"Considered the standard-bearer for Lao cuisine in D.C., Thip Khao comes from mother-and-son chefs Seng Luangrath and Boby Pradachith. Their Columbia Heights standby continues to satisfy heat-seekers with a menu full of fermented fish sauce, a heavy dose of chiles, offal, and cured meats. Hit orders include crispy tamarind-glazed wings, grilled pork shoulder with lemongrass, and a fiery Lao papaya salad. Over in Shaw, the team just rebooted its 5-year-old space that formerly housed cocktail bar Hanumanh into a modern Southeast Asian eatery called Baan Mae. If you find yourself out in the suburbs, the family’s Northern Virginia staple Padaek recently settled into a new Arlington home." - Tierney Plumb, Emily Venezky
Rey Lopez/Eater D.C.