. We started off with hot tea. I appreciate that they gave us 3 tea bags. I wish the teapot was larger with a cap. It didn’t take long for the hot water to cool off. They also gave us jar of mostly solidified honey with a wooden honey dipper. I had to ask them to microwave the honey to melt it. I would have preferred a honey squeeze bottle. 1. Egg rolls. Nothing special here that you can get elsewhere. 2. Lao sausage: this was flavorful and tasty. 3. Boat noodle soup: This was quite tasty. Soup was tangy and full of flavors. Although I’ve had something similar before I feel that this will be a hit with locals. 4. Drunken noodles: This wasn’t bad. Flavors were there but taste is not what I’m used to for Drunken noodles. Overall I thought the food was decent. I’m always glad to see another authentic Asian restaurant give us a peek of their culture."

"During my visit to Houston, I was treated to a delightful experience at Sao Lao Thai Cafe. From the moment we stepped in, the owner's warm welcome set the tone for a fantastic dining experience. She was not only friendly but also a joy to converse with. We opted for a variety, ordering a total of four dishes, and each one exceeded expectations. The Nam Khao, a crispy Laos style fried rice with fermented pork, stole the spotlight. It was a symphony of flavors, with a delightful crunch in every bite. Intrigued by the crispy element, we inquired, but the owner playfully kept it a secret. This experience was a culinary highlight, and I'm already looking forward to revisiting Sao Lao Thai Cafe on my next trip to the city!"

"This is a must-try spot in Houston. We stopped in for lunch on New Year's Day. It was busy but service was excellent. We shared three dishes - the boat noodle soup, mushroom laab, and Thai Pork Basil. They were out of nam khao when we visited, something I want to go back and try. Everything was delicious and full of flavor. The pork basil was probably our favorite of the three dishes, but I would order them all again. The owner shared her story about opening the business and how she designed the menu. Beginning to end this is a great experience. Highly recommend stopping here."

"My gosh! Brought my parents here for the first time and loved it. The girls there are so attentive, polite and clean! The food is fantastic, the portions are big so you might want to share which is always a plus to try different things! We also the had the green Thai tea which is a bit sweet for me but was still refreshing and satisfying. I had the red curry with chicken and my gosh it was so good, creamy, the chicken dissolved, I’ve never been a fan of egg plant and the way they prepared it was so juicy and delicious! While we were there so many people came to pick up orders! Anyway definitely try it out if you are looking for tasteful and autentique Thai food!"