Anyone whose ever been to Laos knows that one of the best things to try there are their Khao Jie Pate, or Lao sandwiches.
Located in Centum City, Hello Lao brings a taste of the Southeast Asian culture, though I wouldn’t say it’s as near as authentic as what I’ve had on trips to Vientiane.
I had a lunch meeting there recently where we shared three different options — a soft baguette sandwich, a club sandwich with a regular, milk-based bread, and a Cobb salad.
The baguette sandwiches, which begin at 5,800 won for a basic, which includes lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onions, cheese, egg and four sauces, to up to 7,800 won for a bulgogi special, were quite good for the price. They pride themselves on their soft baguettes which were very fresh, unlike most harder baguettes you’ll encounter at bakeries in the city.
They also offered three sets — a lunch set from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. which included a basic sandwich and a cola for 7,800 won, the brunch set for 13,800 won which includes a sandwich, a fruit dish, french fries and an americano, and a sandwich set which is similar to the lunch set but includes french fries for 9,800 won and runs all day.
The Cobb salad we ordered was quite delicious and fresh, visually appealing dish which was easily enough to share with two people.
The first floor has regular chair seating, though if you’re looking to escape that Korean feeling for a bit, they have a Lao-style seating arrangement upstairs on the floor.
For a change of pace as far as sandwiches go in Busan, Hello Lao is a good place to give it a go.
The food is cooked made-to-order so make sure you have enough time to spare as it takes about 15 minutes or so to receive your food.
For dessert, they also offer a custard toast for 5,300 won and a Nutella toast for 5,800 won. A cup of fresh fruit is 5,800 or a 1,000 won more if you want yogurt.
A wide variety of fresh fruit juices and shakes as well as coffees and teas are available as is Beer Lao.
Restaurant Information
Hello Lao
Open: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Address: 116-1, Trump World Centum, 9 Centum-ro, Haeundae-gu
Phone: 051-741-7408
