Vientian Cafe - Oakland

This Laotian restaurant in Oakland, run by a family, offers a flavorful experience with a newly updated menu that has a wide variety of options. In addition to Laotian dishes, there are also Thai and Vietnamese options available. The beef pho is delicious with a clean tasting broth and generous portions. The Kao Soy noodle soup, while tasty, may be better at other restaurants. Some definite highlights include the Lao sausage, which is a must-try, and the deep-fried quails make for a great shared appetizer with friends. The Papaya Salad Lao style has a funkier twist compared to the Thai version, with anchovy as the base. The Nem Kao, a crispy rice salad with pork, offers a unique blend of citrusy and herby flavors, wrapped in lettuce for added crunch. The Angel wings are a familiar and flavorful option. Overall, this restaurant is a standout among the many Southeast Asian gems in the East Bay.

I highly recommend this place, as all the food is fantastic. The service may be a bit slow due to the large crowds, but the iced coffee, Lao's sausage, chicken soup, and rice noodles are all delicious.

The restaurant serves authentic Laotian cuisine that reminds me of my mom's cooking. The prices are reasonable.

Amazing food, friendly service, great value, love this place

Everything was delicious and authentic. No notes. Big fan of the thicker rice noodles in their style of fresh spring rolls. We ordered the yellow lamb curry. The meat fell apart and wasn’t dry at all, so amazing. Also the red curry fried salmon eggplant dish was delicious. The pieces of salmon were small and varied on dryness/moistness. Still yummy tho