Hoang Khao: Lao home cooking comes to Ankeny

Hoang Khao (say it hwahng-kow) means rice stalk in Lao, and the name is a nod to a family that has lived by rice for generations. They were farmers who planted it by hand and built their lives around the harvest. Now that same family, the one behind Pad Thai Garden in West Des Moines, has opened a restaurant in Ankeny cooking the food they grew up eating at home. The recipes were never written down. They were passed along by memory, one generation to the next.

Lao food is hard to find in the metro, which is what makes this one worth the trip.

Start with the Lao side of the menu

The khao piak sen is the signature: soft, chewy rice noodles in a savory broth with chicken, fresh herbs, and crispy fried shallots. It's the kind of bowl you'll think about later. The laab is a bright minced meat salad with herbs, toasted rice powder, and lime. Add the Sai Gok, a Lao sausage stuffed with herbs and minced pork, and the Seen Lod Moo, sweet and savory strips of Lao pork jerky. Order sticky rice on the side. It comes in a woven basket, and you eat it with your hands.

Bring a group

The Hoang Khao Combo Special is built for sharing: papaya salad, sausage, pork jerky, crispy wings, hard-boiled eggs, pork rinds, and sticky rice on one big platter. If someone at the table wants something familiar, the Thai side of the menu covers it, from pad Thai and drunken noodles to red, green, panang, and yellow curry. The Lao steak with jeow som, a spicy and tangy dipping sauce, is a good middle ground.

Save room

Mango sticky rice (when mangoes are in season) or the fried banana with vanilla ice cream. To drink, try the Thai pink milk, a sweet rose-flavored milk drink, or a Thai iced coffee.

Good to know

Hoang Khao opened in soft-opening mode in late summer, with lunch and dinner Tuesday through Friday and dinner Saturday. Hours may change as they head toward a grand opening, so check before you go. There's a kids' menu too.

Go: 1325 SW Oralabor Rd, Suite 200, Ankeny · Tue to Fri 11am to 2pm and 4pm to 8:30pm, Sat noon to 8:30pm, closed Sun and Mon (soft-opening hours) · 515-257-1601