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Food tour of Southeast Asia can be done in Massachusetts
May 25, 2023
May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and one of the best ways to share and appreciate a culture is through food. NewsCenter 5 EyeOpener anchor Antoinette Antonio took a tasty tour of Southeast Asia without leaving Massachusetts. She started at Simply Khmer in Lowell, a city that’s home to the second-largest Cambodian population in the U.S. The restaurant was recently featured on Hulu’s “Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi.” The episode focused on how Cambodian immigrants and their cooking are a huge part of Lowell’s identity. “The first language I learned was Khmer, so growing up eating Cambodian food, that’s comfort food to me. That is when I fell in love with food,” said Armani Thao. Thao has a food blog called “Forking with Armani” and is a first-generation Cambodian American, born and raised in Lowell. The food at Simply Khmer ranges from very approachable — like spicy ground chicken, beef Loc Lac with rice and Lort Cha noodles — to more traditional flavors like Prahok with steak.The next stop is Laos — by way of Dracut — and Lanxang Star Restaurant. “Beef jerky is our number one,” said the owner, who everyone calls Aunt Gayle. She kept the food flowing, including stuffed tapioca balls and papaya salad.”Papaya salad you can have without the noodles or with it,” Thao said. “Most traditional Laotian restaurants serve it with a side of sticky rice.”Antoinette tried the whole fried fish at both restaurants and said it’s not as intimidating to eat as some might think.The final stop is one dear to Antoinette’s own heart and stomach: Filipino cuisine. Adobo Republic’s namesake is the national dish of the Philippines. But, the food truck parked on Cranberry Highway in Wareham serves up plenty of other traditional dishes, including Lumpia, Pancit noodles and Filipino Spaghetti. And do not skip the churros with ube sauce, that’s a sweet purple yam popular in Filipino desserts. All of the spots we visited encouraged everyone to just open the door and try something new — especially during AAPI Month.
BOSTON —
May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and one of the best ways to share and appreciate a culture is through food.
NewsCenter 5 EyeOpener anchor Antoinette Antonio took a tasty tour of Southeast Asia without leaving Massachusetts.
She started at Simply Khmer in Lowell, a city that’s home to the second-largest Cambodian population in the U.S. The restaurant was recently featured on Hulu’s “Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi.” The episode focused on how Cambodian immigrants and their cooking are a huge part of Lowell’s identity.
“The first language I learned was Khmer, so growing up eating Cambodian food, that’s comfort food to me. That is when I fell in love with food,” said Armani Thao.
Thao has a food blog called “Forking with Armani” and is a first-generation Cambodian American, born and raised in Lowell.
The food at Simply Khmer ranges from very approachable — like spicy ground chicken, beef Loc Lac with rice and Lort Cha noodles — to more traditional flavors like Prahok with steak.
The next stop is Laos — by way of Dracut — and Lanxang Star Restaurant.
“Beef jerky is our number one,” said the owner, who everyone calls Aunt Gayle. She kept the food flowing, including stuffed tapioca balls and papaya salad.
“Papaya salad you can have without the noodles or with it,” Thao said. “Most traditional Laotian restaurants serve it with a side of sticky rice.”
Antoinette tried the whole fried fish at both restaurants and said it’s not as intimidating to eat as some might think.
The final stop is one dear to Antoinette’s own heart and stomach: Filipino cuisine. Adobo Republic’s namesake is the national dish of the Philippines.
But, the food truck parked on Cranberry Highway in Wareham serves up plenty of other traditional dishes, including Lumpia, Pancit noodles and Filipino Spaghetti. And do not skip the churros with ube sauce, that’s a sweet purple yam popular in Filipino desserts.
All of the spots we visited encouraged everyone to just open the door and try something new — especially during AAPI Month.
