Taurus Ox

"Taurus Ox’s bold menu is dedicated to modern Laotian cuisine, where fresh herbs and warming chilies play a starring role. Savor the spice in dishes like thom khem (a caramelized pork belly and tamari-cured egg cooked with warm spices) and khao poon (a red curry noodle soup with shredded chicken and quail eggs). The Lao smash burger — which gets its kick from jaew tomato and jaew mayo, pork belly, and pickled onions — is a legend around town and inspired the spinoff restaurant Ox Burger. Come early to grab a drink and chicken wings at happy hour (2-5 Tuesday-Saturday; all day Sunday). You can also sample classic cocktails with Laotian twists like the Ox Mule, a refreshing concoction of whisky with galangal soda and lime." - Alicia Erickson

"The cuisine of Laos takes center stage at Capitol Hill’s Taurus Ox thanks to three chefs, Sydney Clark, Khampaeng Panyathong, and Jenessa Sneva, with strong Seattle dining pedigrees. The tiny counter-service shop recently upgraded to this full-service home, where dishes such as thom khem and chicken laap continue to benefit from local produce and a whole-animal approach to butchery. Don’t miss the Lao pork sausage, fragrant with lemongrass and lime leaf, or one of the city’s best patties, a smash burger made with pork jowl bacon and jaew tomato sauce. (This burger became so popular the team opened a burger-only place, Ox Burger.) For another rare treat, pair it with a locally made sato, or Laotian rice wine, from Village Ghost." - Eater Staff

"Laotian dishes shine at this Capitol Hill restaurant from three chefs, Sydney Clark, Khampaeng Panyathong, and Jenessa Sneva. Items such as thom khem and chicken laap utilize produce from local farms and a whole-animal approach to butchery, and the Lao pork sausage, fragrant with lemongrass and lime leaf, is not to be missed. Meanwhile, the smash burger made with pork jowl bacon and jaew tomato sauce may be the best patty in the city. (That burger is also available at Ox Burger, Taurus Ox’s spin-off, and you can find Panyathong’s Laotian spin on pizza at Ananas Pizzeria in First Hill." - Sophie Grossman, Jade Yamazaki Stewart, Eater Staff

" Lao Burger “The last time I got takeout from Taurus Ox, I ordered a large spread of excellent Lao dishes like their beef jerky with sticky rice and khao soi, as well as two of their incredible smashburgers to share with my household. When I was halfway home, they called to tell me they only packed up one burger but had another one waiting. I immediately panicked and turned the car around, picked up my additional burger, quickly drove home, and unpacked the bag to find out they had actually given me three burgers. This felt like getting an onion ring in your order of fries, only if that onion ring was a winning lottery ticket instead. As I started eating the double stack with provolone, taro stem, cilantro, and their spicy jeaw bong mayo, my pipe dream of saving the extra burger for lunch the next day vanished. As did the burgers.” -Carlo Mantuano, Staff Editor" - julia chen 1, carlo mantuano, aimee rizzo

"Lettuce, tomato, and onion have their rightful spot in the burger topping Hall of Fame. But Taurus Ox, a Lao restaurant on Capitol Hill, proves that things like taro stem, spicy lemongrass-y pork skin mayo, jowl bacon, and cilantro deserve a place as well. In addition to all those Lao ingredients, this double cheeseburger also has a bunch of provolone and gets served on a soft pub bun. The result is a f*cking amazing burger that gives you fresh herbs, nuttiness, and just enough pork fat. " - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley