Red tree ant eggs are on the special menu @ThipKhao throughout the summer. pic.twitter.com/JbDAYHyQzM
— Corbo Eng (@Vablonsky) July 24, 2015
Adventures diners know Thip Khao has them covered, whether it be fried duck heads on the happy hour menu or the entire spicy "Jungle Menu" the restaurant offers.
Now, diners can try tree ant eggs in three different dishes on the restaurant's menu. Chef Seng Luangrath says they're featured in a laab salad ($15), on the mok pa catfish ($15) and in a Lao omelet ($10) during brunch hours. "It's one of Lao's delicacies and an [excellent] source of protein," says the chef, who refers to them as Lao caviar.
Washington City Paper's Nevin Martell tried the laab version, and says the dominant flavor is spice, calling the texture, "like caviar, but splooshier."