Champa Thai + Lao Restaurant — Restaurant in Providence

I recently visited Champa Thai + Lao Restaurant and I must say, I am extremely disappointed with the overall experience. As someone who has over 10 years of experience in the food service industry, I have high expectations when it comes to dining out. Unfortunately, Champa Thai + Lao Restaurant failed to meet those expectations in every possible way.

Upon entering the restaurant, not a single person greeted us. It was a chaotic scene, with no wait list in place and patrons trying to figure out who was next to be seated. This lack of organization was the first red flag.

I have lived in both Thailand and Laos for a while, so I have a good understanding of the culture and food. However, I was shocked to find that the food served at Champa Thai + Lao Restaurant was not authentic in any way. In fact, I wouldn't even know what to call it. The dishes were far from the traditional Thai and Lao cuisine I have come to love.

The ambiance of the restaurant was also disappointing. It looked like a restaurant from the south side of Chicago and was incredibly dirty. The table we were seated at had not been properly cleaned, and the rag used to clean it looked like it was used to clean something off the kitchen floor. The overall appearance of the restaurant was uninviting and made me question the cleanliness of the kitchen.

The bathroom was in very poor condition, which only added to my concerns about the cleanliness of the kitchen. When I asked the wait staff for the bathroom, I was met with a rude response. This was a clear indication of the type of service I could expect for the rest of the meal.

When it came to the food, I was extremely disappointed. The portions were small, and the quality of the food was subpar. The dishes we ordered - Laotian-style Soft Spring Rolls (Naim Chao), Chicken Satay, Stir-fried Vegetables, and Runny Beef Panang Curry - were all lacking in flavor and freshness. The chicken satay had too much coconut milk/cream, making it incredibly rich and overpowering. The stir-fried vegetables were lacking in tofu, and the beef panang curry was too runny.

We also had to ask for our drinks twice, and each time the waiter seemed annoyed by our request for water. The bill was not itemized, which was another inconvenience. The service was incredibly slow, and I could have cooked the food faster at home. To top it off, the staff dropped off the check right after delivering the main course, while we were still eating. This was extremely rude and made us feel rushed to leave.

In conclusion, Champa Thai + Lao Restaurant is not a place I would recommend to anyone. The food was overpriced and of poor quality, the service was rude, and the overall ambiance was uninviting. I have never encountered such a disappointing dining experience, and I would advise anyone looking for authentic Thai or Lao cuisine to...

The owner was rude and very cheap/concerned about money as the phrase “too much money” was uttered repeatedly. I wanted to order several seafood dishes but was told they did not have scallops because it cost too much money. I the. Replied to the owner that he could not charge the menu prices if he did not have the scallops as advertised. He seemed irritated and told me to order something else. I ordered my dishes and the food was ok in comparison to other restaurants. We had 3 people in our party and only one small cup of rice was placed on the table. I asked to see if he could bring a large bowl of rice out… “too expensive” replied the owner. He brought one more cup of rice, now at this point I was getting very upset as I felt like I was inconveniencing him. I told him that we have 3 people and he only brought 2 cups of rice. He finally brought out the 3rd cup of rice. His waiter broke a plate and he yelled out $5 to the waiter. By far this was the worse restaurant experience I have ever had and not sure how this place received 4.5 stars. The place was small and cramped, service is horrible as if it was my privilege to eat there. I can see that the owner took a different tone of voice when speaking to his non-Asian customers and maybe felt that I was not able to pay for the food. I will never return to this place and heed my warning that if a restaurant owner feels inconvenienced by the customer he should find another business. The mission statement: “We hope to share our culture through the recipes we grew up on, while making each customer feel at home.” This statement could not be...

My experience at Champa Thai + Lao Restaurant was, unfortunately, quite disappointing. The restaurant has a limited seating capacity, with only six tables for four and one small table for two. Upon arrival, there was a noticeable wait, and not a single staff member acknowledged us when we entered. We were left to wait with no communication on how long it might take.

When we finally got to order, we chose the Chicken Satay ($8.50), Laotian-style Soft Spring Rolls (Naim Chao) ($8.50), Stir-fried Vegetables and Tofu ($12), and Beef Panang Curry ($16) with brown rice ($3). However, the brown rice never arrived, and since the bill wasn't itemized, we couldn't tell if we were charged for it. The service was slow throughout our visit, and our water glasses were never refilled. To make matters worse, the check was dropped off while we were still eating, making us feel rushed to leave.

As for the food itself, it was underwhelming, and nothing particularly stood out. It was alright at best, but not enough to make up for the lack of attentive service and overall experience. Regrettably, we don't plan on returning to Champa Thai + Lao Restaurant...