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Vientiane Restaurant
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
100 reviews for Vientiane Restaurant
Review Highlights
"I ordered pork Larb, Lao sausage, and Papaya Salad."
(in 9 reviews)
"Sweet sticky rice with mango #85."
(in 11 reviews)
"For a spicy dish, I tried Beef in Red curry, excellent."
(in 14 reviews)
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100 reviews in English
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Review from Tim T.
Modesto, CA
1/8/2012
The fried rice here is delicious and the prices are the best. This is my go to Thai place in Sacramento. The owners of the restaurant are very attentive and friendly.
This is the kind of small restaurant jewel that I love to find when I am sick of eating at chain restaurants. I highly recommend. -
Review from Kendra B.
Located in a less-than-impressive strip mall adjacent to the Chevron on Jefferson, and a stone's throw for the freeway, this place really is a (somewhat) hidden treasure.
My first foray into Vientiane was with a work group for lunch. Local workers flock to this place at lunch, and for good reason. The service is quick and friendly, the food tasty, and the value is great.
I've had quite a few dishes at Vientiane that I've enjoyed:
I always come back to the Drunken Noodle a spicy dish with chow fun (wide noodles), spicy peppers, veggies and chicken in a nice spicy sauce. Large portion, never too greasy even though pan-fried, and always right on in terms of taste.
The noodle soups are tasty, and very true to the pho style many other establishments serve.
In terms of appetizers, both the hot and cod spring rolls are delicious, the hot being fried and the cold being a rice paper wrap with more veggies inside. Healthy and tasty!
Overall, Vientiane is a good go-to lunch or dinner spot, with quick and friendly service and hearty, tasty food. -
Review from Kim T.
West Sacramento, CA
I really wanted to like this place, I really really really wanted to. Ever since the move to west Sacramento, we have been trying to find substitutes to our favorite restaurants by trying our the nearby businesses.
The area where this restaurant is located did not look very promising, a couple of doors down is a tattoo shop..........................
first impression of the restaurant was not bad, small, quaint, as expected.
If you have read my other reviews on Thai restaurants, i am pretty picky about my larb. The larb here was pretty disappointing, it was the equivalent to my version of larb and let me tell you, it was not that great. (I'm still working on perfecting my version).
My boyfriend ordered the caramel pork and let me say this, i HATE returning food! hate hate hate it. We had to though because the meat tasted as if it was spoiled. I was unwilling to pay for a dish that we only took bites of and that tasted rotten. Our server took it back and told us that the piece she tasted did not taste rotten but took it off our check anyways. ( the customer is always right, right? ) We wont be back, i rather make the drive to south Sacramento. -
Review from Maika L.
Sacramento, CA
7/19/2011
Love the heat and spice from Laos food.
Typically order sticky rice, laab, papaya salad and every once in a while the angel wings. The lady who works the counter and greets us is always sweet and pleasant.
Laab is always tasty, sour, tart and seasoned perfectly, plus all the assorted veggies that come with the dish is great compliments to the beef laab.
Papaya salad is always spicy but i wish it was darker in appearance. I love my fish sauce and the strong smell of "ba-let" in my papaya salad. The darker the better.
Angel wings are crispy and not oily, and the dipping sauce that comes w/the wings is a unique texture and flavor, like a thick sweet and sour pepper sauce.
This place is always empty when me and the bf come but i hope it stays around.... on a sad note on one of my visit i got bit by mosquitoes all over my feet and legs... itched like a bitch but the lady at the counter gave me some asian ointment which calmed the itch and made me laugh and think of my grandma and mom. -
Review from Joe C.
Sacramento, CA
5/6/2011
Undisputed Champion of Thai Restaurants. It's on the Internet so it must be true. Seriously this is the best Thai food in Sac, and you can take that to the bank suckas. Technically it's Laotian food, but they have all the Thai dish usual suspects (Pad Thaiser Soze, etc...). This white boy doesn't know the difference and frankly I don't care, cuz the food is bomb.
I eat here at least once a month. About half the time I grab one of their cheap and delicious lunch specials and the other half I'll call ahead and pick up on my way home from work. The location is really convenient as it's one block south of business 80. The service is excellent and the place is sparkling clean.
My personal favorites are:
Stuffed Chicken Wings (ridiculous)
Lao Sausage (also ridiculous)
Papaya Salad (you guessed it)
All the curries
All the soups
Pineapple Fried Rice and Pad Thai aren't too shabby either.
Also, the value is tremendous. Do yourself a favor and check this place out. -
Review from Andrew C.
Really good food and definitely as spicy as you ask for. Quality ingredients, solid portion, substantial lunch meal that will help you power through the rest of your day without a food coma. Laos food mainly, Thai because it's accessible. Worthwhile place if you're not into dining at a chain and don't have time to leave West Sacramento
Listed in: Sacramento
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Review from Nathan T.
6/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good but not great.
First a quick run down on how I rate since there is so much variability on this restaurant with arguably way too many five star ratings.
-Five stars = best of class in the area. I would plan a trip around getting to this restaurant. Assessment - Nope go to Amarin Thai or several others.
-Four stars = Darn good I would definitely go back if I was in the area. Assessment - I would go to other Thai/Laotian restaurants first even if it involved a drive.
-Three stars = Good and could eat there again. Assessment - Yes and there is nothing wrong with a three star rating. That is a good score for your average restaurant.
We had:
-Squid Salad--Good
-Veggie rolls--Good
-Red beef curry-- Good not great with good quality cuts of meat. A little lite on taste and spiciness
-Red Chicken curry -- Same
-Tofu peanut curry -- Good
-Iced coffee -- pretty good
We did not try the items others have highlighted. Perhaps Curries are not their strong point.
No decor and no music when we were there. They turned on the TV which played infomercials the whole time. Service was good. -
Review from Diana C.
Sacramento, CA
11/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here one day for lunch with my two best friends and I ordered the stuffed chicken wings and the Laos sausage with sticky rice and a Thai tea, it was really good. The stuffed chicken wings came with this sweet and spicy sauce that made it taste even better and the Laos sausage was a little sweet and not too spicy which was perfect. The service was great, she was really friendly and we got our food really quick. the restaurant is small and its pretty hidden. I would definitely come back again.
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Review from Raider L.
West Sacramento, CA
11/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Quality ingredients, fresh hot food, and friendly owner make this place a must try. I rate places mostly on the food and this place has never disappointed. I usually have the stuffed chicken wings, spring rolls, and beef ball soup; all are great!
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Review from Jennifer D.
Brownsville, WI
9/1/2011
My 4yr old and I needed some lunch after a trip to the zoo area. Used the little yelp app on my phone to search nearby. This restaurant popped up and sounded like it would hit the spot.
We were greeted by a very polite lady, and immediately felt like we made a good pick. These types of places are not always good for children..
Our food came quickly after ordering and it was very decent, and the prices very affordable. My son got the Thai fried rice with Chicken and I got Pad Thai with egg rolls for the appetizer. Loved the egg rolls, the rice was not spicy so my kid could eat it, and the Pad Thai was decent. I wish I would have tried a curry dish, because that looked really awesome.
As a bonus, a regular there gave my son a River Cats ball cap. He must have been a manager or something at the stadium. It really made my kid's day! -
Review from Kristina M.
Boston, MA
12/8/2010
This place holds a special place in my heart!
Sticky rice, papaya salad (extra spicy), Lao sausage, laarp! Makes you want to say "saep lai lai!" Susan, the owner, is super sweet and attentive and makes you feel like family when you become a regular. -
Review from Joey L.
Fremont, CA
1/17/2011
The food is so bad and disappointing, I felt that once again, a lot of reviewers on Yelp don't know what they are talking about. We stayed over in Sacramento on the way back from Reno. After being stuck in traffic for a long time, we were just looking to eat anything. I searched for the closest place on yelp with a decent rating, and settled on this joint. I should not have broke my own rule regarding restaurants, which is to not go into one that has nobody in it.. Another warning sign was that the air was very "greasy" as all the fume from the kitchen permeated the dining area.
I ended up ordering the Caramel Pork while my companion ordered the Pad Thai. Both were $7, and I had to pay another buck for rice. When the dishes came, I was appalled to find that the pork dish was just a bunch of slices of very tough pork in soy sauce. There was no condiment, veggie, or anything to accompany the pile of brown. It was in short, pretty unacceptable. I don't consider the dish to be of restaurant quality.
The pad thai was kind of soggy and underwhelming. All in all, the food were not up to par, and the emptiness of the place showed. i am not sure why other people gave this place such a great review, but I just cannot give them my endorsement.
Joey -
Review from Sharon Q.
Santa Clara, CA
Updated - 11/22/2010
I found my take out menu and I just wanted to tell you how reasonably priced their menu is...
$5.00 for Papaya Salad (Other places range from $6-8)
$5.99 for Stuff Chicken Wings
$6.99 for Garlic Pork
$5.99 for Pineapple Fried Rice
They also have lunch specials which are all $5.99 and includes rice. Some choices are:
Red Curry Beef, Garlic Pork
Chili Chicken Basil, Crispy Noodle w/shrimp
Kapao Beef w/rice.
etc.Listed in: The Best of Sac
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/11/2010
I started going to Vientiane because of the awesome reviews on Yelp...and it lives up to it!
I love… Read more »
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Review from SANDY P.
Sacramento, CA
Below is my rating for what we ordered:
Angel Wings: Good
Laotian Eggrolls with Chicken: Below Average (Chicken meat was dry)
Red Curry with Chicken and Coconut: Good
Shrimp Fried Rice: Good
Lao Sausage: Average
Thai Tea: Average
I would go back if I was in the area. -
Review from john d.
7/27/2011
It was last Thursday and I was craving some Thai food for lunch. Called up my buddy Joe to see if he was in the area but unfortunately was busy with work. He gave me a tip on where I could get my fix, The Vientiane Restaurant off of Jefferson. He gave me some quick directions and I headed that way. I went searching and unexpectedly drove right by. Its a bit hard to find but it's in the rear of of one of those shopping centers. Ha "in the rear." ha ha. But yeah I think it's behind the Kabob place which I have yet to try.
So I head inside and am calmly greeted by a girl who ask, "take out or here" This place is a fast sit down restaurant but you can get your food to go too. I was there to get the whole experience so I plopped down on a table a started to read the menu. I was there for lunch so I went strait for the lunch menu. They had a whole assortment of lunch specials. I went for the red curry and rice. They had it listed for $5.99, which I think most of the lunch specials were priced that way too. I made eye contact with my server and put ordered up. As I waited I looked around and noticed that this place was filled with business people having luncheons. But I thought to myself this place is great for a quick delicious lunch meeting. Within about 6-7 minute my food was out and in front of me. Started eating and within no time it was gone. : ( It was rather good, wish it was a bit spicier. They only gripe I had was the amount of food. But hey for $5.99 I guess you can't really complain. -
Review from Norma A.
7/12/2010
This was my first introduction to Laos Food and let me tell you it was GREAT! My boyfriend is Laotian and I had mentioned that I really wanted to try this place out. (He was already familiar with this place)
He suggested I try the Pad See Ew, which is flat rice noodles (almost like chow fun noodles), broccoli, carrot, egg, bean sprouts and I picked mine with chicken. The flavor was amazing, the sauce was not overpowering, every bite was delicious, I liked how the veggies still had a light crunch and were not overcooked at all. I didn't find it spicy but I did add a little hot chili oil for some heat. I am hooked on this dish. I do want to try Papaya Salad but I think my BF is building up my spice taste buds since it is known for being spicy. :)
We also ordered the Lao Spring Rolls which were very fresh, healthy and delicious.
I can't wait to go back...It seems to be a weekend thing for us...I hope it continues -
Review from David S.
Pasco, WA
7/8/2011
Me & my brother Pete were looking for a place to eat!!! we were STARVING!!! couldn't find any place open!!! and this was in the middle of the afternoon around 3 o clock WTF!!! anyway we searched on his phone Thai food, we called yes they were open and YAY! we got food i ordered Phad kra pao, stuffed chicken wings and my bro got Larb. it was good and price was decent service was prompt and owner was nice, would go back again for more if in town.
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Review from Christine W.
Sacramento, CA
5/28/2010
Rough (did I say rough?) location! Jefferson Blvd behind a Chevron gas station.... brutal.
However, the prices are great, the owner is amazing, and the food is good.
We tried the spicy beef salad, Tom Yum soup, and Lemongrass Chicken - all good, but here's why Vientiane got 4 stars: we added asparagus into the chicken dish and asked the owner if she would make us coconut ice cream milkshakes with boba (something that's definitely not on the menu and that she had never heard of) - she did - and it was wonderful!
How many restaurants allow customers to create their own dishes? This place is obviously locally owned and worth supporting.
The only downfall - make sure you say NO MSG. Both my friend and I are "sensitive" to it and we thought we were going to pass out by the end of our meal... -
Review from Yves J S.
Sacramento, CA
4/14/2010
Vientiane Restaurant serves Thai and Lao cuisine. I was taken back by how much I enjoyed my food and regret not trying them out sooner. The restaurant appears to have been remodeled inside, and is a world of a difference compared to it's outer appearance and location. It was a good visit and look forward to more positive visits.
The curries, the caramelized pork, the sauteed vegetables, and the fried rice were well prepared. I can't quite compare Vientiane to any specific restaurants such as Thai, Vietnamese, or Chinese, since the flavors seemed to compliment each other in their own diversity ...much like an interracial "get together" during a "movie."
I have driven by many times and have ignored any urge to stop by because of it's location. It was always when I was headed somewhere else or simply didn't have the urge at the time to feast on anything. It was definitely a pleasant dining experience since the food is prepared well and in good taste. There doesn't seem to be an abundance of quality Asian type food in West Sacramento, so this is a nice addition too food options in the area. The added culture and variety raises the standard, even if by a small margin, of the over all community.
Next to a liquor store and in the same strip mall as a Chevron gas station also negated interest I had to stopping by. The inside of the restaurant is a world of difference. The place looks remodeled with a nice clean finish with sense of modest elegance. It is very small in size, but the lighting is good, the store is clean, decor is welcoming, and service was courteous. -
Review from D. A.
Elk Grove, CA
12/24/2007 1 photo
Couldn't find Laotian food in San Francisco once. A search I did, and it just weren't found. Go West SAC!
Yes, there are very familiar Thai dishes in the menu. That's because the Laotian and North Eastern Thailand cuisine commonly blends beyond the borders.
The Lao Sausage
The ground pork/sausage was herbed instead of it typically being salty and smoked. A treat this was. The texture was unique too - I detected a pleasant, veggie crunch to it. Could it be minced water chestnuts? According to the menu, this wasn't listed as part of the ingredients. I told the owner, "THIS is really good. Who is your meat distributor?" She replied, "NO, we make it here."
The Stuffed Chicken Wings
Being spoiled by the many Thai restaurants in the San Jose area, the wings were pretty much standard fare, yet I thought Vientiane's dipping sauce was a little more inspired than others.
The Young Coconut Drink
Expecting canned juice with young shredded coconut in it, this was a surprise. The coconut juice came from its original container, meaning that they served the actual coconut itself, with a straw hole cut into it. When you are done, they ask you if you'd like it cut open, so you can spoon out the coconut yourself. Nice!
The Dessert: Banana Rolls with Honey and Ice Cream
This was a little better than the rest. In Thai restaurants, you usually get a hot fried up banana dipped in batter. Wrapped in about a 1/2" diameter in egg roll wrappers, I was surprised to find the banana cooked to a pleasant tasting, thick cream. The arrangement is 3 to 4 rolls that have a little bit of honey poured over them. THEN that's topped off with coconut ice cream. NOT just any coconut ice cream. THIS stuff... ROCKS! This ice cream made of frozen coconut cream. "NOW you have to tell me, is there some sort of Thai grocery store from here to San Francisco where I can pick this up," I begged. She replied, "NO, we make it here." [GASP] Once again, I've insulted the owner. I am declaring Vientiane's coconut ice cream my current favorite for coconut ice cream.
Upon my many returns, I always make sure I have the coconut ice cream for dessert.
To all the yelpers who previously reviewed this restaurant, a job well done. This is a good find. -
Review from Johnny C.
Sacramento, CA
8/29/2007
Our favorite Thai restaurant. Not because they make the best overall Thai dishes in town. Which Bangkok Garden will take the honor. But the dishes they are good at, they are REALLY good.
Best dishes to try are the Garlic Pork, Stuff chicken Wings, Papaya Salad, green and yellow curry chicken and lemongrass pork sausage. Ask for the papaya salad made Lao style and add one or two extra pepper in it, if you can stand the heat.
Other good dishes are the drunken noodles, all of their soups, and red curry beef.
Prices are great here and the lady owner is a sweetheart. We're very happy they re-opened.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Moses H.
Sacramento, CA
8/29/2007
Excellent food. Laotian, not Thai; several key ingredients are different, the food is a bit hotter (although will certainly be prepared mild for those who prefer) and many recipes are not similar to Thai food at all.
I love this place. New owners, same great menu, somewhat expanded; very inexpensive, very friendly, very very good. One of West Sacramento's two or three best restaurants I think, and certainly in my top 15 for the Sacramento area overall.
The stuffed chicken wings are incredible, as are the fish dishes... I think it's better than any Thai restaurant in Sacramento, and by all rights it should be packed every night - it would be if it weren't in West Sac, I guess.
update: went last night - even better than I remember - the service was great, the quail, fried fish, chx wings & noodles were stellar. Pristinely clean inside, beautiful food, nice server. I'd like to go back here every week! -
Review from Rander P.
Rancho Cordova, CA
6/2/2008 3 photos
I met up with a few other foodies from the Sacramento Food Group. It was nice to meet other people who love food as much as I do. We ordered a bunch of dishes family style, so let's get to it.
Papaya salad #9: Green papaya, hot chili pepper, garlic, tomatoes, fish sauce and lime. This was a great start to the meal. I think it hit almost every sensation; sweetness, coolness, a crunch and fresh freshness from the papaya, hot and spicy from the chili pepper, tartness and acidity from the tomatoes, acidity from the lime and saltiness and a little earthiness from the fish sauce. It was cool and refreshing, but hot an spicy at the same time. I have never encountered a dish quite like this. Highly recommended!
Stuffed chicken wings #4: Chicken wings stuffed with ground chicken, black pepper, silver noodle, onions served with fresh cucumber sauce
This was akin to a Laotian buffalo wing minus the heat. That would be later. It was like a tasty sausage with the chicken skin. The noodles mixed in with the ground chicken meat provided an interesting texture.
Lao sausage # 51: Ground pork with garlic, lemongrass, hot chili pepper, green onions and kaffir lime leaves.
The sausage was nicely seared on the outside. The main difference between this and other sausage was the coarseness of the ingredients. The pork was coarsely ground and the green onion was still in chunks. There was some kind culinary magic going on. The combination of lemongrass, garlic and Kaffir lime leaves created an interesting background flavor, something like vanilla or Chinese five spice. We interrogated the owner and she would not give us the secret ingredient. Overall, the sausage was very tasty and was not too heavy.
Red Curry with beef #76: Red chili curry, coconut milk, bamboo shoots, bell pepper and basil.
This was a good curry with layers of flavor; the lemongrass was front and center in this curry and the beef was tender. This was another solid dish.
Sweet sticky rice with mango #85:
The sticky rice was, I think sweetened with coconut milk, warm and soft. This provided a nice contrast to the mango that was cool, firm and not so sweet.
We also had these other dishes. They were good, but I would try the aforementioned dishes above before trying these.
Squid salad # 11: Squid with chili paste, ginger, red onions, fresh cilantro and lime.
Larb #14: Chopped pork, tossed with hot chili pepper, cilantro, green onions and lime.
Nam Vahn #89 (tapioca jelly and a variety of fruits drenched with coconut milk.)
The ingredient used are similar to Vietnamese and Thai, but the combinations have different flavors. Overall, I highly recommend this place this is now my favorite Asian restaurant in Sacramento. -
Review from Stacy G.
4/8/2008
This is my favorite Thai/Laotian restaurant in the world. It is a family affair, and the owners/staff are quick to remember you and make conversation once you return a couple of times. It never seems to be too incredibly busy, which I find pleasant.
Every time I return I find more dishes to savor. Vientiane's green curry chicken was my first introduction of Thai food and I immediately fell in love with their version all those years ago when I first tried it. It is still my favorite of any I've tried: hearty, with tender sliced chicken, Thai eggplant and the perfect blend of spices.
The stuffed chicken wing appetizer is just as irresistible as I heard it was. I'm not a huge fan of their Vietnamese-style rolls, but the regular spring rolls are delightful.
The sauce on the garlic quail is scrumptious. The soups are all tasty. The pad thai, along with the green curry, is my also my favorite of any I've had anywhere. And if I can manage to restrain myself during the meal itself, I try to save room for the mango with subtly-flavored coconut sticky rice.
Ooh, I also love the sweet coconut drink with the little tapioca bits in it, although some people dislike the texture. I lived in Asia, so needless to say, odd textures hardly faze me anymore...
Vientiane...Try it. Love it. Come back again and again. Patronize the small family-owned businesses. The owners will love you. -
Review from mary ann c.
San Francisco, CA
11/19/2009
Seriously almost the freshest most high quality meats I have ever had at any restaurant ever
The food borderlines on addictive
The sweet yet absolutely spicy Yellow Chicken Curry - is one of the best things Ive ever eaten in my life
The stuffed chicken wings are huge and everyone loves them
My dad had the Caramel Pork (he is a picky eater and wanted sweet and sour pork - this is what they recommended)
He finished the whole thing
The beef friend rice - had lots of cucumber - so so tasty
The place is small, super clean and the staff really friendly
The value is amazing, prices so reasonable
Its in a random strip mall in West Sacramento but beyond worth the trip -
Review from kat t.
Sacramento, CA
I really love this place for authenic laos style food.
Since my bf is mien, we are always craving for homemade papaya salad and larb. We actually found this place on yelp after discovering one in oakland of all places. This is the one place in sacramento that can make it just right besides the way his mom makes it.
We always get the Laos style papaya salad which is a must! And you will keep on coming back for. And they also have great Larb. We usually go for the pork larb, delicious. Those are the two must that any first time goers should get! :)
We also tried the chilli chicken which is alright, but actually just tastes like what anyone can make from bbqing and making a spicy sauce. I would pass on that the next time.
The chicken drunken noodle was yummy and great heat, but the portion for it is quite skimpy. It is a portion that seems to be meant for only one person and not quite a dish that can be shared and fill one's hunger.
We recently tried the Laos sausage and I loved it! Thanks to everyone else's recommendations. Great flavors and don't forget to get the sticky rice to eat with it.
Overall great experience and food. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars because the portion for the noodle dishes and they did forget about one of our dishes and we had to remind them about it halfway through eating all of our other dishes. The service is good but during lunch time is really packed so try to avoid those times if you want great service since it is a small restaurant but very clean and nice decor. Prices are great. My bf and I typically get about 3 or 4 dishes and thai tea and typically spend under $40. -
Review from Joyce B.
Sacramento, CA
8/12/2009 ROTD 12/30/2009
Tried the stuffed chicken wings and would have been happy to stop there. They were quite good and really, all I needed was a cup of steamed rice and I would have been content.
But do we ever stop at just one dish? Nah ... I was born in America ... we eat till we can't fit into our jeans and then order another plate to go.
We got the imperial rolls (can't mess these up really) and a spicy plate of beef that the waitress recommended. Everything was good ... pricey ... but good. Topped it off with some coconut ice cream and we were content to sit around and stare at our bulging bellies in the mirrors surrounding us.
They should take the damn mirrors down. Less guilt means I order another container of stuffed wings to go.Listed in: ROTD's
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Review from Adam B.
San Francisco, CA
I wanted to go here to reminisce about my trip to Southeast Asia last February. Laos wasn't the culinary highlight of the trip, but it was still yummy and I'd never had it in the States.
The stuffed chicken wings were great and unique, and they were quite filling for an appetizer. I'm not sure what was in the stuffing, but it was tasty and savory. For my entree I ordered the Tom Yum soup with shrimp, which was every bit as flavorful as it was in Asia. I'd be back if I were ever in West Sacramento for some reason. -
Review from Michelle K.
West Sacramento, CA
5/4/2008
Fantastic - My new favorite Thai Restaurant in ALL of Sac - why?
Fast service, friendly and family owned, decently priced (cheap prices, not cheap food!), and all around delicious.
Its pretty small, but I like it - makes me feel like its a little secret that not many know about and I'm ok with that - means i wont have to wait an hour for my food like most thai food places on a Friday night. Went there with the hub on a Friday at 7:30 (that's asking for it anywhere else) and were instantly seated and fed within 15 minutes.
Love this place. -
Review from Diana C.
7/31/2009
I always pass by this restaurant on the bus or by car, but never had the chance to go here until the day I moved out of West Sac. However, I didn't have quite the same joyous experience as some of my fellow Yelpers.
My friends and I ordered an appetizer, soup, entree and noodles. The vegetarian spring rolls were a huge disappointment. All there was in them were shredded romaine lettuce and rice noodles. I mean, come on, for $4.50 or $5, I'd expect a little more effort in making these babies. The Tom Yum Pak, a vegetarian hot and sour soup, was pretty good. It had lots of veggies and it wasn't too sour. I asked for the Drunken Noodles with tofu and it was good too. It had a little spice to it, but the dish was unexpectedly small. Lastly, our entree, Tofu Eggplant was blah. Something was just terribly wrong with the eggplant. I think it was just not cooked through or something and looked kind of gray. Whatever it was, I just simply hated that dish.
Our server also had a tendency to like to spill drinking water on me and my friend. Hmm. I highly doubt I'll be here again, not because I live across the river now, but it's just not all that.Listed in: Oodles of Noodles!
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Review from linda c.
Davis, CA
10/18/2007
So I finally checked this place out with my boyfriend last Saturday.
The menu was simple.
It's been soo long since I had any sticky rice! We ordered the angel wings to share, I had the saugages with sticky rice and my BF had a Seafood noodle combonation. The wings were scrumptious(even though the dipping sauce seems to be missing). My BF's noodle didn't quite filll him up, and when I took a taste of the soup...it was a little too fishy. The lao saugages are soo good, try them!
Thanks to yelpers, I don't need to drive an hour away to get some good laos home cooking. I wished they offered more traditional laos food though.
P.S I'll definitely come back.Listed in: Laotian Eats.
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Review from Michele P.
West Sacramento, CA
6/15/2011
This place is sooo good. You get a lot of yummy food and the price is beyond reasonable. I love their egg rolls and their Fried stuff chicken wings are amazing. I will be going back
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Review from Hal P.
San Diego, CA
10/29/2007
Very friendly people and good food. Nice and spicy. Prices are very reasonable. Atmosphere is clean and pleasant.
I had prawns with chili (very spicy) and spring rolls (excellent).
My only criticism is that the restaurant is too well lit, so that it feels like a store rather than a restaurant. The owners could easily achieve a more cozy atmosphere by simply installing a dimmer. Also perhaps some photos of Laos, etc., would be nice. -
Review from Stacey C.
4/19/2008
Lo and behold, thai and lao food in West Sac. I was pleasantly surprised when my dad wanted to take me to his newest discovery in West Sac where he lives. I tend to eat Thai food a lot in San Francisco and love it and was surprised that this restaurant can even compare to those. Usually my reviews of chinese food up in Sac don't even compare to the chinese food I eat in SF. But this restaurant was pretty good in comparison to my favorite Thai places.
To start, the staff is extremely friendly. Then I found out my dad had been there twice in the past week so they knew him by name and my dad was talking to them like old friends already. They made suggestions of dishes. We got the tom yam kung soup (I think that's what it was), green chicken curry with japanese eggplant underneath, garlic pork, pad see ew with beef, chili fish. I topped it off with a thai iced tea - my favorite.
The food was actually good. Chicken curry was good and not extremely hot at all. It could've been cooked a little less because it started to get a little dry. The soup was probably my favorite though. It was the perfect blend of thai spices with loads of shrimp and mushrooms inside. The fish was deep fried and a little hard to cut since it was kind of small.
Overall, a great find. This place could be easily missed when driving down Jefferson, but looks like several people have already been here and liked it. -
Review from Terran O.
Emeryville, CA
2/28/2010
I really wish the Yelp! peeps would allow 1/2 stars, because I would give this place 3.5, but I'm forced to round down in the current situation.
LOCATION/CLEANLINESS- I give it four stars for being a little oasis. It's location is pretty ghetto - Jefferson and the 80/50 interchange. But inside it's SUPER clean, even the bathroom, and the lady working in there was a nice as can be.
PRICE- This is by far the cheapest Thai I've found in the SacTo area. I think nothing was over $7 a plate. Ps- They have canned soda if that matters to anyone.
FOOD- This is where the 3 stars come in, it was just okay. I've definitely had more flavorful food at Boon Boon or Thai Basil. I had the drunken noodles (Pad Ke Mao) and the portion was not that large and I really didn't think it was full of flavor like I usually experience, and it most certainly was not spicy, which was a bit of a let down to me. The chicken tasted like just plain ole sauteed chicken. It was certainly nothing to rave about.
It had such potential, but unfortunately I don't think we'll be going back. But as always, to each his/her own.Listed in: Thai
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Review from Kara B.
Sacramento, CA
5/7/2007 1 photo
***Update***
They've reopened in a new location. Still in West Sac off of Jefferson Blvd, in the little strip mall that also houses Round Table and Twisted Stitch. Needless to say, I made a beeline to get my grubby little paws on some stuffed chicken wings...I was in heaven.
Old review:
Not a review, but a sad update. Been wanting to try out this place for a while, especially when I heard they had stuffed chicken wings! My friend's husband makes the best and they're really time consuming, so I want to stop begging for them. Drove by there last night and I even startled myself with my GASP. What!? (Dreams of stuffed chicken wings vanishing and needing to beg again, emerging) Vientiane and the Redwood (no-tell motel) that shares the same parking lot were bordered up and encompassed together in a big prison style chain link fence. Waaah!
I called, and the phone # has been changed. Called the new (530 area code) number and the message said that they were temporarily closed, but will reopen at 1001 Jefferson Blvd. I'm assuming West Sac., but no info. on when.
Alas, I don't know how many stars to give on this one? 1 for the creepy, lurid appearance and 4 for at least offering stuffed chicken wings once a upon a time? Anyone know where I can get me hands on stuffed chicken wings - that doesn't involve begging?Listed in: West Siiide, it is tha Best…
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Review from Zee W.
Sacramento, CA
2/25/2008
My coworkers took me out to lunch here today. It was my first visit, and upon first impression, the interior was clean and simple. The place filled up quick because it's quite a small restaurant. It looked like they had a lot of good selection on the menu, but I chose the red curry with chicken lunch deal. It did taste a little salty upon the first bite, but my taste buds adjusted. It wasn't spicy at all, but after I was done with the meal, I noticed a very subtle taste of spice lingering in my mouth. It was quite enjoyable!
Unfortunately, my coworkers did not seem to be Thai food lovers at all. Their BBQ chicken and pad thai was too spicy for my manager, so he barely ate his food! The others ordered a beef ball noodle soup, fried prawns, and green curry with chicken. So the lesson learned is: when you go eat Thai food, make sure you go with Thai/Laos food lovers who can stand the spice!
There was one waitress who took all the orders with another guy who helped serve the food. They are really nice and helpful and was concerned about all the food leftover on my manager's place!
I will definitely make a trip here again...most likely with others who love Thai/Laos food.
On a separate note: You can get some HOT HOT HOT papaya salad from this place. Have you heard of 'Thai hot'? Try 'Laos hot' if you're a fan of SPICY food. -
Review from Tara d.
Pittsburg, CA
7/9/2010
YUM-O!! i checked this place on Yelp a few weeks back because i was looking for a place to eat while working up in Sac. i ended up going somewhere else (worse decision ever), but still remembered to come here the next time.
since i was in the area again, i stopped on over for dinner. i've been craving Laos food for ages and that was part of the draw to come here.
i ordered the Green Papaya Salad (Laos style) & Laos sausage w/ sticky rice. OMG! this immediately curb my craving!! the flavors were very close to what i remembered from a lot of real Laos restaurants in the SF Bay Area and from Laos family parties.
in fact, dining at the restaurant feels like dining with family. the restaurant owner/host is very welcoming and with every person that entered the restaurant, she recognized them immediately, which makes this a local gem!
location is sketchy, it's in an industrial area, but it's near the Raley's stadium.
other than that, since i'll be working in Sac for the next few weeks, you can count of me for a repeat visit!!Listed in: Asian Food
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Review from April G.
Montague, MA
3/28/2007
After reading the reviews on Yelp, at Kate Washington's review in the SNR, I was expecting to be blown away by Vientane, but I really wasn't.
We ordered the drunken noodles, green papaya salad, and a pork dish whose name I can't remember. Caramel pork maybe? Something like that. The drunken noodles and papaya salad were fine but nothing special. The pork dish was just pork and sauce, and I didn't really care for it. The meal was satisfying, and not bad at all, but I just don't feel a burning desire to drive all the way out there again. -
Review from Jeff C.
Folsom, CA
5/25/2008
What happens when you combine a bad palate with inferior food experience? Bad reviews!
I'm not sure why some people didn't like this place, but the food is outstanding. The service and quality are second to none for the price range. Everyone knows where to go and where not to go if you're looking for the best ambience, so I won't even comment on it. If that's important to you, hit a 5-star joint.
The food is the best Thai/Lao I've had since I've been to Thailand AND Laos. Yeah, it's technically Lao, but the countries are neighbors and the distinction is a local one for most part. (No disrespect meant to Thai or Lao folk. Both great cultures and great foods.)
The papaya salad was very tasty. Good quality papayas, and the regular spicy damned near burned my mouth off. The garlic pork was another one of my favorites there. Too many good dishes to name.
Great place to stop and have lunch if you're headed from Sac to the Bay, or maybe on your way back.
