Spicy Lao Kitchen • Full Review of Convoy Spot

After hearing about this place from a friend's recommendation, my coworker and I decided to try it out after working on a Sunday. 😊 It happened to be the first day of daylight saving time, so it got dark especially early. 🌆 By a little after 5 PM, the sky was almost completely black—and so were the storefronts and signs of half the plaza 😅, including the notoriously bad Wang Ge 163 that had appeared in a previous post of ours. Combined with the fairly empty dining room, we were a bit hesitant walking in. 🚪 After sitting down, I overheard two Mandarin-speaking girls at the next table and quietly went over to ask, “First time here—is the food any good?” 🤫 Their “not great, not terrible” response made us decide to stay and give it a try. 👍 The plates they served the food on were really beautiful—woven bamboo basket style, very distinctive. 🧺✨ 🥗 Papaya Salad – Lao Style This was one of the dishes mentioned in the recommended review. The menu listed two versions, and with a “when in Rome” attitude, I went for the dark and funky Lao style. When it arrived, the salad really was dark, with a strong aroma of fish sauce. 🐟 The texture was still like a typical Thai green papaya salad—crisp, refreshing, sour, and spicy—but with an added seafood flavor. 🌶️ The spiciness came straight from fresh bird's eye chilies soaked in the dressing. When ordering, the server asked for my preferred spice level and specifically warned that it could be very spicy. I went with a “6,” and even as someone from a mountain city known for spice (RIP), it had me gulping down water. 💦😅 The sourness came from heavy lime juice and tomatoes mixed into the salad, while the umami was mainly from fish sauce, with something like seafood paste adding extra depth. Compared to the lighter, refreshing Thai versions I’ve had before, this one was definitely richer and funkier—a new experience. 👌 🍲 Kaow Laow Soop After working hard on a Sunday, of course I had to order a Kaow Laow Soup to “reward” myself 😉 (bad pun intended for all of you). In Thai cuisine, Kaow Laow Soop refers to a meat and vegetable soup made with pork or beef offal—here, it’s made with beef. The broth was incredibly rich, like a condensed beef stock—the kind of umami you can tell is packed with purines. 😲 Bits of beef sediment floated in the soup (not for those with gout! ⚠️). The bowl contained beef balls, sliced beef (probably brisket, with rich marbling), bean sprouts, scallions, and cilantro. The beef balls had a standard hot-pot texture (with a slight sour note), but the sliced beef was stewed until incredibly tender, melting in the mouth with a strong beef flavor—the most satisfying part of the meal. 😋👏 The bean sprouts also absorbed the rich broth, becoming deliciously savory. Drinking the soup felt like it could blow your eyebrows off. 💥 🍛 Kra Pao – Basil Pork with Rice As a classic Thai dish, I had to try their version. The general flavor profile was right—basil fragrance and soy sauce notes were there—but the minced pork was a bit overcooked and not very juicy. 😔 The onion and green pepper hadn’t released their full aroma, so mixing it with rice wasn’t as satisfying as I’d hoped. My verdict: it’s about the same level as the basil pork rice at UCSD’s on-campus Blue Pepper. 🏫 #ConvoyEats #ThaiFood #LaoFood