Khe-Yo - New York

If you choose to check out this restaurant, I would highly suggest take out and pay cash or pay 3.5% from credit card processing fee.The Lollipop Chicken Wings were good. Sauce can be ordered on the side of you 're a dipper, but they put enough sauce for everything to be coated.The Bell Evans Chicken Laap with Jasmine Rice, Crispy Brussel Sprouts, Pickled Chilies wasn 't great. Dried ground chicken that hidden by all the raw bean sprouts. The brushel sprouts was the best part, but you don 't get too much. If you 're not a fan of cilantro, I would avoid it as you can 't pick it out. There 's some kind of powdery cheese, I think Cotija cheese. Not sure, wasn 't even gonna try to find out from our MIA server.The Crispy Hen of the Woods Lettuce Wraps Vermicelli Noodles, Sweet Chili Sauce is deconstructed and you 'll have to assemble yourself. It was refreshing and crispy. Highly recommend for meat alternative. If you 're sharing, you 'll only have 2 pieces of lettuce to make your wrap.The Sweet Sausage Onions Sticky Rice, Spicy Bang-Bang Sauce Fresh Cucumbers was probably my favorite. Bang-bang sauce is quite spicy. If you don 't like spice, it 's on the side so it can be avoided. Sticky rice is plain, don 't expect coconut or anything. Sausage isn 't crispy, it was quite oily so if I ordered again would ask for a longer cook. Onions were great. FYI you 'll only get 6 pieces.The Crispy Pork Belly Market salad was refreshing and crispy. There 's bits of raw cauliflower and chucks of pickles. Not a fan of the cauliflower being raw, but each is their own. Dip the pork belly with the sweet chili or bang-bang sauce as it 's bland without it.The Toasted Coconut Gelato is more toasted coconut than gelato. If you like coconut flakes on cake, you 'll like this 1 scoop dessert.FYI there 's no such thing as a daily special for the scoops, just raspberry sorbet or coconut gelato. Maybe it 's more a seasonal flavors, but our sever didn 't have a clue.Be aware of suggested tip of 20% is in forced. I was stopped as if I didn 't pay the bill when I was heading out. I tipped 15% for bare minimum service.For 20% I shouldn 't have to consistently keep looking for a server, ask for a where a missing part of the order that was ordered late, or ask for a new serving plate. The only attentive thing the server was available for was to refill waters, she didn 't even ask how our meal was at any point, and came quick to collect the check. It wasn 't busy for brunch service. There were 2 other tables with our sever. Suggested tip is suggested tip, not required. I live here, I work here, and I came out to support restaurants. I used to work in a very busy bar and understand how it is to be in the weeds. I 'm not a tourist and feel disgusted for any tourist who has to experience this. The nerve for the manager to smile and be happy to force people to pay 20% suggested tip, shame on you. I know we all have to make a living, but this is not the way to do it. Thank you, but no thank you.

Great flavors across the board! Enjoyed the Brussels sprouts, chicken sausage, pork belly lettuce wraps, and chili prawns

Truly incredible food, fun ambience. Our waitress Nicole was fantastic too. Overall experience was a perfect ten out of ten, and I am difficult to please.

I almost didn't write this review as I didn't want reservations to be any harder to come by. But Khe-Yo is deserving.Picture this. You arrive at Khe-Yo and you are seated. You scan the QR code and look at the menu of carefully crafted small plates and shareable large bites. The candles burn with just the right radiance, and the murmur of the restaurant's patrons are just audible enough for you to realize you aren't alone. You breathe deeply and order the Crunchy Coconut Rice Balls with Spicy Lime Leaf Sausage.You've done it. Laotian heaven is on the other side and your taste-buds will forever compare any and every other foodstuffs to what you just tasted.This is our experience every time we done at Khe-Yo, one of Tribeca's not-so-hidden gems and likely one of New York City's best asian-fusion restaurants. Yes the ambiance is great, but the star of the show is truly plated.Anyone leaving a bad review is either a paid actor or not talking about the cuisine. Run, don't walk to Khe-Yo and pray that Executive Chef Soulayphet Schwader doesn't get the inkling to try something new.Khe-Yo is a culinary delight and perfect for anniversaries, low-key birthdays or any other celebrations.Vegetarian options: A number of their dishes, especially noodles can be eaten without meat options.Kid-friendliness: Definitely not a pretentious place. It's great for date night, but isn't a bad place for kids. Family style sharing of plates is encouraged.

Starters were good. Rest were too sweet for my taste. Even the chicken entree was sweet, syrupy and slightly artificial in taste.