Foodies love Townsville’s Wild Rice Laos and Thai Cuisine, giving it top marks

There’s plenty of reasons why Townsville’s only Laos restaurant is one of the city’s top-rated venues on TripAdvisor. Check out three of their best dishes.

Wild Rice Laos and Thai Cuisine is creating a stir with its offering of authentic dishes from Laos and Thailand. Pictures: Supplied.

Discerning diners looking to challenge their palette with different flavours can visit Townsville’s only Laotian restaurant, to see first-hand why visitors ranked it in the city’s top five dining establishments on TripAdvisor.

Wild Rice Laos and Thai Cuisine was founded at 235 Flinders St by Noi Latthida, after she took over her brother Pirom “Dtor” Singtothong’s Thai International Restaurant in 2017.

Backed by her family and veteran chef Kunllasate “Joe” Singtothong, Ms Latthida has dazzled foodies with fresh, high-quality ingredients and authentic flavours from her homeland of Laos, and neighbouring country Thailand.

“Laos and Thai are similar foods. Laos food uses a lot of fresh herbs, while Thai food is a little bit spicy and usually has coconut cream,” Ms Latthida said.

“We do the same (as what you’d find in those countries), the same ingredients, and we have to import some herbs to use in traditional Laos foods.”

Wild Rice Laos and Thai Cuisine owner Noi Latthida at the restaurant’s opening in 2017. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Exterior view of Wild Rice Laos and Thai Cuisine, on Flinders St in the Townsville CBD. Picture: Leighton Smith.

Some diners say they like Wild Rice’s dishes better than what they’d found in south East Asia, which she attributes to their supply of high quality ingredients, including fresh meats and vegetables.

She was particularly proud of their Luang Prabang Spiced Chicken Sausages, an entree based on an old Laotian recipe which had been passed down the generations to her.

Luang Prabang Spiced Chicken Sausages is a Laos family recipe that's been handed down the generations. Picture: Supplied.

The highly aromatic dish is prepared by blending lemongrass, shallots, served with cashews, lime, cucumber, onion, garlic, chilli, five star fruit (carambola) – a tropical fruit native to south East Asia.

Often enjoyed with an ice-cold Beer Lao, Luang Prabang uses a traditional spice imported from northern Lao called Ma Khaen – a type of false pepper berry known for its citrusy and slightly bitter flavour.

Vegans and vegetarians are enamoured by the restaurants’ deconstructed Thai Mushroom Soup – Mee Jah Thi Cheh.

Deconstructed Thai Mushroom Soup – Mee Jah Thi Cheh – is a popular Laos dish that's popular with vegans and vegetarians. Picture: Supplied.

The main dish features a deconstructed wild mushroom and coconut soup with rice noodle, raw snake bean, red curry paste, Vietnamese mint, watercress, Kaffir lime leaves, cabbage, bean sprouts, cucumber, soya bean paste, Thai basil, and fresh lime.

Ms Latthida said it was very popular with families and farmers in Laos.

In their noodle offering, Kahl Soi Lauang Prabang is a Burmese influenced dish served widely in northern Laos and northern Thailand.

It includes soybean paste, fresh flat rice noodle, tomatoes, garlic, onion, chilli powder with pork, which was served with watercress, kangone leaves, fresh lime and Thai basil.

“This is a traditional Laos dish that is very yummy and very healthy … we eat a lot of this in south East Asia. The workers and office people love it.”

For more information, visit: www.facebook.com/WildRiceLaoThai.

Originally published as Foodies love Townsville’s Wild Rice Laos and Thai Cuisine, giving it top marks