Lil’ Laos is a Lao vendor currently operating out of The Citadel, a food hall in Little River. They are (at the time of this writing) Miami’s only Lao restaurant. And while they certainly deserve praise for introducing the country’s wonderful cuisine to the city of Miami, we love this place first and foremost because their food is really delicious. And—even though The Citadel has its share of great vendors—it is very hard for us to come here without getting an order of crispy pig ears with spicy lime dipping sauce, or Lil’ Laos’ incredible fried mushroom fritter that sits atop a rich red curry sauce. It’s always pretty easy to find a seat in the big food hall, so Laos is a great choice for almost all occasions: big groups, an easy weeknight dinner, or any time you’re craving a spicy papaya salad (called tum mak hoong on the menu) that’ll set your scalp on fire.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings

Crispy Rice (Nam Tod Khao)

We’ve tried too many crispy rices that aren’t actually all that crispy—but this is not a problem you’ll encounter with the nam tod khao here. There are chunks of rice in this dish that produce an audible crunch. But there’s also tons of flavor too, thanks to the lime juice Lao spam, dried chilies, and peanuts you’ll find in just about every bite.

Crispy Chicken Wings (Tod Gai)

These are hands-down some of the best chicken wings in town. They have an airy breading that’s somehow both puffy and crispy all at once. And the sticky tamarind-honey-garlic glaze coats every craggy millimeter of the chicken wing.

photo credit: Cleveland Jennings

Sausage (Sai Krog Muu)

There is no sausage in Miami as complex and tasty as Lil’ Laos’ sai krog muu. The little meat tube consists of a housemade blend of pork belly and pork shoulder, in addition to a small army of herbs, garlic, shallots, fish sauce, and sweet rice that works its way into each bite. We love to pair this with a side of their sticky rice.

photo credit: Francy Nunez

Mushroom Fritter (Tod Het)

While we’re on the topic of crispy deliciousness, let’s discuss this mushroom fritter. The delicate tempura batter creates a thin shell that really seals in the flavor of the tender mushrooms. It’d be great all on its own, but when you throw it atop a lovely red curry sauce (like Lil’ Laos does) it becomes one of the best mushroom dishes in the whole city.