Review

Penlaos remains a hidden gem to be found in the tranquil Khao Yai countryside. Beginning life ten years ago as a street food stall, owner Panchana Vatanasathien and her team have established a vast, high-ceilinged wooden and stone structure restaurant decorated with Laotian flags, with a spacious covered terrace for the cooler months. This is a grand venue with seating for up to three hundred diners, and a menu with two hundred dishes. Head chef Ratree Kampongsa has an established network of farmers and fishermen to provide all their needs, vegetables, fish, and meats, at their freshest. Staff are on hand to assist menu navigation. Favourites include a renowned Korat herbal grilled chicken, juicy and tender with a unique crunchy coating, spicy mushroom soup, Laotian style, with a depth of earthy flavours and spicy sliced papaya salad with either shrimp paste and pickled fish, or salted crabs and raw shrimp. Other notable dishes include spicy minced catfish salad, and Korat-style stir-fried noodles with pork, chicken, or shrimp. An array of traditional Thai desserts is available. Soft drinks, craft beers, and several low-priced wines, local and international, make up the drinks list.