If I was to make a list of the world's great salads, green papaya would be on there. Although I've had Thai versions numerous times, this was only my second experience with Lao green papaya salad. The first was in San Diego, and when I asked the owner of the restaurant what the difference between Thai and Lao style was, she said it was the fish sauce. Here in Palm Springs my Lao waitress was more forthcoming; she explained that Lao fish sauce is different, using the whole fish and rice bran. It's stronger, browner, and thicker than fish sauce I've had in Thai restaurants. They apparently used very little of it, but I could smell the fish when my order arrived, but not in an unpleasant way. I ordered my salad medium spicy, and at first there was hardly any spice at all, but as I kept eating the spice built until my mouth was on fire! My friendly Lao waitress declared that this was the authentic Lao food experience. This salad consisted of shredded green papaya and carrot with chunks of tomato. My salad came with thin slices of beef that had been deep fried until crispy, which provided a nice textural component. In San Diego I had chopped peanuts on my salad, but here I was told that they didn't serve peanuts out of allergy concerns. The beef became chewy as I ate it, and it had a mild sweet flavor. On the side was a container of sticky rice, mild fish sauce, and a cilantro sauce. I was told to dip rice into the sauces, and they turned the plain sticky rice into deliciousness. I was excited to see Lao beer on the menu as I'd never had one before. I ordered a Beerlao Dark Lager and was rewarded with a bittersweet rich flavor. The beer was brewed from rice, malted barley, yeast, and hops, and it packed a punch with 6.5% alcohol. This beer is noteworthy! Location: Fuzion Five, 285 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, California. Date: April 23, 2017.
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AuthorChef Roland has been a legal resident of seven countries and has travelled in over thirty, documenting food along the way. He currently resides in the desert in Southern California. Categories
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