Gang naw mai, seen hang, and pad kee mao, kept the taste buds alive at the first Foodizen Dinner event at Sunny Phanthavong’s family restaurant, Vientiane Bistro, in Kensington.
The traditional Lao cooking—served over an eight course meal—celebrated the culture, the flavor, and the very identity of what makes Lao food a treasured piece of Philadelphia’s food scene.
Across two dining room tables, nestled in the tiny restaurant, 25 Philadelphians slurped down silkworm stew (or chomped on the little guys themselves, depending on their sense of adventure) and listened to the story of Phathavong’s family and the journey they took from an underground backyard food stop to two thriving restaurants in West Philly and Kensington.
The event was hosted by The Citizen’s Foodizen writer, Jason Wilson, who shared his wine and beer pairings for each course from the crispy coconut rice lettuce wraps to the mango sticky rice dessert.
Check out the photos below from the event and keep an eye out for our next Foodizen night:
