04/27/18
The Larb Rare Beef Salad at SnackBoxe Bistro is a dish not for the faint at heart. This dish is popular with many Laotian restaurants and can be found in many of the street food stalls. But it is a dish that requires some courage since the main ingredient, beef, is not usually cooked in traditional senses. The “cooking” of the beef comes from marinading the meat in fish sauce, lime juice and seasoning. What makes this dish wonderful is the great texture and chew that you get from rare beef along with the sourness from the lime and saltiness from the fish sauce. The dish is also mixed with kaffir lime leaves, cilantro, coriander, mint, chili peppers & flakes, and my favorite addition to any salad, finely grounded toasted rice. The nutty aroma and slight crunch from the toasted rice gives the chewy beef a gritty balance. Herbal flavors from the mint and coriander are pronounced and crunchy sweetness from the finely chopped onions along with spicy heat from the birds eye chili all make this dish a must try.