Louisiana: Shreveport
There are not a lot of Asian food options in Shreveport. I stopped by an Asian grocery store that was owned by a Vietnamese family and they were in the process of putting in a kitchen to serve Vietnamese food and sandwiches (banh mi). They also sold books and music. If I ever get back there, I will check it out. But right next door was maybe the only Vietnamese restaurant in town. Is it any good? I don’t know – they were closed for vacation! Anyway, if you are in Shreveport, take King’s Highway to Youree Drive to the Bao Chau Grocery at 3310 Youree Drive, Shreveport, LA 71105 (contributor: MK)
The pleasant Asian food surprise in Shreveport was Mary’s Thai Kitchen at 4460 Youree Drive, about a mile south of Bao Chau. When I walked in, there were several Thai families having dinner – always a good sign. Mary and her family are from Phuket, the famous resort island in southern Thailand. So this this is southern Thai food, more like Malaysian, than the usual Bangkok style of Thai food found in most US restaurants. That does not make it better or worse, just a different flavor to enjoy. Or as the Thais say “Same same, but differentâ€. Anyway, the food is good, check it out. (contributor: MK)