Just because you’re staying in New York this Winter doesn’t mean your tastebuds have to! Downtown favorite Khe-Yo offers private parties with amazing menus comprised of beautifully redefined Lao cuisine. Khe-Yo can accommodate up to 60 diners for a sit down dinner and up to 100 for a passed appetizers type of event. This all sounds wonderful, but what even is Lao food?
Serious Eats describes Lao cuisine as “often unassuming, but packed with flavor in a way that showcases the country’s prowess at marrying herbs, chilies, and the pungent bacterial riot of fermented meat and fish.” Lao food has a lot in common with Isan Thai food, which was part of Laos when the French invaded Southeast Asia. Expect lots of vegetables and bitter elements in every dish plus tons of fresh herbs like mint, cilantro, and dill. And a meal would not be complete without sticky rice, which is cooked and served in a woven basket. Khe-Yo encourages to eat the stick rice, and everything else, with your hands, as is customary.
Can’t miss dishes include Sesame Beef Jerky–which doesn’t taste anything like the gas station type you might be used to– Laos Style Pork Sausage, Smashed Green Papaya Salad, and vegetarian Crunchy Coconut Rice, all specialties you would find if you traveled to Laos yourself.
Have a smaller party? Khe-Yo is open on Christmas from 4–9 PM and on New Year’s Eve for a celebratory dinner. Make your reservations here! Before you go, check out this amazing, 360˚ view of the restaurant.
