Ba Lao fuses Asian cuisine with Wisconsin favorites

By Amie Hoag, Eastside News

On a warm Wednesday afternoon in early April, the doors at 811 Williamson St. are flung wide-open. Inside, the handful of tables and barstools are almost all occupied, and the vibe is corner bar meets East Asian market.

The brick building, built in the 1870s, was most recently home to Taco Local, and before that, Underground Meats. As of February, it’s Ba Lao (translation: Lao Bar), the second establishment from the owners of Ahan — Jamie and Chuckie Brown-Soukaseume. Opened as an overflow space for those waiting for their table at Ahan — which is just across the street and about a half-block up — Ba Lao is primed to become a destination in its own right.

On the well-edited menu, you’ll find an assortment of unique and delicious cocktails, wine, beer and sake, along with Lao-fusion snacks, ranging in price from $10 to $23. Happy hour runs 4-6 p.m., Wednesday through Friday. Happy Hour features cocktails for just $6, as well as free summer rolls with the purchase of two drinks (and the summer rolls are as tasty as they are fresh).

Most weekend nights feature food specials, including a Friday fish fry.

“The feel here is very Wisconsin meets Laos,” said bartender Brian Wambold.

This combination of cultures comes from owner and two-time James Beard Award semifinalist Jamie Brown-Soukaseume’s roots. He was born and raised in Wisconsin to Hmong parents. The Wisconsin heritage comes through in the fish fry, the (Lao) bratwurst, as well as the mix of local and Laotian beer.

In addition to a cooler of imported and local beer, wine and sake, visitors to Ba Lao can also purchase an assortment of imported snacks and choose from a wall of instant noodles in a range of flavors. (If you’re there late on the weekend, you might even convince the bartender to heat those noodles up).

Ba Lao currently opens at 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, with later hours on Fridays and Saturdays.

For more information, visit balaomadison608.com.