ProudLao, is that right??

[theking]

 :

North Texas Becomes America’s Top Destination for Laotian Food



Since January 2016, 10 Laotian restaurants, food trucks and farmers market stalls have opened in Dallas-Fort Worth, with an 11th coming soon. The newcomers join a small group of older, more traditional eateries like Nalinh Market. Now, unexpectedly, a nationwide Lao food movement finds many of its leaders in North Texas, a region so rich in sticky rice, laap and papaya salad that it has become the biggest, most exciting Laotian food scene in North America.

There are good reasons that Laotian food remained hidden from American diners for so long. Laos is a relatively small country — it has just 7 million residents — and its biggest neighbors are inescapable influences in Texas dining: Vietnam, Thailand, China. Those cuisines all show their influences in the food of Laos, too.

The Laotian-American population in metro Dallas sounds small: just 8,000 people. But relative to their home country’s size, that’s a major community, the equivalent of traveling to a city in Asia and discovering that it is home to 32,000 Texans. According to the Pew Research Center, only Sacramento and Minneapolis have more Laotian-Americans than the Dallas-Fort Worth area. A website called Hmong Studies has an even higher tally, ranking the region second nationwide.

[ProudLao]

For Lao population, yes, there are a lot there. Two or three of my first cousins are there.

For food, there's been a lot of restaurant popping up everywhere throughout the states. In order for me to agree, I will have to try them first 

[DuMa]

I grew up in Narleans.  My very first foreign friend is a Lao guy my age.  We went to school together.  Just one Leo guy and his family in the whole entire Viet village of refugee. 

Texas is just the next state over.  After Katrina, I would say the population of Narleans refugees would be flooding Texas. 

[DuMa]

So when I came to Cali, we lived in a triplex.  Guess who was my neighbors friend?  Bac ha knee, yep another Lao guy my age.  We learned how to play b-ball together and he was my best friend.  Lost touch after college but ran into his cousin who now runs the family towing company business.  My boy is married to a Lao chick and lived in the bay area.  Owns three properties worth a few mil each.  Drives Porsche. 

Loving them come up stories.  Loving my laos people. 

[ProudLao]

I have a few Viet friends myself back in California and one good friend in Charlotte.

Now you and I are friends 

[theking]

Good to get the info from a Laotian, thanks!