Dara Thai Lao Cuisine, Berkeley

Excellent *** choice for great food.Even though there are a few of them in the city, any one of them will have you satisfied.These people are really nice.This place is busy because of their fabulous food and location! Its very tasty and the service is great, I had a great time here for lunch and have gone also a couple of times for dinner, I cant get enough! I highly recommend this place, and its so affordable.

Excellent food. One of the best places on the East Bay. Try the pad ke mao...

sabaidee!: Most excellent Lao and Thai on offer here, by appearances nothing fancy, but the food and friendliness are definitely authentic. For starters, try one of the variations on nam prik/jeow, spicy chili dipping paste served with parboiled veggies. For a real taste of Laos, I recommend the version with pungent fermented shrimp paste, mmmmm. Quiet an extensive menu that goes well beyond the overplayed farang standards of green curry, pad thai, and satay, and allows the more adventurous eater plenty of opportunities for new experiences. Sticky rice is essential with any Lao meal, and you cannot go wrong with som tam/tam mak hung, if you like it super spicy, ask for 10 chilis. Though I have barely scratched the surface of Dara's offerings, other standout dishes for me so far have included pork laap (anxious to tuck into the raw fish laap next time), khao soi (heavenly pork noodle soup with a fermented bean paste base, quite different than the Chiang Mai/Northern Thai-style khao soi), and any of the spicy salads, especially yum plaa dook fu, an amazing Thai spicy crispy catfish salad. Now if they would only get Beer Lao on the menu.....Saep ilee, khop chai lailai!