Day 86 of eating at 100 Asian restaurants in Maryland, and we’re in Canton for a spot I’ve been SO curious about. Thai-Lao Garden on Boston Street took over the Charming Elephant space, and I’ll be honest, I really, REALLY miss Charming Elephant’s food. But Thai-Lao Garden is a wonderful addition to the area and it’s doing something really exciting for Baltimore’s dining scene: keeping Lao food in Canton.
The restaurant takes its name from a garden in the Parkview neighborhood of Baltimore where the family grows the chiles and herbs used in the kitchen. We ordered the Panang Shrimp Curry ($19.50), the Tom Khem ($16.50), the Nam Khao ($15.50), and their O-Lieng (Lao-style coffee). The Nam Khao ended up being my favorite dish of the spread by a solid margin, and the service was super friendly throughout.
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What Makes Thai-Lao Garden a Standout Lao Restaurant in Canton
Authentic Lao food is genuinely hard to find in Baltimore, which makes their presence in Canton that much more significant. The restaurant’s on Boston Street in Canton, and the interior’s lovely with a warm atmosphere that works for both a casual dinner and a date night. If you’re already a fan of Thai food in Baltimore, Thai-Lao Garden is a must-add to your rotation.
For a completely different angle on Thai flavors, KANOM Cafe in Tuscany-Canterbury takes Thai and Japanese inspiration into a bakery-cafe format, with pastries and desserts that are unlike anything else in the city.
What Is Nam Khao, Exactly?
Nam Khao is a beloved Lao street food that I’m SO glad they offer here. Seasoned rice is shaped into balls, deep-fried until golden and crunchy, then broken apart and tossed with cured sausage, dried coconut, fresh herbs, peanuts, and lime. The result’s a dish with incredible contrasting textures: crispy and chewy at once, with a bright, tart, savory balance that’s really unlike anything else. This was probably my favorite dish of the whole spread.
What to Order at Thai-Lao Garden
Here’s everything I got and my honest take on each dish:
Nam Khao ($15.50)
My favorite dish of the visit, and the one I’d push you to order if you’ve never tried Lao food before. Lao crispy fried rice made with crunchy peppered rice, cured sausage, ground pork, coconut, and peanuts, all served with lettuce and lime on the side. The various textures are SO good together: crispy, chewy, fresh, tangy. This is the dish that has me wanting to explore a lot more Lao food, lol.
Tom Khem ($16.50)
Tom Khem is a Lao comfort food classic: pork belly and hard-boiled eggs slow-braised with aromatics until the meat is tender and savory. It was my first time trying Tom Khem and I thought it was really tasty. The pork belly was tender and the whole dish was really tasty. Great dish to share with the table.
Panang Shrimp Curry ($19.50)
Classic Panang curry with a good amount of shrimp and that thick, creamy, slightly sweet coconut milk base the dish is known for. Panang’s generally milder and richer than other Thai curries, so this is a great choice if you want something comforting and not too spicy. Classic, done well.
O-Lieng / Lao Style Coffee
I’ll be real: this one wasn’t my fave. It’s not a bad drink, just more of a personal preference thing. I’d probably try their Thai green tea or Butterfly pea tea next time instead.
Beyond what I ordered, the menu also includes Moo Grab (crispy pork, which sounds amazing from reviews), Pad Kra Pao, larb gai (minced chicken salad with toasted rice powder), Lao sausage stuffed with lemongrass and makrut lime leaves, spring rolls, satay, pad thai, drunken noodles, and mango sticky rice for dessert. Vegetarian Kao Soi is available for $18.50. There’s a lot to explore here and I can’t wait to go back and try more.
The Vibe and Experience
The interior at Thai-Lao Garden’s lovely and the service was super friendly throughout our meal. It’s a great spot for a date night or a dinner with family, and the atmosphere’s warm and welcoming. Canton’s got a solid dining scene and Thai-Lao Garden fits right in alongside spots like Angus KBBQ as one of the neighborhood’s newer must-visits. The vibe’s warm and the menu is easy to share across the table.
Good to Know
- Location: 📍 2324 Boston St, Baltimore, MD 21224 (Canton, took over the former Charming Elephant space)
- Hours: Sunday through Thursday 11am to 10pm, Friday and Saturday 11am to 11pm
- Ordering: Dine in; delivery via DoorDash and Grubhub; call (443) 268-9789
- Website: thailaogarden.peblla.com
- Parking: Street parking on Boston St in Canton (mix of metered and unmetered, can fill during peak hours)
- Vegetarian options: Vegetarian Kao Soi ($18.50) confirmed; vegan options available
- Still a newish spot (opened April 2026), so reservations by phone at (443) 268-9789 are a good idea
Is this spot worth a visit? Yes, and especially if you’ve never tried Lao food before. The nam khao alone is worth the trip, and the tom khem is a fantastic introduction to Lao braised dishes. Day 86 was a really good one. Thai-Lao Garden’s now firmly on my list of spots I’ll be recommending when people ask about Lao food in Baltimore, and I’m genuinely excited to go back and work through more of their menu.
Have you guys checked out Thai-Lao Garden yet?! If yes, let me know what you thought in the comments. And if you’ve tried Lao food before, I want to know your go-to dish! Drop it below, Nomsters!